All fitness components depend on body composition to some extent, and the demands of many sports require that athletes maintain standard levels of body composition.

Do you understand the youth athlete? In order to train youth athletes effectively, coaches must have an understanding of how to motivate youth athletes. This article will explain how to do just that, as well as how to use age-appropriate developmental cues for this population.

Mike Snowden, University of Alabama Men’s Basketball Strength Coach, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about having a genuine relationship with head sport coaches. Topics under discussion include building players into the program, creating buy-in, and embracing new and unique career opportunities. Find Mike on Instagram: @mike__snowden or Twitter: @Mike__Snowden | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Contracted Human Performance and Optimization Coach of 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regimen Jeff Carroll talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about his start in the field of strength and conditioning and his transition from professional athletes to a tactical population and setting. Topics under discussion include: Carroll’s career path, coaching professional athletes, transitioning to tactical strength and conditioning, and the future of tactical strength and conditioning.

The importance of recognizing a closed-chain activity lies in the fact that the motions of multiple joints are coupled. Weakness at any one joint will consequently limit performance of the entire movement.

This book excerpt explains how to perform the box step-off landing assessment, which is used to determine an athlete’s readiness before beginning a program in agility and quickness.

This NSCA Coach article describes how to manipulate movements, lifts, and rest periods in a way that controls time, space, and flow efficiently to creatively enhance athletic performance.

The purpose of this article is to provide strength and conditioning coaches with practical knowledge from the framework of self-determination theory to facilitate student-athlete motivation within the weight room across varying sports.

Through this article, personal trainers should understand the extremes of the Wim Hof method, and instead encourage clients to follow scientifically-backed deep breathing and cold therapy practices to supplement a well-rounded exercise program.