In this 2018 Personal Trainer Conference hands on presentation, Dr. John Rusin demonstrates how he screens and assesses the upper body and shoulder complex, as well as discusses how to program horizontal and vertical pushing and pulling patterns accordingly.

Identify common misconceptions related to shoulder function and learn about the process of improving shoulder mobility, stability, and strength. In this session from the NSCA’s 2017 Personal Trainers Conference, Lee Burton, PhD, provides easy-to-prescribe screens and exercise progressions to improve and maintain shoulder function.

This excerpt from Developing the Core gives a quick look into why a stable trunk is so important for swimming athletes.

This book excerpt provides a step-by-step breakdown of the movements of the power snatch, from the starting position to the downward movement.

This article describes proper technique for the one-arm dumbbell snatch, which is a total body power exercise.

This article highlights some of the benefits, components, and training methods involved with time-efficient training.

The power clean is similar to the power snatch but with two major differences. Firstly, the final bar position is at the shoulders, not over the head, and secondly, the grip is approximately shoulder-width apart, whereas the snatch has a considerably wider grip.

Elite sport often gets more attention, but youth training gives strength and conditioning coaches an earlier chance to build athletes’ competence and confidence. Kelli Brightwell specializes in youth development and brings more than a decade of sports training experience, including four years at Michael Johnson Performance. Brightwell defines peak height velocity as the period during which height increases fastest. She then explains why its timing can differ among teammates of the same age. So what should strength coaches test, and what do the results mean? The answer changes with each athlete’s maturity and training experience. Brightwell addresses the growth-spurt “awkward phase,” when familiar movement patterns can break down as an athlete adjusts to a changing body. She also considers how sport sampling can expand children’s range of physical skills and help them discover what they enjoy. Learn how maturation can affect movement, testing, and programming — and why young athletes need foundations before specialization.

This TSAC Report article examines the primary risk factors contributing to shoulder pain in tactical athletes and provides evidence-based rehabilitation strategies. Visit NSCA online to learn more about exercise research for tactical athletes.