Explore the applied sport science research process in college baseball, and how academic research can be optimized to benefit player programming. This episode features Dr. David Szymanski, the Director of Baseball Performance at Louisiana Tech University, and co-editor of the recently published book NSCA’s Strength Training for Baseball. Hear about Szymanski’s career path, from college baseball player to coach and sport scientist. This episode covers a wide range of relevant topics, including exercise selection, performance technology, student pathways, and the emergence of performance director roles across Major League Baseball (MLB). Find David on Instagram: @drdavidszymanski or at his program website: LA Tech Sport Science| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

This article will analyze and compare squats with different loading positions to draw out practical applications for the personal trainer.

This article provides a blueprint and “mini-macrocycle” that will assist the personal trainer in creating a program design for older adults by offering organized templates, direction in selecting exercise components, and the creation of volume controls specific to the client’s needs.

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.

This PTQ article discusses current research examining the relationship between training volume and muscle hypertrophy and provides guidelines for optimizing training outcomes. Visit NSCA online to read more on exercise science and sport performance.

In this session from the NSCA’s 2017 National Conference, Iñigo Mujika explains the scientific basis of tapering and peaking in sports, and the effects of manipulating training components during the taper process. Mujika provides the scientific background and examples of tapering and peaking for a league format competition and a major tournament in team sports.

This article shares various options for integrating mental skills training into existing strength and conditioning programs. Such simultaneous, dual-training approaches may better prepare officers for the realities of occupational performance.

Hockey 2017

Nearly all fitness professionals are forced to address low back pain (LBP) to some extent, regardless of the age or population with which they work. The purpose of this article is to shed light on contemporary research surrounding LBP.

Military and law enforcement needs analyses are not specifically matched to firefighting, but those training styles are better than basic fitness regimens or no regimen at all. For firefighters who are attracted to other styles of training not specific to firefighting, there are ways to train for all the demands of firefighting without making the firefighter use training modalities that they dislike or are not comfortable using.