Brice Long, Director of Human Performance Experience at O2X, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about O2X’s holistic approach for fire, police, military, and federal agencies. Topics under discussion include the value of training as a firefighter, physical tests and assessments in the National Guard, and being diverse in your skill sets as a coach. Find Brice on Instagram: @o2xhumanperformance or Twitter: @o2xhp | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

This article provides a list of items that affect the ability to develop and retain quality fire fitness trainers and provides possible solutions to common challenges for program managers that make decisions for a facility or agency.

Tactical athletes, due to the nature of their jobs, may have sleeping problems (such as falling asleep and/or staying asleep) which is indicative of poor sleep quality. This article shares sleep hygiene strategies that can help tactical athletes achieve better rest.

Hear from University of Connecticut (UCONN) Director of Football Strength and Conditioning, Matt King, as he reflects on milestones and mentors along his decade-plus coaching journey with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon. King discusses how his early exposure to strength and conditioning as a high school athlete informs the training-age and level-based training approach of UCONN’s football team. Episode highlights include a look into UCONN’s highly collaborative sports performance department, tips for navigating marriage and children in a career with long-hours, and discussion about the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Transfer Portal. Connect with Matt on Instagram: @coach_mking, Twitter: @Coach_MKing, or by email: matthew.2.king@uconn.edu| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

This excerpt from the Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning outlines what training typically looks like in the preparatory period, or off-season.

Scenarios that provide a stimulus relevant to the sporting environment may help athletes develop better anticipation skills through the refinement of search strategies, response speed and accuracy, pattern recognition, and decision-making abilities.

This article aims to bring awareness to the importance of sleep and recovery for first responders, as well as providing strategies to optimize sleep specific to their occupational demands.

This excerpt from Developing Power explains how to use bands for variable resistance training.

This TSAC Report article highlights resilience and recovery with the performance-enhancing benefits of astaxanthin. Visit NSCA online to learn more about nutrition, resistance training, and tactical athletes

This article outlines a potential learning course intended for students in undergraduate criminal justice and homeland security majors to improve their physical health literacy and health-related behaviors.