Learn 7 ways that strength & conditioning professionals can recognize mental health concerns, respond effectively, & provide support while staying within scope.

NSCA Member Spotlight: Vincent Martins shares how the CSCS helped open his path to lead high school strength and conditioning aligned with LTAD. Read his story.

This article explains the connections between the upper and lower body and their influence on performance and recovery strategies in sprinting.

Strength training is an often neglected aspect of training for distance athletes. This article gives an overview of the importance of strength training for collegiate female distance runners by providing a sample of an annual training program and considerations to increase performance and avoid injury.

Want to break into tactical strength and conditioning? Start by understanding the physical and stress demands of tactical work. Whitney Tramel explains what coaches need to know before stepping into this space. Drawing on her experience across military, police, and fire settings, she outlines the training qualities tactical professionals need to stay ready. She also discusses the growing focus on “holistic health.” In her view, that means looking at the whole individual and supporting longevity across a demanding career. As Tactical Program Manager at the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and a PhD candidate studying stress physiology, Tramel connects research with the realities of tactical coaching. She also addresses a side many coaches are not ready for: tactical athletes often trust their strength coach with conversations that reach far beyond training. Learn what the role requires, what coaches often miss, and how to enter the tactical field with clarity. Reach out to Whitney by email: whitney.tramel@nsca.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Looking to enter the tactical space or keep growing in it? Explore the Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator® (TSAC-F®) certification and join us at 2026 NSCA Tactical Annual Training in Orlando this August 17 – 20.

Deceleration in court and field sports, such as football and soccer, is an important component of speed and agility. This book excerpt looks at how to train for effective deceleration.

This article presents two football-specific speed drills in detail—the single-leg box explosion and the mountain climber.

Strength and conditioning professionals who incorporate a properly designed and supervised training program can help their young athletes train, compete, and reduce the likelihood of injury.

This NSCA Coach article summarizes key findings on coach-focused strategies to help educators use resistance training to support healthy youth development. Visit NSCA online to read more on mental health and youth sports.

Research shows that the appropriate integration of resistance training into the endurance athlete’s training can result in significantly better performance when compared to classic endurance training plans that focus only on aerobic endurance.