Training Techniques for Optimal Muscle Gain and Fat Loss

Although it may be possible to increase skeletal muscle levels of carnitine by combining it with relatively large amounts of carbohydrates repeatedly throughout the day, or by taking it with choline, there is limited data that shows that carnitine is a fat-burner that results in significant reductions in fat mass.

In this session from the 2015 Personal Trainers Conference, dietitian Dawn Weatherwax explains how the health of the digestive system affects overall health. Learn how gastrointestinal health impacts fat loss and muscle gain, the signs and symptoms of poor gut health, and foods and supplements that have been shown to have a positive impact on gut integrity.

This excerpt from NSCA's Guide to Tests and Assessments briefly discusses the method behind a lactate threshold test and the pretest considerations one might take prior to this test.

Multidirectional ground reaction forces (GRFs) and jump tests within baseball pitchers provide insight into athletic ability and coordination to produce lower-body force and power. Lower-body power is a biomechanical feature that denotes physiological capacity through dynamic and passive tissue stretch-shortening in transferring energy from the ground through the kinetic chain. Optimized lower-body power may lessen the magnitude of forces on the upper extremity. Insufficient lower-body power may create a greater risk of upper-body injury. Lower-body power and its relationship to ball velocity have been minimally investigated, yet some research points to a correlation between jumping ability and fastball velocity. Because pitching is unilateral, practitioners should consider unilateral jumps to determine the extent of bilateral asymmetry or stride to drive leg differences that can guide training to remediate deficiencies. The purposes of this brief review are to (a) examine factors that influence vertical jump performance among baseball players, (b) examine research on pitching multidirectional GRFs, and (c) examine literature concerning jump performances to baseball pitching performance. Collectively, this review can assist coaches and practitioners in lower-body power testing and training for baseball pitchers.

The purpose of this article is to justify the importance and advantage to properly incorporate upper body power (UBP) training in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) athletes.

Brad Schoenfeld discusses what personal trainers can do to help their clients with weight loss in this session from the NSCA’s 2016 Personal Trainers Conference. Learn about the facts and fallacies of weight loss, as well as what really works.

This article consists of five assessments that could be utilized by the tactical facilitator to measure upper- , lower- , and total-body power in law enforcement officers (LEOs). Although the focus of this article is LEOs, the assessments could also be used for other tactical populations.

Dr. Lonnie Lowery spoke at the NSCA's 2012 Coaches Conference on the benefits of good fats and proteins for youth athletes.

This article details an example assessment battery that could be used to measure the relative health and fitness of community service officers (CSO) within the context of similar populations.