This article takes a closer look at training strength and stiffness in connective tissues.

The purpose of this article is to identify considerations that are to be taken into account when designing and implementing an annual training program for firefighters, as well as to discuss strategies for implementation.

This video bundle includes six nutrition lectures from the NSCA’s 2016 National Conference. Topics include supplementation for strength, aerobic training, and body composition; alcohol and exercise; recovery nutrition for the high school athlete; and nighttime feeding.

Most people suffer from some degree of injury, illness, or disease at some point. As a result, there is a need for strength and conditioning professionals who can develop effective exercise programs for people with disabilities.

This Personal Training Quarterly article presents time-efficient fitness strategies to maintain physical and mental health during early parenthood. Visit NSCA online to read more on nutrition, health science, and fitness news.

With the current rise in overweight individuals, obesity, prediabetes, and diabetes, the role of qualified personal trainers is absolutely crucial for creating a more active and healthy society.

Congratulations to the NSCA's 2026 awardees for their dedication and contributions to the NSCA and the field of strength and conditioning.

Former Lead Strength and Conditioning Coach for Edinburgh Rugby, Ashley Jones, discusses ways to simplify a complex world of programming. Jones lays a foundation of how to construct training programs that relate to the current training environment and how to develop a taxonomy of exercise variations and training methods to assist coaches with the “why,” “when,” and “how” of programming.

This article provides the first academic history of the barbell back squat and its evolution from a bodyweight exercise in the 19th century to a loaded exercise used for a variety of purposes in the present age. In doing so, the article highlights three key drivers in the evolution of the back squat—changes in equipment, the diversification of strength sports, and scientific communication concerning the safety and efficacy of the movement. The goal of this article was not to provide a dry and irrelevant history but rather to stress the complexity of the squat’s prominence within fitness programs and the need to hold a nuanced view toward the “optimal” way to approach this movement. It examines how the movement evolved from being primarily done on the tips of one’s toes, to a loaded movement on tippy toes, to a flat-footed movement. By contextualizing the back squat’s history, this article challenges rigid notions of “correct” squatting technique and encourages a more nuanced understanding of exercise selection in strength and conditioning practice. It concludes by highlighting the importance of critically examining the social construction of knowledge in fitness and sport, and the value of historical perspective in informing contemporary training practices

The Strength and Conditioning Editorial Excellence Award is given to members of the SCJ Editorial Board in recognition of their service to the NSCA.