This excerpt explains the importance of optimal nutritional strategies in conjunction with good sleep hygiene and how that can help mitigate damaging effects of deployment and shift work on performance.

This article applies LTAD principles to guide the process of generating an athletic profile (part 1) and sample program design (part 2) for a middle school athlete and a high school athlete.

This article in NSCA Coach explores the role of agility training in college baseball. Learn more on sports performance and exercise science online at NSCA.com

Join the 2026 NSCA Power Sports Performance Summit in Plainfield, IN, Sept. 26. Build explosive qualities with cueing, loading, + sport transfer. Earn 0.8 CEUs

Strength and conditioning professionals who incorporate a properly designed and supervised training program can help their young athletes train, compete, and reduce the likelihood of injury.

Few strength coaches have shaped sport performance like Al Vermeil — the only strength coach to earn championship rings in both the National Football League (NFL) and National Basketball Association (NBA). In this Gatorade Performance Partner Special Episode, Vermeil shares how a career built on explosiveness, adaptability, and relentless curiosity has transformed teams at every level. From advancing plyometrics and Olympic lifts in the 1970s to creating the performance pyramid and the innovative “time machine” testing system, his methods have influenced generations of coaches and athletes worldwide. Known for blending timeless principles with fresh, actionable ideas, he explains how mechanics, group management, and collaboration create consistent results and lasting trust. Along the way, Vermeil offers rare perspectives on coaching longevity, revealing how his adaptability and curiosity have kept him learning — and lifting — into his 80s. Gain practical insights to keep explosiveness central, integrate performance science, and strengthen your long-term coaching impact. Reach out to Coach Vermeil by email at: a60vermeil@sisna.com | Email Jon Jost at: jonathan.jost@pepsico.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs. This special episode is brought to you in part by Gatorade Performance Partner. Learn more and join their community at GatoradePerformancePartner.com.

Hammer Strength

NSCA Coach 11.4 shares how strength training of the posterior chain in athletes can reduce injury risk and aid rehabilitation. Visit us online to read more about exercise research.

This article will focus on three common areas of injuries that occur with ice hockey players and some recommended strategies for the strength and conditioning professional.