Colorado Springs, CO – MAJ Donald Bigham and Mark Stephenson named the 2017 TSAC-Facilitator and TSAC-Practitioners of the Year at NSCA’s TSAC Annual Training April 3-6, 2017 in Orlando, FL.

This article will highlight recent key dietary practices and provide practical applications for implementing these practices for firefighters.

Mental health is changing across sports and human performance. See how strength and conditioning professionals can recognize, respond, refer, and use resources.

The ability to manage the adaptive response, handle accumulated fatigue, and capitalize on the aftereffects established from training is central to the training process.

The Head Performance and Strength Coach for the Sacramento Kings National Basketball Association (NBA) team, Ramsey Nijem, talks to the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about his recent experience completing a doctoral degree as well as his path to his current position.

This NSCA Coach article describes how to manipulate movements, lifts, and rest periods in a way that controls time, space, and flow efficiently to creatively enhance athletic performance.

This article features the recharge skate—an in-season hockey conditioning drill, designed by the authors, to maintain hockey-specific energy system fitness throughout the competitive season.

This excerpt from Strength Training, Second Edition briefly details hormones and their role in the human body.

Former collegiate hockey athlete Cole Hergott thrived in the offseason, but it took a setback to accelerate his path in strength and conditioning. After losing his spot on the team, he channeled his work ethic into interning with Trinity Western University. Years later, he returned to his alma mater as Head Strength and Conditioning Coach. Only 25 at the time, Hergott recounts the unique challenge of coaching athletes who were older or previous classmates. Leading over 300 athletes as the sole full-time strength and conditioning coach, he quickly learned to “write all your plans in pencil,” while building trust, optimizing logistics, and adapting through COVID-19 disruptions. Hergott emphasizes mentorship and encourages coaches to lean on those who navigated similar challenges. As part of the NSCA British Columbia Advisory Board, he encourages listeners to share their practical insights at local events. Hergott’s journey underscores the value of continual growth and embracing uncertainty. Connect with Cole via email at cole.hergott@twu.ca | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs | Join the NSCA Canadian Community on LinkedIn! Learn more about volunteering with the NSCA at the local level at NSCA.com/Volunteer. Interested in presenting at a local or national NSCA event? Submit your application here.

The path to actual integration of mental and physical training for the tactical athlete is paved with growing empiricism. The current challenge is to sustain creative development of functional approaches and demonstrate that integration can deliver potential benefits.