This career series article focuses on the calling of the tactical strength and conditioning facilitator. It touches on the drive, commitment, and dedication necessary to work with tactical populations.

In this hands-on session from the 2018 Tactical Annual Training, Joel Raether, owner of Authentic Performance, discusses strategies and exercises he utilizes to improve trunk performance and resiliency, while subsequently demonstrating his progressions and regressions for these exercises.

In this session from the NSCA’s 2018 TSAC Annual Training, Karen Daigle presents the opportunities and challenges associated with various levels of strength and conditioning and medical resources embedded in operational military units.

John Mackersie speaks at the 2018 NSCA TSAC Annual Training about how to apply variations of Olympic-style lifts into programming. As well as prescribing regressions, progressions, and modifications to individuals with injury or who are new to Olympic-style lifts.

Tex McQuilkin, Director of Training for Power Athlete HQ, defines athleticism as a trainable performance variable at the 2019 Coaches Conference. McQuilkin illustrates the four phases of the competitive lifecycle for sport athletes and empowers coaches with strategies to best apply progressive overload and support the long-term trainability of novice athletes.

Learn about common misconceptions about shoulder function and the process for improving shoulder mobility and stability. In this session from the NSCA’s 2017 TSAC Annual Training, Lee Burton—one of the founders of Functional Movement Systems (FMS)—provides easy-to-prescribe screens and exercise progressions to improve and maintain shoulder function.

What does it take to become an award-winning Director of Strength and Conditioning in the National Football League (NFL)? Justin Lovett reveals the “we over me” mentality that guides his role with the Los Angeles Rams. Lovett reflects on receiving the 2024 NSCA Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year Award after being an NSCA Member for over 20 years. He draws parallels between working with high school and NFL athletes — where the desired training responses are the same and ability levels vary — making versatility key. Lovett also stresses the importance of finding clean and effective training methods to accommodate wear and tear in football athletes. He compares the Rams’ hiring philosophy to gathering “infinity stones,” emphasizing character attributes, culture alignment, and staff chemistry. Lovett and NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager Eric McMahon discuss progressing into leadership and the rise of performance director roles, as well as how to seek out career and networking opportunities. Connect with Justin on Instagram: @strcoachlovett, Twitter/X: @justin_lovett, or LinkedIn: Justin Lovett | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs

This article covers commonly used terminology from United States of America Weightlifting (USAW), plus it contains illustrations of the basic positions for weightlifting exercises.

During the initial interview, the personal trainer and client assess compatibility, develop goals, and establish a client-trainer agreement.

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