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 three-part series shows how personal trainers can create a physically literate cradle-to-grave culture for all, with LTAD as the framework.

Mandy Nice explains the benefits and need of expanding health and fitness programs into military and law enforcement agencies, and offers strategies for the common obstacles preventing implementation of these programs.

This article serves to educate people about the menstrual cycle in the tactical female population. It provides a framework for how to work through the phases of menstruation to increase training response, and thus, overall success in military training.

This NSCA Coach article offers a brief description on the various methods for setting resistance training loads. Visit NSCA online to read more on strength training and program development.

This article discusses the balance between muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and muscle protein breakdown (MPB) to help individuals better achieve their goals in muscle hypertrophy.

This article is the ninth in a continuing series of tactical strength and conditioning (TSAC) research reviews. It is designed to bring awareness to new research findings of relevance to tactical strength and conditioning communities.

This NSCA Coach article aims to equip coaches, athletic trainers, and support staff with the knowledge and tools necessary to manage REDs among college athletes. Visit NSCA online to read more on mental health and sport performance.

In addition to standard health, fitness, or sport assessment guidelines, several guidelines exist for the fire service. Since each agency is different in its preferences, capabilities, and philosophies, applying a standard recommendation may not be possible. This article introduces basic decision-making considerations for fire service assessment batteries.

This article provides some practical applications to minimize the negative effects associated with a long intensive ice hockey season on ice hockey athletes.