Anemia is a condition characterized by too few red blood cells, leading to diminished oxygen delivery, which can significantly impact exercise participation and athletic performance. The etiology of anemia is multifactorial. Some forms of anemia develop as a result of deficiencies in specific vitamins and minerals and may be modifiable, whereas other types are inherited disorders. Although nonmodifiable, the latter may be managed with the assistance of trained medical professionals. This article will provide an overview of the pathophysiology associated with common forms of anemia and provide an introduction to diagnostic testing procedures and treatment options. Additionally, the signs and symptoms will be discussed to help strength and conditioning professionals recognize this potentially impactful condition. This article concludes with a discussion of the influence iron deficiency has on sports participation.

This article aims to offer guidance on the effects of certain medications, as well as help personal trainers and their clients in the consultation process with qualified physicians and pharmacists.

This article summarizes the adaptations of cartilage via anaerobic training.

NSCA Coach 11.3 is an exercise research article providing strength coaches, considerations to design effective sports performance programs for collegiate soccer.

The physiological response to breath holding includes bradycardia and peripheral vasoconstriction, which contrasts with that of exercise which includes tachycardia and peripheral vasodilation. This raises the question as to what the physiological response is to breath holding during exercise. During low-intensity exercise, the breath holding response of bradycardia and peripheral vasoconstriction prevails over the exercise response of tachycardia and peripheral vasodilation, but nevertheless the exercise may be sustained. Due to the lack of availability of extrinsic oxygen (O 2 ) from the atmosphere during breath holding, the energy demands can be met by increased reliance on intrinsic O 2 stores (i.e., O 2 that was in the body before the breath hold) via increased O 2 extraction at the muscle compared with exercise while breathing, or increased contributions from anaerobic energy systems. During high intensity exercise of short duration, the exercise response may prevail over the breath holding response due to the increased parasympathetic withdrawal and sympathetic drive of higher intensity exercise. If breath holding during high-intensity exercise was sustained for long enough, the breath holding response may eventually overcome the exercise response, although this may be difficult due to the inverse relationship between exercise intensity and breath hold duration.

Personal Trainer Quarterly |Fitness News | Professional Development This Personal Trainers Quarterly article discusses the role of exercise professionals in the healthcare continuum through disease prevention, rehabilitation, and overall health promotion. Visit us online to learn more about fitness news and professional development.

Looking to exhibit at an NSCA conference? Find all the information you need to know about NSCA National Conference, Coaches Conference, Tactical Annual Training, Personal Training Virtual Conference, and more.

This excerpt explains the role that lactate plays in exercise metabolism and how that information is useful for athletes to predict things like pacing, fitness, and efficacy of training programs.

This excerpt from NSCA’s Essential of Tactical Strength and Conditioning explores the neural and muscular adaptations to training over time.

This article from NSCA Coach explores how beet juice and nitrate supplements can enhance athletic performance. Learn more about nutrition and exercise physiology online at NSCA.com.