Jessica Burke is an experienced collegiate strength and conditioning coach, most recently at Penn State University, as well as a personal trainer. She joins the NSCA Coaching Podcast with a unique perspective on the state of the strength and conditioning profession. Burke shares her professional path with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, including rewarding work as a personal trainer outside of her responsibilities on campus. This episode explores the value of work-life balance across the coaching profession. Should we debunk the “hustle culture” model of the strength and conditioning coach lifestyle? Listen to learn about this topic and more. Other topics covered include strength and conditioning coaches having a presence on social media and training foundations for youth and female athletes. You can follow Jessica on Instagram: @coachjburke and TikTok: @coachjburke | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Megan Evans, Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning for Olympic Sports at Virginia Tech, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about the journey from student-athlete to assistant director.

The power position is an integral position for a variety of power lifting movements. Athletes can develop their power position via an integrated approach involving sound exercise selection and purposeful instruction leading to enhanced strength and technique.

When William Kraemer first entered the field, strength and conditioning was, as he puts it, “primordial.” There were few standards, limited research, and little shared understanding. As one of the most influential figures in strength and conditioning, Kraemer recounts how the profession grew from humble beginnings into a science-driven discipline. That history still holds weight for coaches today. He explains why coaches are often drawn to new ideas, but progress comes from building on proven principles. Workout logs are central to his approach, and he notes how analyzing training over time can improve decision-making. He also emphasizes alignment across the performance ladder to support innovation and athlete development. As the Senior Advisor for Sports Performance and Sports Science at The Ohio State University, he shares his perspective on where the field is headed next. Apply his wisdom to stay grounded in solid principles, evaluate training with greater precision, and better serve your athletes. Reach out to Dr. Kraemer by email: Kraemer.44@osu.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs

Coaches can help children and adolescents develop athletic ability by including motor skills training into sports practice and training. This approach is called integrative neuromuscular training.

This infographic briefly reviews the differences in sprint velocity and technique, including stride length and hip, knee, and ankle flexion during a 20-meter resisted sprint.

This hands-on lecture features Nick Tumminello, who spoke during the NSCA's 2014 TSAC Conference on the programming and use of hybrid strength complexes to lose fat and increase conditioning.

Learn how to identify the performance benefits associated with weightlifting and effective teaching progressions for weightlifting. In this session from the NSCA’s 2016 National Conference, Bo Sandoval discusses effective weightlifting methods to address common training errors and common concerns practitioners have with weightlifting.

Power and strength translate into force, the key behind any push athlete's success. In this lecture from the NSCA's 2015 Coaches Conference, USOC Coach Brad DeWeese discusses periodization and the need to develop phase potentiation for push athletes.

In this video from the NSCA's 2014 National Conference, Bret Contreras discusses how moving horizontally - quick breaks and agility drills vs. hopping - can result in explosive acceleration and speed.