The purpose of this article is to explore trauma-related mental health issues and help human performance professionals more effectively train tactical athletes.

The TSAC Report is the NSCA’s quarterly, online-only publication designed for the training of tactical professionals, operators, and facilitators. You must be a member of the NSCA to access the TSAC Report.

The purpose of this article is to compare and contrast popular methods used to reduce muscle soreness. The article looks at caffeine, cold water therapy, BCAAs and aerobic exercise and briefly examines their efficacy in treating DOMS.

This article provides a personal perspective on the art of coaching that stems from acquired knowledge, education, and real-world application through professional sports experience from working in human performance.

Building athletes who are strong, healthy, and resilient requires more than sets and reps, starting with a shift in mindset. Christi Edson, Head of Performance for the Orlando Pride in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), shares how she integrates strength and conditioning with sport science to sustain athlete health and performance. She reflects on the field’s evolution from the well-known “Bigger, Faster, Stronger” program to a training culture emphasizing resilience, active recovery, and durability. Drawing from her experience coaching high school athletes to NWSL professionals, Edson highlights the adaptability and creativity coaches need. Those qualities help her to develop athletes who can thrive through a demanding 11-month season. She details how tools like GPS, force plates, and velocity-based training sharpen communication and reshape expectations in the gym. Her story points coaches toward the future of athlete development: collaboration, precise load management, and long-term health as the foundation of strength. Connect with Christi on Instagram: @christiedson and LinkedIn: @christiana-edson | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Read the article, “A Creative Mind in the Professional Development of a Strength and Conditioning Coach,” from NSCA Coach, 11(1), February 2024 — referenced in this episode’s return-to-play discussion. NSCA Members enjoy full publication access. Interested in bridging coaching and sport science? The Certified Performance and Sport Scientist (CPSS) credential can help you expand your qualifications, open new career paths, and strengthen cross-department collaboration.

This article summarizes the relevant literature regarding post-workout nutrient timing and its importance to training adaptations, specifically increasing skeletal muscle hypertrophy and replenishing skeletal muscle glycogen stores.

All fitness components depend on body composition to some extent, and the demands of many sports require that athletes maintain standard levels of body composition.

In this session from the NSCA’s 2018 Coaches Conference, Bryan Mann discusses the latest research presentations from the NSCA National Conference that have immediate implications for the strength and conditioning coach.

Optimize readiness & resilience at the 2026 NSCA Tactical Annual Training in San Antonio, TX. Apply tactical performance research hands-on, connect, & earn 2.0 CEUs.