This excerpt from NSCA’s Guide to Sport and Exercise Nutrition briefly analyzes some of the research behind creatine and its application to sport performance.

What defines true toughness in coaching? Dan Perlmutter presents an alternative to the “tough strength coach” stereotype, reframing success as adaptability, resilience, and relentless positivity. As Director of Sports Performance and Head Olympic Sports Performance Coach at Duke University, Perlmutter reflects on building a strong culture rooted in genuine relationships and longevity. He explains Duke’s structured approach to developing interns and coaching assistants, highlighting purposeful recruiting and intentional mentorship to transform passion into professionalism. Perlmutter emphasizes a gratitude lens and people-focused philosophy, always prioritizing the athlete in front of him. He also addresses how strength and conditioning coaches can navigate collegiate shifts, such as Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and the transfer portal, by reinforcing the weight room environment and culture. If you are seeking practical strategies to build a sustainable career and a workplace you look forward to each day, this conversation is your blueprint. Connect with Dan via email at dan.perlmutter@duke.edu and on Instagram: @theothercoachp | Meet the Duke University Sports Performance Staff on their website | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs

Your career can accelerate when you ask, offer, and say yes. For Morgan Smith, that approach led to a postdoctoral fellowship with the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance at Stanford University. Smith recalls how coaching sparked her interest in the science behind performance. Working across academic and practical settings, she encountered challenges with research feasibility firsthand. Today, she focuses on blending coaching with sport science. At Stanford, she began by building relationships and trust within the athletic department. She describes collaborating with coaches and staff to identify research interests, gaps, and low-burden contributions. Smith also highlights opportunities to support club sports, campus recreation centers, and community programs. These roles can help fund education while building your resume, network, and practical skills. She reinforces the value of education as a time to maximize experience and explore interests. Discover how to gain applied experience early, drive cross-department buy-in, and cultivate relationships that move your career forward. Reach out to Morgan on Instagram: @goldenmo_ and LinkedIn: @morgan-smith-sportsscientist | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs | Learn more about the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance at: humanperformancealliance.org. Interested in bridging coaching and sport science? The Certified Performance and Sport Scientist® (CPSS®) credential can help you expand your qualifications, open new career paths, and strengthen organizational collaboration.

Guy Leahy writes a review of the research relating to the tactical population from presentations and research from the 65th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

Sled exercises provide a training stimulus that closely mimics real-world physical demands of sports. This article provides examples of how to implement sled training into a program.

This PTQ article shares strategies for personal trainers about the treatment and prevention of the female athlete triad. Visit NSCA online to read more on youth fitness and health news.

NSCA Coach 11.4 shares how strength training of the posterior chain in athletes can reduce injury risk and aid rehabilitation. Visit us online to read more about exercise research.

This article explains the quadrathlon and how it can help strength coaches measure linear speed, speed-strength (power), and elastic or reactive qualities efficiently.

This Personal Training Quarterly article reviews the farmer’s walk exercise and how to incorporate it safely into a client’s exercise program. Visit NSCA online to read more on fitness news and exercise research.

This excerpt from NSCA’s Essentials of Sport Science describes strength as a velocity-dependent concept.