Collecting data can be trial and error, but by building a solid foundation prior to data collection and putting the appropriate people and procedures in place, the tactical facilitator can minimize errors while optimizing effort, money, and time.

The primary focus of this article is to provide personal trainers with an evidence- and practice-based approach to exercise selection and implementation in those with low back pain.

Coaching careers have chapters. Whether moving from one position to the next, or one area of the profession to another, veteran strength and conditioning coach, Matt Krause, understands this journey well. Krause was the 2018 NSCA Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year with an over 20-year career working in Major League Baseball. He shares his path from professional sports to today, working as the Health and Performance Manager in the Pasco County Sheriff’s Department, with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon. This episode includes insights for developing effective strength and conditioning programs across sport and law enforcement. The value of engaging with and learning from multiple areas of the profession is paramount throughout this episode, highlighting the value of leadership and versatility in an expanding profession. Connect with Matt on Instagram at @mck_inc or by email at info.pbsccs@gmail.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs Follow-up on this conversation and learn more about strength and conditioning initiatives at the Florida’s Institute for Research, Security, and Tactics (F1RST) and in the Professional Baseball Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society (PBSCCS).

Developing safe and effective exercise training programs requires the application of abundant training variables and the implementation of appropriate progression for each variable. Importantly, the outcomes of each training program are the product of these variables and their progression, so practitioners are keen to select methodologies and overload strategies that effectively support their target training outcomes. One such training variable is mechanical loading, which describes the forces of gravity, resistance, and muscle contraction and how these forces affect musculoskeletal adaptations. Numerous research articles and texts have been published regarding mechanical loading and its effects on exercise adaptations; however, these findings can be arduous to organize, which requires additional time investment by professionals. Developing a succinct system is critical because practitioners face clients and patients with a wide range of physical skills and challenges, and having an easily referenced loading guide may assist them in designing appropriate strength and conditioning or rehabilitation programs. Thus, the purpose of this review is to define and describe the mechanical loading continuum and its individual components to better assist the practitioner in identifying appropriate exercise modes and progression strategies.

This article aims to explain why integrating multiple tests such as Anaerobic Speed Reserve (ASR), Intermittent Fitness Test (IFT), and Maximum Aerobic Speed (MAS) can provide a comprehensive evaluation of soccer players’ fitness levels and help to design effective training programs tailored to their individual needs.

Olympic-style lifting, functional training, powerlifting, and bodybuilding should all be considered when designing a program to improve general health, fitness, and functional capacity.

The purpose of this article is to discuss relationships between current fitness testing within the United States Army and its effect on overall tactical readiness.

Dr. Brian Shilling, Chair of the Kinesiology & Nutrition Sciences at UNLV and former President of NSCA Foundation, and Dr. Andy Galpin, Professor in the Center for Sport Performance in charge of the Biochemistry and Molecular Exercise Physiology Lab at California State University, Fullerton talk to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about the University programs that they work for, their involvement in research, and the and process of grants for strength and conditioning coaches.

Antonio Squillante, a PhD candidate at the University of Southern California (USC) and the Weightlifting Special Interest Group (SIG) chair, talks to the former NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about using weightlifting, not just the sport, as a means to build strength and power in athletes from the platform to the field. Topics under discussion include being involved with the NSCA through leading the Weightlifting SIG and teaching Exam Prep classes, moving from Italy to pursue his dream of coaching, and going back to school for his PhD. Find Antonio on Facebook: NSCA CSCS Exam Prep or NSCA Weightlifting SIG

Greg Haff, former President of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), current course coordinator for post graduate studies in strength and conditioning at Edith Cowan University, and Senior Associate Editor for the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, talks to the NSCA’s Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about his journey through strength and conditioning and his efforts to progress the field during his time as president of the NSCA. Topics under discussion include: his years being NSCA Board of Director President, the future of the profession, how he got involved in the NSCA, key traits of icons in the field, traits for potential incoming students, and how to get into sports science.