The strength and conditioning profession involves combined competencies for the application of sport/exercise science, administration, management, teaching, and coaching. Its professionals must also comply with various laws and regulations while responding to instances of potential injury, and related claims and suits. This creates remarkable challenges, and requires substantial experience, expertise, and other resources to effectively address them, especially in multi-sport (e.g., collegiate and scholastic) settings.

The demanding and hazardous nature of firefighting necessitates a fitness testing framework that directly addresses the unique physiological challenges of the profession. This paper sought to identify gaps in the current fitness testing and training environment that are focused on cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular endurance, and muscular strength components of fitness and to advocate for a targeted, occupation specific fitness testing approach that aligns with the physiological challenges firefighters face. Ultimately, implementation of these plans should reduce the risk of injury and death and improve operational efficiency.

A one-day, joint event presented alongside New England ACSM focusing on the mental science of strength.

Prepare for your CSCS® exam with confidence. Explore study timelines, optional NSCA Exam Prep resources, and community support through our clinics and Prep Group.

Explore tactical strength and conditioning careers across military, law enforcement, fire, and EMS. Learn about roles, pay, credentials, and how to get started.

It is well known that moderate exercise during pregnancy benefits maternal and fetal well-being. The benefits of more vigorous exercise for pregnant women are less clear. The boundaries of safe exercise during pregnancy remain a matter for continued research, which is important to the growing number of female athletes who plan on becoming pregnant. The purpose of this article is to discuss the existing research related to the physiological concerns of the pregnant endurance athlete specifically. Because endurance training includes prolonged and repetitive exercise bouts at varying intensities, topics will include the effect of high-intensity exercise on uterine blood flow and thermoregulation, metabolic, and musculoskeletal changes in pregnancy.

Learn how to prep for your NSCA-CPT® exam. Explore study timelines, optional NSCA Exam Prep resources, and community support through our clinics and Prep Group.

Harness the Power of Data and Technology and Train Teams to New Heights with NSCA’s First Sport Science Clinic #NSCA3Ts