The periodization of training is facilitated by a hierarchical structure that allows for several distinct interrelated levels that can be used in the planning process. Each level of the periodization process should be based on the training goals established for the athlete or team.
A sound year-round aerobic endurance training program should be divided into sport seasons with specific goals and objectives designed to improve performance gradually and progressively.
Professional standards can differ from gym-to-gym, studio-to-studio, and personal trainer-to-personal trainer, but all professional personal trainers can benefit from focusing on specific goals.
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From the 2020 NSCA Coaches Conference, Brian Buck, Director of Sports, and Bryce Patterson, Director of Education at Sparta Science, discuss how to understand data, create a repeatable and scalable system to address goals, and create a feedback loop to assess the effectiveness of a program.
Given the right implement and creativity, there is no limit to being able to adjust and modify exercises to achieve program goals. This article shares a few of the many exercises that can be done to work with specific limitations.
From the 2021 NSCA Coaches Conference, the University of Indiana, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, William Alli, provides his approach to the relationship between power and skill to help coaches understand the nuances in their athletes and how they can better communicate with them to achieve their performance goals.
Personal training clients may need to make both exercise and nutrition changes to achieve their goals. Combining the nutritional knowledge of registered dietitians and training aspects of personal trainers may be of benefit to clients.
Confused about which diet is best? Alan Aragon examines the evidence behind the claims made by each of the main diet perspectives in this session from the 2015 NSCA Personal Trainers Conference. The questions answered include: “which diet is best for weight loss?” and “which diet is best for promoting health and preventing cardiovascular disease?” Individual goals and circumstances will be discussed as well as practical applications.
High chronic workloads have been shown to be associated with a reduced risk of non-contact, soft tissue injuries, while large spikes in acute training loads have been associated with an increased risk of these types of injury. Analyzing the acute:chronic workload ratio allows a coach to optimize training for the athlete and to continue in advancing fitness goals without overtraining.