The purpose of this article is to review the physiological determinants of police work, provide the strength and conditioning professional with an overview of comm on constraints associated with training police officers, discuss the role of autoregulated training, and provide programming recommendations for training police officers around their patrol shifts.

This article aims to bring awareness to the importance of sleep and recovery for first responders, as well as providing strategies to optimize sleep specific to their occupational demands.

Coaches can also benefit from understanding the concepts of positive and negative reinforcement and positive and negative punishment as they relate to motivation. Although coaches use a mixture of both reward and punishment, using rewards and a positive approach is arguably the best approach because it focuses on what athletes should do and what they did right.

This article contains a non-exhaustive list of items that should be included in a strength and conditioning department policies and procedures manual.

By understanding the means by which athletes encounter risk, strength and conditioning professionals can integrate exercise programs that may offset one of the steps toward injuries.

The purpose of this article is to provide an introduction to contrast training, including how it is defined, what variables are utilized, and examples of how to use it in training.

This article will explore the wide-ranging benefits of photobiomodulation therapy (PBM), specifically in the context of NCAA athletes, and how it has the potential to become a vital tool.

Want to break into tactical strength and conditioning? Start by understanding the physical and stress demands of tactical work. Whitney Tramel explains what coaches need to know before stepping into this space. Drawing on her experience across military, police, and fire settings, she outlines the training qualities tactical professionals need to stay ready. She also discusses the growing focus on “holistic health.” In her view, that means looking at the whole individual and supporting longevity across a demanding career. As Tactical Program Manager at the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and a PhD candidate studying stress physiology, Tramel connects research with the realities of tactical coaching. She also addresses a side many coaches are not ready for: tactical athletes often trust their strength coach with conversations that reach far beyond training. Learn what the role requires, what coaches often miss, and how to enter the tactical field with clarity. Reach out to Whitney by email: whitney.tramel@nsca.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Looking to enter the tactical space or keep growing in it? Explore the Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator® (TSAC-F®) certification and join us at 2026 NSCA Tactical Annual Training in Orlando this August 17 – 20.

This PTQ article discusses how Kaizen and the seven flows of personal training can streamline operations and improve the client experience. Visit NSCA online to read more on fitness news and performance optimization.

This Personal Training Quarterly article presents time-efficient fitness strategies to maintain physical and mental health during early parenthood. Visit NSCA online to read more on nutrition, health science, and fitness news.