This excerpt from Developing Speed looks at how a fundamental understanding of the biomechanical principles that affect speed can assist coaches and athletes in developing running speed.
Personal trainersTSAC FacilitatorsCoachesExercise ScienceProgram designSpeedForceBiomechanicsLaws of Motion
The Educator of the Year Award is presented to an educator who has made noteworthy contributions to education and clinical application of strength training and conditioning.
You can’t talk about strength and conditioning without Coach Boyd Epley. Regarded as the “Godfather of Strength and Conditioning,” Epley laid the groundwork for the profession and later founded the NSCA in 1978. His 10 Husker Power Principles, developed at the University of Nebraska, remain a cornerstone in programming and formed the basis of sport-specific training. Emphasizing strength and power, Epley implemented testing and debunked the prevailing belief that weightlifting hindered speed. He recounts his journey with co-hosts Eric McMahon and Jon Jost, chronicling how a pole vault injury and exposure to bodybuilding led him to become the first collegiate strength and conditioning coach. What began with cement bars and paint cans evolved into a fully equipped weight room and impressive lifelong career. Additionally, Epley’s open-door policy — even with his fiercest competitors — helped drive the profession forward. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in strength and conditioning history.
Explore the University of Nebraska’s Husker Power Principles discussed in this episode.
Reach out to Coach Epley by email at boydepley@mac.com. Get in touch with Jon Jost at jonathan.jost@pepsico.com. Find Eric on Instagram @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn @ericmcmahoncscs.
This special episode is brought to you in part by Gatorade Performance Partner. Learn more and join their community at GatoradePerformancePartner.com.
Want to get involved as an NSCA Volunteer? Discover opportunities to lead and share your expertise at NSCA.com/Volunteer. Applications for many positions open in September and October!
This article provides strength and conditioning coaches with strategies to address hip mobility limitations that may lead to lumbar spine and femoral acetabular issues.
This episode features Corliss Fingers, the Director of Strength and Conditioning at Bethune-Cookman University. She talks with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about her journey in a predominantly male strength and conditioning profession. This episode speaks to the value of a strength and conditioning coach at the college level, as Fingers shares about preparing athletes in the extreme heat and humidity of Florida during pre-season football. She also recaps her presentation at the 2022 NSCA National Conference in New Orleans, LA, discussing representation around diversity, equity, and inclusion for athletes and coaches.
You can reach out to Corliss on Twitter: @CorlissFingers or by email at fingersc@cookman.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs
This article provides considerations for preparing firefighters
for the physical and psychological demands of their job, including pre-operational work specific training during their rest times.
Martin Rooney, Head Coach of Training for Warriors, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about defining a coach, balancing the coaching lifestyle, and myths and misconceptions about opening a gym.
This book excerpt provides examples of quickness drills that may improve the ability to identify a specific stimulus and to respond quickly and appropriately.
CoachesExercise TechniqueProgram designAgilityball drops drillshuffle reaction ball drillwave drillreactive sprint and backpedal drillreactive gear drilldrills to improve quicknesshow to improve reaction timesquickness
Two factors that determine running speed are stride cadence and stride length. Because athletes propel themselves forward only when their foot is in contact with the ground, the stance phase of the running stride should be the focus of speed enhancement programs.
CoachesExercise ScienceMechanics of runninghow to run fasterspeed trainingrunning mechanics