Because habits are contextually linked, it is reasonable to suggest that modifying the environment may disrupt the habit process and allow conscious intention to guide behavior. This article focuses on providing practical recommendations to aid individuals with intentions to exercise and eat healthy to reach their goals in the face of undesirable habits.

The Sweepstakes terms and conditions are created to h provide you information on eligibiliy the sweepstakes periods, how winners are chosen and more.

By following the guidelines of the American Dietetic Association, a vegan or whole food, plant-based diet can be a viable option for athletes as well as non-athletes to maintain health, support athletic performance, and positively impact the environment.

Learn, participate and network with colleagues at (location) while earning CEUs. Hosted by the state, provincial and regional directors, this local event brings cutting-edge research and application to your backyard.

Matthew Nein, Head Sports Performance Coach for Salisbury University, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about receiving the NSCA Collegiate Strength Coach of the Year award, personal and program values, and mental toughness.

Do you fear public speaking? It may seem counterintuitive for coaches who command the weight room every day, but it’s more common than you’d think. On the floor with your athletes, you’re in your element, but shifting audiences to administrators can have you second-guessing. Honing your communication and public speaking skills shouldn’t be saved until you’re eyeing a promotion — Coaching & Presentation Skills Coach Jenny Rearick advises getting in as many early reps as possible. Combining her experience as a collegiate athlete, strength and conditioning coach, and corporate marketer, Jenny founded Fit to Speak to empower fitness professionals in the “sport” of public speaking. Discover concrete strategies like the BLUF method to make sure your key message is heard. Learn how to seek out low-risk scenarios that can transform your speaking skills from just getting by to getting ahead. Plus, don’t miss her simple mindset shift to ease pre-presentation nerves. Connect with Jenny on Instagram at: @fit_to_speak or online at: fit-to-speak.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Check out Jenny’s episodes in the new NSCA Presenter Playbook series on NSCA TV. Ready to take the big stage? Apply online to speak at a 2025 NSCA event before the May 15 deadline. BONUS: Answer Bryan Mann’s “call to arms!” Get involved locally and give back to your strength and conditioning community at NSCA.com/Volunteer

This NSCA Coach article offers a brief description on the various methods for setting resistance training loads. Visit NSCA online to read more on strength training and program development.

The importance of recognizing a closed-chain activity lies in the fact that the motions of multiple joints are coupled. Weakness at any one joint will consequently limit performance of the entire movement.

The National Strength and Conditioning Association is a non-profit organization that is lead and governed by an elected board of directors and an established set of bylaws, codes, policies, and procedures.

The squat is one of the most widely used exercises in resistance training programs. The aim of this narrative review was to analyze the effect of the squat on lower-limb muscle hypertrophy. Briefly, the available literature indicates that the squat is an effective exercise for inducing hypertrophy of the quadriceps, mainly the vastii, but also the rectus femoris, although to a reduced magnitude. Multiple lines of evidence suggest little to no hamstring hypertrophy from the back squat. Although the gluteus maximus clearly participates mechanically in the back squat, few longitudinal studies exist on the topic. The limited evidence available on this topic suggests deeper squats may be more hypertrophic for the gluteus maximus, and that, squat depth beyond 908 of knee flexion may not provide further hypertrophy of the knee extensors. Despite the popularity of the many squat variations, there are still controversies surrounding their hypertrophic potential for lower-limb musculature. Further studies are needed to investigate the hypertrophic effects of different squat variations, as well as differences in hypertrophy because of squat depth, stance, barbell position, and different squat apparatuses/machines.