This article is a review of the research relating to the tactical population from presentations and research from the 65th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

Strength and conditioning coaches should strive to teach athletes in a way they can understand: by hearing, seeing, and practicing. This article describes some techniques that a coach can use to accomplish this.

The playing field has changed in collegiate athletics, but Kaz Kazadi knows the keys to longevity. Get to know the Texas Christian University (TCU) Assistant Athletic Director of Football Human Performance, renowned for his ability to inspire athletes. Follow his roots from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) to playing for the National Football League (NFL) Los Angeles Rams — later becoming a “roaming gladiator” in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and NFL Europe to secure tenure. As a leader in the weight room, strength and conditioning was a natural transition. He recalls choosing a graduate assistantship to embody his “long money” philosophy of purpose-driven education, networking, and positivity. Kazadi compares new Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policies to free agency and talent acquisition versus recruiting. Additionally, he drills decision-making and delayed gratification as players transition into adulthood. He concludes with advice for creating a coaching network and career vision. Connect with Coach Kaz by email: kaz.kazadi@tcu.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs

Night after night, Cirque du Soleil’s performing arts athletes defy gravity and expectations — executing elite-level feats across 480 shows annually. Maintaining peak performance requires more than talent; it demands strategic preparation, adaptability, and trust. Channeling backgrounds in dance and martial arts, married coaching duo Mike and Jade Esmeralda bring a philosophy of continuous improvement to Cirque’s collectivistic infrastructure. Preparing performers with diverse training experiences, they connect on an artistic level to balance readiness with creative expression. From applying RAMP (Raise, Activate, Mobilize, Potentiate) warm-ups for mitigating injury risk to tactical load carriage insights for LED costumes, the Esmeraldas leverage parallels across high-performance environments. Strategies for Cirque’s “valuable human artistic assets” must enhance durability, manage load, and support longevity in an unpredictable, physically — and psychologically — demanding profession. Jade’s evidence-based journalism also combats social media misinformation. Discover how they adapt daily, build buy-in across cultures, and redefine training for a one-of-a-kind population. Connect with Mike Instagram: @m.b.esmeralda, and LinkedIn: @michaelesmeralda, and Jade on Instagram: @jadesmeralda_ | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Discover more stage-specific strategies in the NSCA Performing Arts Special Interest Group on LinkedIn. See some of these impressive feats mentioned in this episode performed by Cirque du Soleil athletes on Instagram at @cirquedusoleil and @cirquedusoleilcasting.

The purpose of this article is to help provide recommendations of overall recovery modalities for tactical athletes.

Planning and designing training programs for a new group of athletes (e.g., a new recruiting class or a new coaching job) can be problematic without a base level understanding of the athletes’ current skill levels. This article describes one system that can be used to determine an athlete's self-confidence on different exercises.

Make the most of your membership by engaging with others through one or more Special Interest Groups (SIGs).

This article seeks to provide insight on a training method based around prescribing small amounts of training to achieve a large amount of physical improvements.

Brice Long, Director of Human Performance Experience at O2X, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about O2X’s holistic approach for fire, police, military, and federal agencies. Topics under discussion include the value of training as a firefighter, physical tests and assessments in the National Guard, and being diverse in your skill sets as a coach. Find Brice on Instagram: @o2xhumanperformance or Twitter: @o2xhp | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

In the final part of this four-part series on proper movement, the author recommends that the US Marine Corps screen the movement quality of each Marine and educate them on how to move correctly in order to reduce the risk of injury.