In this session from the 2019 NSCA National Conference, Gary Boros, Associate Director of Sports Performance at the University of Denver, and Chris Jarmon, Sport Performance Coach at Landow Performance, discuss the understanding of the science and research behind blood flow restriction (BFR); connects research insights in performance, rehabilitation, and general fitness; and discerns the ideal use cases, equipment, and training protocols for BFR.

Access to these articles is granted only after a candidate has registered for the CPSS examination.

Part 2 of this series on allostatic load theory will focus on how monitoring personnel holistically can contribute to a well-rounded health and performance model supporting the tactical athletes.

Finding a well-educated and open-minded employee is, in most cases, simply luck of the draw. Instead of hoping for the perfect new hire to come walking through the door, a business owner could try a different technique in which they shed their business owner mindset and transition into a mentorship role. Using an internship program, the mentor can ideally build themselves the near-perfect employee.

This article will discuss specific measures of stress that can be monitored, as well as coping skills to mitigate the negative effects of stress.

Soldiers must be physically prepared to meet a broad range of challenges. This article is designed to help identify risks and discuss recommended strategies to implement in order to minimize those injury risks at the company, commander, and soldier level.

Time-restricted eating (TRE) is an application of intermittent fasting where an individual consumes their calories in a specific eating window (e.g., 8 hours) followed by a prolonged fasting window (e.g., 16 hours). Several randomized controlled trials have analyzed the combined effect of resistance training (RT) and TRE on physical adaptations, including fat mass (FM) loss, fat-free mass (FFM) retention, hypertrophy, local muscular endurance, power, and strength. In this mini review, we highlight the methodology and results from these studies and conclude by providing practical application suggestions for fitness professionals striving to maximize RT + TRE with their clientele. Generally, RT + TRE leads to positive body composition changes, including FM loss and FFM retention, which culminates in improved body fat percentage. Similarly, RT + TRE consistently stimulates positive neuromuscular adaptations, such as increased hypertrophy, local muscular endurance, power, and strength. When positive changes are not observed, and when safely implemented, RT + TRE rarely confers negative effects on the abovementioned adaptations. In short, RT + TRE may be a beneficial dietary and exercise strategy to improve body composition and muscular fitness. However, there are several caveats for practitioners to consider, which are discussed at length in this article.

This is Season 9 of the NSCA’s Coaching Podcast, where strength and conditioning coaches share their experience, lessons learned, and advice about how to thrive in a highly competitive profession.

Guy Leahy writes a review of the research relating to the tactical population from presentations and research from the 65th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).