Acceleration and maximal velocity are two factors that are key for any position in football and can determine success in many situations out on the field. This article will review several aspects of sprint mechanics and training to enhance linear (straight-ahead) speed for football players.

This infographic briefly explains the effects of horizontal jump training, vertical jump training, maximal strength training, and explosive strength training on change-of-direction ability in junior team sport athletes.

By adhering to the basic principles of training, including progressive overload, periodization, and a safe lifting environment, the bilateral deficit can be improved by the amalgamation of unilateral force production, maximal effort, and repeated effort training.

From the 2020 NSCA Alabama Virtual State Clinic, Christina Myers discusses the benefits, training considerations, and exercise selection factors for maximal strength training, as well as how these techniques improve sport performance.

Dr. Bryan Mann, from the University of Missouri, discusses the efficacy of using the 225-lb bench press test for measuring maximal strength.

Scientific research has identified lactate threshold (LT) and maximal exercise performance as being very important contributors to endurance performance. A well-designed endurance training program can lead to improvement in both LT and maximal exercise performance within a single season and from season to season.

This excerpt from NSCA’s Essentials of Sport Science describes strength as a velocity-dependent concept.

The purpose of this article is to provide warfighters and tactical facilitators with an evidence-based approach to improve maximal strength and power using the trap bar deadlift as it relates to combat preparedness.

This article covers the anatomy and mechanics of spinal stabilization and how to properly brace for both maximal and sub-maximal lifts. Because of the forces that are generated by, and transmitted through, the body during resistance training, having a sound understanding of stabilization is paramount for safe and effective training.

In this session from the 2015 NSCA TSAC Conference, Matt Wenning explains the sumo deadlift, a foundational exercise for maximal strength development and a tool that is essential to the tactical population due to its movement pattern. The ability to learn proper technique and progressions with this exercise can help to improve a tactical athlete’s performance and decrease the likelihood of injury because it trains major muscle groups and multiple joints at the same time.