This NSCA Coach article outlines the best practices for Achilles recovery in soccer. Visit NSCA online to read more on athletic performance and sports recovery.

The loss of required thoracic spine ranges of motion for sport movements can be problematic for the elite athlete, as well as the weekend warrior. The purpose of this article is to explore biomechanical causes for thoracic mobility restriction as well as provide easily applicable techniques to restore mobility.

The countermovement jump (CMJ) is one of the most used performance assessments in strength and conditioning. Although numerous studies discuss the usability of different metrics in this test, this is often performed within the context of a specific aim. However, to our knowledge, no information currently exists providing practitioners with some over-arching recommendations on which metrics to choose when the purpose of using the test differs. This article discusses how the metrics selected to monitor during CMJ testing may differ when aiming to use it as a proxy for athletic performance, as part of neuromuscular fatigue monitoring, or as part of a test battery for return to performance in injured athletes.

Eccentric resistance training has been shown to elicit beneficial effects on performance and injury prevention in sports because of its specific muscular and neural adaptations. Within the different methods used to generate eccentric overload, flywheel eccentric training has gained interest in recent years because of its advantages over other methods such as its portability, the ample exercise variety it allows and its accommodated resistance. Only a limited number of studies that use flywheel devices provide enough evidence to support the presence of eccentric overload. There is limited guidance on the practical implementation of flywheel eccentric training in the current literature. In this article, we provide literature to support the use of flywheel eccentric training and present practical guidelines to develop exercises that allow eccentric overload.

This continuing education opportunity explores a variety of topics as they pertain to training the youth population. To earn your CEUs, it will be necessary to review several articles and pass a 50-question quiz. Please note: this quiz awards 1.0 CEU (10 contact hours). Articles 1) Effects of Balance Training on Physical Fitness in Youth and Young Athletes: A Narrative Review 2) Seven Pillars of Prevention: Effective Strategies for Strength and Conditioning Coaches to Reduce Injury Risk and Improve Performance in Young Athletes 3) Navigating the Complex Pathway of Youth Athletic Development: Challenges and Solutions to Managing the Training Load of Youth Team Sport Athletes 4) Energy and Macronutrient Considerations for Young Athletes 5) Assessing Athletic Motor Skill Competencies in Youths: A Narrative Review of Movement Competency Screens

This continuing education opportunity explores a variety of topics as they pertain to running. To earn your CEUs, it will be necessary to review several articles and pass a 50-question quiz. Please note: this quiz awards 1.0 CEU (10 contact hours). Articles 1. Running in Cold Weather: Exercise Performance and Cold Injury Risk 2. Running in the Heat: Performance Consequences and Strategies to Prepare for Hot-Weather Racing 3. Influence of Gait Retraining on Running Economy: A Review and Potential Applications 4. Stiffness in Running: A Narrative Integrative Review 5. Keeping Pace: A Practitioner-Focused Review of Pacing Strategies in Running 6. The Importance of the Foot and Ankle in Athletic Performance

This video from the NSCA 2017 Personal Trainers Conference features Morey Kolber discussing how to recognize clients with at-risk signs and symptoms who require a medical referral for their low back, and what exercise programming is needed for specific lower back injuries and impairments post rehabilitation.

During the rehabilitation process, a client may need therapy outside of the personal trainer’s scope of practice. This article discusses safe and effective modalities that personal trainers can use with clients in the post-rehabilitation phase process.

The effects of alcohol on athletic performance vary depending on quantity, demographics, and type of exercise, making it difficult to determine specific recommendations. From an athletic performance standpoint, the acute use of alcohol can influence motor skills, hydration status, aerobic performance, as well as aspects of the recovery process.

This NSCA Coach article examines the effectiveness of cupping therapy and assesses whether its benefits are evidence-based. Visit NSCA online to read more on athletic performance and sports recovery.