The loss of required thoracic spine ranges of motion for sport movements can be problematic for the elite athlete, as well as the weekend warrior. The purpose of this article is to explore biomechanical causes for thoracic mobility restriction as well as provide easily applicable techniques to restore mobility.

For Keith Swift, coaching is completely effort based, but it starts with camaraderie and education. As Director of Strength and Conditioning at Wofford College, his philosophy is clear: educate, heal, and enhance. While playing collegiate football and studying exercise science, Swift learned early to question the “why” behind training and encourages his student-athletes to do the same. At an academically rigorous institution, his educational focus fits right in, fostering curiosity, technical precision, and peer coaching. Swift shares how his experiences across professional baseball, the private sector, and collegiate programs each shaped his foundation while making it his own. Amid collegiate challenges — from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) transfer portal to the growing authority of student-athletes — Swift holds firm that “there is no substitute for hard work.” His goal is simple: help student-athletes leave with both a degree and a championship ring, setting them up for success in sport and life. Reach out to Coach Swift on Instagram: @worqueowt and @wofford_strength, Twitter/X: @CoachSwift93, LinkedIn: @keithswift, or by email: swiftkd@wofford.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Discover how salaries have evolved across collegiate athletics and other work settings in strength and conditioning in the 2025 NSCA Salary Survey at NSCA.com/Salary.

Dietary fat has both long-term and short-term effects on an athlete and athletic performance. “Fat loading” as a strategy to improve athletic performance remains unproven.

This NSCA Coach article explores how combining strength and plyometric training can improve volleyball hitters’ vertical jump and power. Visit NSCA online to read more on athletic performance and sports science.

This is an excerpt from NSCA's Essentials of Sport Science by NSCA -National Strength & Conditioning Association, Duncan N. French & Lorena Torres-Ronda.

While analyzing the speed requirements of different sports may, at first, seem to be a massive challenge, asking a few key questions can make the task much simpler.

This excerpt from NSCA’s Essentials of Sport Science briefly explains workload and injury risk factors.

The loading intensity a person chooses depends on his or her goals and training status (i.e., whether the person is a trained athlete or a sedentary individual). Ultimately, the number of repetitions you can perform at a given intensity or load determines the effects of training on strength develop.

This article dives into the extensive benefits of strength training for aging exercisers, emphasizing its positive effects on muscle mass, bone density, balance, and metabolic health.

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