Blood pressure changes acutely during resistance exercise. Continuous, beat-by-beat assessment provides detailed temporal resolution of blood pressure profiles, through techniques including intra-arterial catheterization, photoplethysmography, or applanation tonometry. However, noncontinuous measurements may be conducted before and after resistance exercise through auscultatory sphygmomanometry or oscillometry. Blood pressures tend to increase across repetitions within sets, influenced by load magnitude, repetitions and sets performed, muscle mass recruited, and rest periods; the highest pressures result from multi-joint, large muscle group exercises. Evaluation of such factors may facilitate better understanding of blood pressure responses to acute resistance exercise and influence program design considerations relative to anticipated hemodynamic changes.

Maximal force can be expressed across a range of conditions influenced by the external load and the time available to express force. As a result, several distinct and specific strength qualities exist. Conversely, some expressions of maximal force are similar and can be categorized as a single quality. Therefore, strength assessment systems must be sophisticated enough to isolate and measure each quality while minimizing redundant information. This article presents a contemporary, evidence-based and practical framework that reduces the many strength and speed-strength metrics into 5 distinct qualities. Alongside this, we present case examples of the application of strength diagnosis.

This continuing education opportunity explores a variety of topics as they pertain to common racquet sports - badminton, racquetball, squash, and tennis. To earn your CEUs, it will be necessary to review 5 articles from the NSCA Strength & Conditioning Journal and pass a 50-question quiz. Please note: this quiz awards 1.0 CEU (10 contact hours). Articles include: 1) Agility Training for Experienced Athletes, A Dynamical Systems Approach 2) Review of the Badminton Lunge and Specific Training Considerations 3) Strength and Conditioning Considerations for Racquetball Athletes 4) Physical Preparation for Elite Level Squash Players, Monitoring, Assessment, and Training Practices for the Strength and Conditioning Coach 5) New Approaches for On-court Endurance Testing and Conditioning in Competitive Tennis Players

The Certified Performance and Sport Scientist (CPSS) is a practitioner with training and applied experiences across the scientific disciplines applicable to sport science and athletic performance (i.e., generalist) or predominantly within a select few (i.e., specialist). These scientific disciplines, as related to sports performance, include, but are not limited to: biomechanics, data science, nutrition, physiology, psychology, research methods, and strength and conditioning. A CPSS demonstrates competency in the application of scientific disciplines, assessment, training theory and process, needs analysis, monitoring, communication, and education with the primary goal of safely and effectively improving athletic performance.

Plan your schedule for 2026 NSCA Tactical Annual Training in Orlando. Experience practical, hands-on sessions and social events. Join us in person for 2.0 CEUs.

Built on scientific principles and evidence-based research, the NSCA’s Tactical Strength and Conditioning (TSAC) Practitioners Course is a foundational strength and conditioning program designed to provide tactical facilitators with the tools to decrease injury risk and increase longevity and effectiveness of tactical professionals.

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