Initial Phases of Off-Season Training

The purpose of this article is to identify and discuss some barriers and benefits of training initiatives among professional firefighters.

In addition to standard health, fitness, or sport assessment guidelines, several guidelines exist for the fire service. Since each agency is different in its preferences, capabilities, and philosophies, applying a standard recommendation may not be possible. This article introduces basic decision-making considerations for fire service assessment batteries.

From the Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, this book excerpt explains the various stages of tissue healing in the rehabilitation process.

Oxygen uptake (or consumption) is a measure of a person’s ability to take in oxygen and deliver it to the working tissues, and the ability of working tissues to use oxygen. During low-intensity exercise with a constant power output, oxygen uptake increases for the first few minutes until a steady state of uptake is reached.

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.

This PTQ article reviews the research comparing injury rates across major resistance training styles and ranks them from the safest to the riskiest and provides practical recommendations to improve training safety. Visit NSCA online to learn more about bodybuilding and strength training strategies.

Brice Long, Director of Human Performance Experience at O2X, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about O2X’s holistic approach for fire, police, military, and federal agencies. Topics under discussion include the value of training as a firefighter, physical tests and assessments in the National Guard, and being diverse in your skill sets as a coach. Find Brice on Instagram: @o2xhumanperformance or Twitter: @o2xhp | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Matt Crawley, Strength and Conditioning Coach and Internship Coordinator for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Performance Institute, discusses performance considerations around testing and programming for UFC fighters, as well as the role of the strength and conditioning coach within the interdisciplinary team.

This infographic aims to challenge current approaches to supporting high-performance sports by introducing the concept of "parallel incrementalism".