Puberty is a critical period for young athletes, characterized by significant physical, psychological, and social changes. During puberty, young athletes experience the adolescent growth spurt at the same time as intensified training regimens, which can affect performance, injury risk, and overall health. Systematic training can improve physiological and performance outcomes, but the increased training volume and changes to the body during adolescence can also heighten the risk of injuries. This article discusses the injury risks associated with adolescent growth and provides comprehensive recommendations to mitigate these risks. Key recommendations include limiting training hours to the athlete’s age, monitoring growth and maturation to adjust training loads and content, and incorporating and modifying consistent strength and conditioning prescriptions. In addition, optimal nutrition, sleep, and interdisciplinary planning among coaches, parents, and stakeholders should be emphasized to support young athletes’ holistic development and well-being during the adolescent growth spurt.

This article in TSAC Report 76, explores fitness testing methods in military training spaces. Visit NSCA online to read more on tactical populations, and performance training

Learn overtraining syndrome (OTS) risks, symptoms, and outcomes for tactical athletes from NSCA’s Essentials of Tactical Strength and Conditioning, 2nd Edition.

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This article is part of a continuing series on practical, evidence-based approaches to reducing the risk of injury while developing tactical strength and conditioning.

The second in a planned series to review essential considerations of each Functional Movement Screen (FMS) pattern, this article will examine the FMS hurdle step pattern in finer detail.

By implementing a fitness assessment, a law enforcement agency can assess its officers and gather important data. As long as there are support mechanisms in place to assist the “at risk” officers—such as access to physical training instructors, occupational health professionals, or dietitians—the organization can ensure that its officers move towards becoming a healthier and more resilient workforce.

This column from the TSAC Report explores the impact of physical fitness and cardiovascular disease risk factors among firefighters and law enforcement officers. Visit NSCA online to learn more about tactical fitness.

When it comes to traditional versus minimalist footwear, there are many considerations for injury risk. This article weighs the risks and benefits of both types of footwear from focusing on current literature on the subject.

Learn how to identify the risks to an athlete’s health and safety associated with overtraining, as well as how to help the athlete to return to normal when they have reached overtraining/fatigue. Bryan Mann, PhD, discusses recovery methods for the tactical athlete in this talk from the 2016 NSCA TSAC Annual Training.