This is an excerpt from NSCA's Essentials of Sport Science by NSCA -National Strength & Conditioning Association, Duncan N. French & Lorena Torres-Ronda.

This is the NSCA’s Coaching Podcast, where strength and conditioning coaches share their experience, lessons learned, and advice about how to thrive in a highly competitive profession.

To apply you will need to fill out the online application, but first, please read the qualifications to ensure you are eligible. Applicants must achieve and maintain the NSCA certified Strength and conditioning Specialist (CSCS )certification. RSCC coaches will need to meet CEU requirements for the CSCS and recertify every three year cycle as well as complete the RSCC renewal course each year.There is a $100 application fee for RSCC and RSCC* applicants. There is no fee for RSCC*E applicants.

There can be no doubt that protein is important and this article reviews the current research to help further understand the recommendations for protein intake.

The physiological response to breath holding includes bradycardia and peripheral vasoconstriction, which contrasts with that of exercise which includes tachycardia and peripheral vasodilation. This raises the question as to what the physiological response is to breath holding during exercise. During low-intensity exercise, the breath holding response of bradycardia and peripheral vasoconstriction prevails over the exercise response of tachycardia and peripheral vasodilation, but nevertheless the exercise may be sustained. Due to the lack of availability of extrinsic oxygen (O 2 ) from the atmosphere during breath holding, the energy demands can be met by increased reliance on intrinsic O 2 stores (i.e., O 2 that was in the body before the breath hold) via increased O 2 extraction at the muscle compared with exercise while breathing, or increased contributions from anaerobic energy systems. During high intensity exercise of short duration, the exercise response may prevail over the breath holding response due to the increased parasympathetic withdrawal and sympathetic drive of higher intensity exercise. If breath holding during high-intensity exercise was sustained for long enough, the breath holding response may eventually overcome the exercise response, although this may be difficult due to the inverse relationship between exercise intensity and breath hold duration.

This award for career achievement was created in honor of Alvin Roy, who helped establish strength and conditioning as the cornerstone of any athletic training program.

From the 2021 Personal Training Virtual Conference, Andrea Leonard thoroughly details the impact of various cancer surgeries on muscle balance and range of motion and necessary program considerations. She also discusses the acute and chronic side-effects of cancer treatment and how they may affect exercise programming. Another area that is highlighted is lymphedema. She details the cancer-related risk factors and how it can be prevented and/or managed with proper exercise programming and progression.

Synergistic development of muscular strength and motor skill competency is central to long-term athletic development. However, these qualities need to be developed in a logical and progressive manner, and training methods need to be developmentally appropriate, engaging, and enjoyable for young athletes to help them build a positive association with strength and conditioning-based activities. This article aims to provide a resource for coaches to use when developing the athletic motor skill competencies in youth, including game-based activities, and a more structured resistance training curriculum.