This article discusses overtraining risk factors in endurance athletes and provides strategies for optimizing effective programming. Visit NSCA online to learn more about athletic performance.

Elite sport often gets more attention, but youth training gives strength and conditioning coaches an earlier chance to build athletes’ competence and confidence. Kelli Brightwell specializes in youth development and brings more than a decade of sports training experience, including four years at Michael Johnson Performance. Brightwell defines peak height velocity as the period during which height increases fastest. She then explains why its timing can differ among teammates of the same age. So what should strength coaches test, and what do the results mean? The answer changes with each athlete’s maturity and training experience. Brightwell addresses the growth-spurt “awkward phase,” when familiar movement patterns can break down as an athlete adjusts to a changing body. She also considers how sport sampling can expand children’s range of physical skills and help them discover what they enjoy. Learn how maturation can affect movement, testing, and programming — and why young athletes need foundations before specialization.

This article seeks to help simplify the exercise selection process by providing clarity on how different exercises can aid in enhancing performance and potentially reduce injury risk.

This article explains how training age, training frequency, limb length, height, and relative strength relate to concentric barbell velocities at varying loads.

The innovative technology found in portable BFR training systems can help tactical personnel achieve greater strength and hypertrophic gains, as well as optimize training programs and overall performance.

The following information provides an overview of what microdosing (MD) is, the limitations in utilizing it as a programming method, and the structure of an MD training session along with examples of in-season and off-season training microcycles.

This article provides a brief overview of literature where regional hypertrophy was reported. It also discusses the basic science and application of regional hypertrophy training.

This article seeks to provide insight on a training method based around prescribing small amounts of training to achieve a large amount of physical improvements.

This article provides the personal trainer with sample exercise progressions for teaching resistance training movement patterns along with practical strategies for instruction and reinforcement of proper technique.

The periodization of training is facilitated by a hierarchical structure that allows for several distinct interrelated levels that can be used in the planning process. Each level of the periodization process should be based on the training goals established for the athlete or team.