Strength coaches build resilience in others, but sometimes life puts their own to the test. Katie Guillory, now Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at her alma mater, Louisiana State University (LSU), faced that test after a summer accident led to a below-knee amputation. As a former LSU softball captain with extensive knee and hip surgeries, Guillory explains her strong foundation for physical and mental recovery. For her, that means showing up and getting after it, even on hard days. Guillory encourages others to “act yourself into existence for a second,” believing that small, consistent steps — especially when motivation is low — are what build strong mindsets. Supported by the LSU community, she reflects on balancing relentless drive with vulnerability, accepting help, giving herself grace, and finding strength in connection. Her experience underscores that resilience is a lifelong mindset, reminding listeners that the same habits that build athletes can also rebuild their coach. Reach out to Katie on Instagram: @steel_guil and X/Twitter: @steel_guil | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Answer Bryan Mann’s “call to arms!” Many volunteer applications are open now through December 15. Step up and give back to your strength and conditioning community at NSCA.com/Volunteer.

Developing a truly successful program involves several layers that the personal trainer must address with time, competence, and critical thinking. A thorough and complete initial consultation can ensure that the personal trainer has all the data that they need to design a program that is time-efficient and successful.

This article seeks to provide personal trainers with eight brief modifications that clients can benefit from if they suffer from both acute and chronic lower back pain (LBP).

This article builds upon two other client assessment tools (breathing and posture, as seen in Personal Training Quarterly Issues 5.3 and 6.1, respectively) and discusses ways to assess client movement.

As athletes return to training in the heat, Doug Casa, CEO of the Korey Stringer Institute, covers safety and considerations for strength and conditioning coaches. Casa discusses guidelines for heat acclimatization, signs and symptoms of traumas, emergency action plans, prevention strategies, and provides valuable resources for coaches.

The purpose of this article is to show athletes and coaches how plantar fasciitis is diagnosed, treated, and transitioned back to athletic training for the athlete.

An organized, science-based, and evidence-based periodized program that is guided by capable and competent professionals is the most efficient and effective way to accomplish the task of returning from a shoulder injury to full active duty. The concepts of periodization paired with evidence-based strength and conditioning interventions provides the framework needed for tactical facilitators to accomplish this task.

This article discusses how suspension-based resistance training may help develop the stability and muscular endurance in the shoulder joint needed to decrease the risk of shoulder injuries as a result of the demands of firefighting.

This article in NSCA Coach explores the potential cognitive benefits of creatine supplementation across diverse populations and conditions. Visit us online to learn more about nutrition and exercise science.

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.