The purpose of this article is to provide personal trainers an overview of training clients for their first Spartan Sprint event.

This article provides a sample six-week, non-linear program for improving muscular strength, power, endurance, anaerobic capacity, and aerobic capacity. However, this is not a “one-size fits all” program, and manipulation of the program variables may be warranted for some individuals.

Due to the principle of specificity, training should be tailored to the goal of the lifter in terms of the prioritization of strength, hypertrophy, health, and functional outcomes. If the goal is muscular hypertrophy, it may be beneficial to vary the repetition range, and to utilize a variety of loads and loading strategies in the pursuit of maximizing hypertrophy.

Hybrid fitness competitions such as HYROX have rapidly gained popularity, blending aerobic endurance running with a variety of high-intensity resistance and ergometer-based stations in a globally standardized format. The sport’s unique structure, comprising eight 1-kilometer runs interspersed with diverse workload stations, presents distinct physiologic, biomechanical, and technical demands. This review synthesizes existing research on hybrid fitness events to identify the key determinants of HYROX performance, emphasizing aerobic capacity, anaerobic power, local muscular endurance, and maximal strength. The aerobic system is foundational, enabling recovery between high-intensity efforts and sustaining performance during the event’s prolonged duration. Conversely, anaerobic capacity is critical for executing the high-intensity efforts demanded by each fitness station. Local muscular endurance supports repeated submaximal contractions, while strength and power underpin performance in movements such as sled pushes and running economy. Technical proficiency and injury prevention strategies are also discussed, alongside targeted programming recommendations, including high-intensity interval training, circuit training, and blood flow restriction methods. Despite its growing popularity, limited sport-specific research exists, necessitating further investigation to refine training and performance strategies. This review provides a comprehensive framework for athletes and coaches to optimize preparation and performance in HYROX, contributing to the broader understanding of hybrid fitness competitions.

This article explores strength training and conditioning programs designed to improve Physical Fitness Test (PFT) scores, strength, endurance, power, and combat readiness. Visit NSCA online to learn more about tactical athletes and strength.

Fitness testing uses a battery of protocols recognized by the scientific community as both reliable and valid, and it measures important fitness constructs such as aerobic endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, power, agility, flexibility, and balance.

A study that investigated the effect of modified German volume training on muscular hypertrophy and strength concluded that the modified German volume training program is no more effective than performing five sets per exercise for increasing muscle hypertrophy and strength. To maximize hypertrophic training effects, it is recommended that 4 – 6 sets per exercise be performed.

Just as any athletic team can benefit from sport-specific training, tactical professionals can benefit from occupational task-specific training as well. Combining pushing, pulling, pressing, and total body movements into complexes may help mimic the demands and movements of job tasks that tactical personnel may encounter.

This NSCA Coach article discusses training modalities in bench press training and incorporating accessories to improve rate of force development (RFD) among athletes. Visit NSCA online to read more on strength training and exercise science.

This review will focus on two of the most common and costliest injuries in rowing, as well as provide resources that can be used by strength coaches, rowing coaches, and self-coached rowers to inform training practices.