The Dirty World of Triathlon: Training and Racing Demands of Xterra

This column from the TSAC Report explores the impact of physical fitness and cardiovascular disease risk factors among firefighters and law enforcement officers. Visit NSCA online to learn more about tactical fitness.

This article seeks to help personal trainers understand the physiological effects of stress and helpful ways they can drive positive changes for their clients through exercise.

Unlocking the Hips

Football is evolving fast, and the coaches who keep pace are the ones who control what they can and win the little details. Ted Rath, Director of Sports Performance for the New Orleans Saints, reflects on over 15 years in the National Football League (NFL). He explains how training times, availability, and sheer athleticism have shifted with the game's expansion. Rath makes the case for gaining a well-rounded experience by coaching different sports, seeking knowledge, and being patient on your path. He also shares his linear progression approach to sport science that keeps new tools actionable and avoids technology overload. With players now arriving more educated and invested in their data, creating understanding and buy-in remains essential. Rath reveals that his coaching philosophy and culture starts with “leading yourself,” emphasizing ownership and helping others. Apply his perspective to protect availability, dial in the little details, and integrate sport science with purpose. Reach out to Ted on Instagram: @tedrathstrengthcoach | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Catch Ted’s session, “The Future of Training in Professional Football,” at the 2026 NSCA National Conference in New Orleans, July 8–11. Sign up early and save at NSCA.com/NSCACon.

Before opening a facility, fitness professionals should perform the proper due diligence of researching and obtaining all the required documents to legally operate in a given municipality, learn the different types of commercial property, and build an equipment list that is in alignment with their business model.

If you want to have control of your earning potential as a personal trainer, it is important to master the art of the sale. With the help of this sales process and closing system, you will be able to confidently close more sales and help more clients.

Two factors that determine running speed are stride cadence and stride length. Because athletes propel themselves forward only when their foot is in contact with the ground, the stance phase of the running stride should be the focus of speed enhancement programs.

This article discusses the balance between muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and muscle protein breakdown (MPB) to help individuals better achieve their goals in muscle hypertrophy.

The goal of this article is to define some of the basic physiological responses to acute and chronic altitude exposure and to provide some evidence-based, practical guidelines when approaching training and racing at higher altitudes.