Learn about the role of sports science in athletics. In this session from the NSCA’s 2016 National Conference, Patrick Ward provides an overview of monitoring strategies and discusses the use of technology within a sports science setting.

CC 2020

Nicole Rodriguez always knew she wanted to pursue strength and conditioning, but the extent of her journey — spanning 44 countries and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games — is nothing short of inspiring. During her time at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning, Rodriguez recognized the value of experience and environment, later joining the EXOS International Program to coach globally. Eager to test her skills and help standardize coaching education, she sought out developing countries to advance their sport infrastructure. Rodriguez outlines key differences between U.S. and European approaches: while the U.S. excels in strength methodology, Europe enhances sport-specific application through tactical periodization. Additionally, she highlights Europe’s emphasis on rehabilitation and an “inverse relationship” between time in the weight room versus pitch-side with sport coaches. Rodriguez also describes her work with Poland’s Ministry of Sport and Tourism to pursue NSCA Global Chapter status, aligning with her passion for improving strength and conditioning education and implementation worldwide. Connect with Nicole by email: nicole@coachnicolerodriguez.com and online at: coachnicolerodriguez.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Learn more about NSCA international programs mentioned in the episode at NSCA.com/Global.

Greg Haff, former President of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), current course coordinator for post graduate studies in strength and conditioning at Edith Cowan University, and Senior Associate Editor for the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, talks to the NSCA’s Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about his journey through strength and conditioning and his efforts to progress the field during his time as president of the NSCA. Topics under discussion include: his years being NSCA Board of Director President, the future of the profession, how he got involved in the NSCA, key traits of icons in the field, traits for potential incoming students, and how to get into sports science.

The purpose of this article is to discuss the health and occupational implications of firefighters not currently meeting the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) aerobic capacity recommendations.

This article discusses performance under stress, as well as factors influencing this performance in tactical personnel.

When choosing whether to purchase new technological advances, strength and conditioning coaches should consider price, practicality, and credibility in order to maximize the training of their athletes.

Knowledge of metabolic rate can help athletes as well as health-conscious people improve their exercise performance or obtain the fat-to-lean-mass ratio optimal for their personal situations. Two examples of how this works follow.

This article details an example assessment battery that could be used to measure the relative health and fitness of community service officers (CSO) within the context of similar populations.

This excerpt from Developing Endurance goes over tapering and peaking in aerobic training for competition.