No two days are the same for Will Gilmore as part of a team that oversees over 800 athletes across 200 sports at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center. From surfers to skydivers, the facility provides an elite high-performance ecosystem for traditionally individual sport athletes. Gilmore highlights the need for remote programming and monitoring to support a constantly shifting roster. Together as a team, they navigate uncharted territory in action sports conditioning, guided by physiological demands and underlying energy systems. Gilmore and NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager Eric McMahon discuss the shift in sport science from ample to actionable data to find, change, and measure what matters most. Gilmore reflects on his “career periodization” and having free time for friends and family while working corporate hours — a stark contrast with his background in Major League Baseball (MLB). The pair also emphasize proactive networking and education for future career opportunities. Connect with Will on Instagram: @will_gilmore_ or LinkedIn: @will-gilmore | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Want to get involved with the NSCA? Find peers who share your passion for a specific sport or topic in Special Interest Groups (SIGs), or apply now for Volunteer Leadership Opportunities!

The exerciser with 8 to 12 months of training experience can begin to include exercise complexes that combine trunk movement patterns with multijoint movements. Single-plane and multiplane movements can be performed using both open- and closed-chain exercises.

In this hands-on session from the 2019 NSCA Coaches Conference, Scott Charland, Manager of Human Performance for Parkview Health Sports Medicine, introduces his “recipe” for movement patterns that focus on speed development. This can easily be placed into a warm-up session prior to a conditioning workout or sport practice.

Exercise Choice: A New Approach to Speed Up and Optimize Exercises Selection

Opinions about the best functional exercises will always differ; however, science, logic, and a systematic approach will reduce confusion and debate. In this session from the 2014 NSCA Personal Trainers Conference, Gray Cook presents an interactive discussion that will provide you with the tools to elevate your skills with exercise choice and program design.

Connor Agnew, Director of Basketball Performance at Appalachian State University, and Scott Caulfield, Director of Strength and Conditioning at Norwich University, joins the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon on this Gatorade Performance Partner Special Episode, highlighting “The Importance of Mentorship and Mental Health” in strength and conditioning. The discussion emphasizes the need for coaches to cope with adversity and rely on trusted mentors along their professional journey. Connect with Connor on Instagram: @strengthcoachconnor or Twitter: @CoachConnorSC | Connect with Scott on Instagram: @coachcaulfield or Twitter: @scottcaulfield | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs | To learn more and join the Gatorade Performance Partner Community, visit GatoradePerformancePartner.com. Find additional NSCA resources in the areas of mentorship and mental health, you can stream the NSCA Coaching Podcast and select conference sessions on NSCA.tv.

Exercise Choice: A New Approach to Speed Up and Optimize Exercises Selection

Exercises performed in the water that improve swimming skills and simultaneously work the core can be beneficial for swimmers. One particularly useful core exercise that is specifically designed for swimmers is a kickboard progression, such as the one described in this article.

This article provides an overview of the scientific evidence comparing specific motor control exercise intervention to using a more general exercise approach, and concludes by discussing the practical implications for strength and conditioning professionals from an exercise programming perspective.

Exercise Technique: Depth Jump