To apply you will need to fill out the online application, but first, please read the qualifications to ensure you are eligible.There is a $100 application fee for all RCPT and RCPT*D applicants. There is no application or renewal fee for RCPT*E applicants. All requirements must be fulfilled by the application date.

The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is proud to announce the recipients of the organization’s 2024 Career and Service Awards. Given annually, the distinguished Career Awards honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the strength and conditioning community throughout their careers. Additionally, the Service Awards recognize those who have provided exceptional dedication and support to the NSCA’s journals or State and Provincial Director Program. Each winner will be formally recognized at the 2024 NSCA National Conference in Baltimore, MD, this July 10-13.

Time-restricted eating (TRE) is an application of intermittent fasting where an individual consumes their calories in a specific eating window (e.g., 8 hours) followed by a prolonged fasting window (e.g., 16 hours). Several randomized controlled trials have analyzed the combined effect of resistance training (RT) and TRE on physical adaptations, including fat mass (FM) loss, fat-free mass (FFM) retention, hypertrophy, local muscular endurance, power, and strength. In this mini review, we highlight the methodology and results from these studies and conclude by providing practical application suggestions for fitness professionals striving to maximize RT + TRE with their clientele. Generally, RT + TRE leads to positive body composition changes, including FM loss and FFM retention, which culminates in improved body fat percentage. Similarly, RT + TRE consistently stimulates positive neuromuscular adaptations, such as increased hypertrophy, local muscular endurance, power, and strength. When positive changes are not observed, and when safely implemented, RT + TRE rarely confers negative effects on the abovementioned adaptations. In short, RT + TRE may be a beneficial dietary and exercise strategy to improve body composition and muscular fitness. However, there are several caveats for practitioners to consider, which are discussed at length in this article.

The JSCR Editorial Excellence Award is presented to members of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (JSCR) Editorial Board in recognition of their service to the NSCA.

Meet the winners of the 2026 NSCA Elections, elected to strengthen the organization, support NSCA Members, and advance the strength and conditioning profession.

Learn, participate and network with colleagues at (location) while earning CEUs. Hosted by the state, provincial and regional directors, this local event brings cutting-edge research and application to your backyard.

Andrew C. Fry, Mel Siff, and Mike Arthur recognized for their career accomplishments.

Long-Term Athletic Development (LTAD) models have provided a youth sport framework for more than 2 decades, aimed at improving skill progression, training outcomes, and athlete preparation. Although influential, traditional LTAD approaches are limited by their sport-centric orientation, linear design, and focus on elite performance, leaving them less relevant for most youth and adults who do not pursue competitive sport. In response, we propose reframing LTAD as Long-Term Activity Development (LTActD), an accessible and flexible model designed to promote lifelong engagement in physical activity, including recreation, exercise, and sport. LTActD emphasizes 5 dynamic phases—Explore, Develop, Apply, Sustain, and Thrive—that accommodate diverse pathways, periods of inactivity, and opportunities to re-enter active living at any age. Represented as a curvy road, the new model underscores that participation in physical activity is rarely linear, more like a winding journey shaped by health, motivation, environment, and social context. LTActD bridges sport science and public health, positioning physical activity as a lifelong resource for health, independence, and fulfillment. LTActD offers a practical framework to empower individuals of all ages and abilities to discover meaningful ways to move, re-engage, and embrace active living throughout the life course.

Concurrent training (CT), which combines resistance exercise and energy systems conditioning, is the default approach to preparation in high-intensity intermittent (“stop and go”) team sports. This review provides an overview of CT, emphasizing its complexities and challenges in managing fatigue and optimizing performance. These complexities are specifically compounded by the variability in game demands across the season, where the presence of intensified and nonintensified competition periods necessitates a flexible and adaptive training approach. In this context, there are essential training variables to consider, including intensity, volume, session order, and recovery intervals between sessions. In addition, nontraining variables such as travel, sleep, and nutrition play a role in the fatigue experienced while training and competing. These variables interact to influence acute performance and training adaptations and can be strategically adjusted by strength and conditioning practitioners. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive understanding of fatigue management for practitioners in team sports, emphasizing the complexities and challenges of CT and offering simplified practical recommendations for adjusting training variables within any given microcycle.