This article will focus on three common areas of injuries that occur with ice hockey players and some recommended strategies for the strength and conditioning professional.

This article sets out to address and dispel these myths, offering evidence-based insights into the significance, safety, and multifaceted benefits of strength training for youth.

NSCA Pro Deals Program: Save on products and services with NSCA Membership! Get special NSCA discount codes and offers from our sponsors and select exhibitors.

The purpose of this article is to discuss the health and occupational implications of firefighters not currently meeting the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) aerobic capacity recommendations.

Rushing into administering a training program can greatly hinder long-term gains for the client. This article explains the key components of the client interview, or as it is commonly referred to, “success session.”

The purpose of this article is to define the roles of personal trainers and physical therapists and to learn how their combined expertise can influence long-term physical health improvements for their clients.

The goal of this article is to understand contralateral and ipsilateral loading, how to set-up loaded carries, electromyography activity during exercises, and how to apply these exercises into the strength training program.

Deloading is widespread, but its application is often inconsistent and undervalued. That gap caught Lee Bell’s attention after discovering there was no consensus definition. Bell is a Senior Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University who focuses on the deloading, overtraining, and overreaching spectrum. He explains how overtraining and overreaching are sometimes used synonymously. That confusion is compounded further by associations with overtraining syndrome (OTS). Instead, Bell frames overreaching as a “window of opportunity” when used intentionally. For example, a planned overreach can be functional or non-functional based on recovery. Bell also examines opportunities and tradeoffs in modern periodization models. He contrasts flexible and fluid approaches with more traditional, rigid programming; each approach has implications for athlete trust and recovery. Looking ahead, Bell envisions a collaborative approach to sport science driven by coaching needs. He reflects on recent coaching survey data and the key themes that emerged for the future. Hear his perspective on next steps in velocity-based training, individualized periodization, and variability. Reach out to Lee via Instagram: @lee3ell and LinkedIn: @lee-bell| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs → Read the SCJ article co-authored by Lee Bell referenced in this episode: A Practical Approach to Deloading: Recommendations and Considerations for Strength and Physique Sports.

This Personal Training Quarterly article discusses blood biomarker monitoring as a vital tool in overtraining syndrome diagnostics and recovery. Visit NSCA online to read more on fitness news and exercise research.

This column reviews recent literature that investigated the appropriateness of a commonly utilized on-duty exercise training modality for firefighters and describes the occupational demands of specialist tactical police officers.