A physical assessment continues to be one of the best ways to evaluate and measure physical preparedness and readiness of a military unit for job-related tasks and future missions. Tactical facilitators must consider multiple factors when developing testing protocols and programs, including leadership support, limited resources, and training cycle time constraints.
Darcie Burde, Assistant Director for Fitness at University of Florida, demonstrates how to translate movement assessments into training clients from all walks of life.
Personal trainersCoachesProgram designTesting and Evaluation
This article provides a sample six-week, non-linear program for improving muscular strength, power, endurance, anaerobic capacity, and aerobic capacity. However, this is not a “one-size fits all” program, and manipulation of the program variables may be warranted for some individuals.
This session by Dan John from the 2015 NSCA Coaches Conference explains the “concept first” method as a simple way that allows the athletes to learn movement quickly and begin to load appropriately.
Assessing clients is a vital component of the personal training experience. This article gives an overview of breathing mechanics and how to apply proper breathing exercises into a client’s assessment and program.
Personal trainersCoachesExercise ScienceExercise TechniqueClient Consultation|Assessment
Obstacle course training can offer variety to any physical readiness training program. Properly conducted obstacle course training may be a useful method to train strength, endurance, and mobility simultaneously.
"Absolute strength affects speed and athleticism," according to world record powerlifter Matt Wenning. "You get strong to get faster." In this lecture from the NSCA's 2015 Coaches Conference, Matt discusses using powerlifting as a training method with athletes. Matt debunks myths and explains how training athletes to get stronger and more powerful benefits everyone, no matter the sport.
Heart rate variability (HRV) testing is at the forefront of a wave of cutting-edge assessment tools that are becoming available to the personal trainer. In this session from the 2015 NSCA Personal Trainers Conference, Carmine Grieco provides an overview of the physiological background and dynamics of HRV, including the most current supportive evidence, with an emphasis on the practical application for personal trainers.
Personal trainersExercise ScienceTesting and EvaluationClient Consultation|Assessment
The NSCA's 2014 National Conference featured Andy Galpin presenting in the memory of Gary Dudley. Calling up Aristotle and the Socratic method, Galpin discusses today's knowledge needs, stating that we do not necessarily need more information, but instead, we need a way to sift through the existing information.
CoachesOrganization and AdministrationProfessional Development
In the push for personal training sales, many gyms will use assessment protocols as a way to prove to clients that they can indeed benefit from personal training. This article examines the merits behind this concept.
Personal trainersProgram designTesting and Evaluation