Planning and designing training programs for a new group of athletes (e.g., a new recruiting class or a new coaching job) can be problematic without a base level understanding of the athletes’ current skill levels. This article describes one system that can be used to determine an athlete's self-confidence on different exercises.
As a Strength and Conditioning Coach with the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), Jared Siegmund prepares athletes for the apex of achievement and perseverance. Siegmund shares that, contrary to public belief, the Olympic competition cycle is not every four years — Team USA athletes face fierce competition in World Series events along the way to qualify. He also speaks to the creativity required to coach Paralympic athletes, where missing limbs create unique biomechanics and hearing or visual impairments impact cueing. Siegmund touches on his principles-based programming architecture, sample adaptations, and USOPC’s interdisciplinary support team. Additionally, Siegmund and McMahon discuss the new generation of modern athletes who are more in tune with data and can control their preparation experience. The discussion concludes with the importance of a growth mindset and getting out of your comfort zone, as well as opportunities to enter elite sport.
Connect with Jared on Instagram at: @jaredsiegmund_ or LinkedIn: @jared-siegmund | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs
This article builds upon a previous article on the potential benefits personal trainers can offer clients by combining both cognitive and physical training.
Personal trainersExercise ScienceProgram designProfessional Development
From the 2019 NSCA’s Coaches Conference, Andrew Paul, Senior Athletic Performance Coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the National Basketball Association (NBA), discusses the importance of the emerging role of the dual-credentialed physical therapist/strength and conditioning specialist and identifies communication strategies to help facilitate good relationships and player transitions between the medical and performance teams.
CoachesExercise TechniqueProgram designTesting and EvaluationProfessional Development
August 5, 2019by Ryan DiPanfilo, ATC/L, CSCS, Steven Candelaria, CSCS, RSCC, Daniel Fifer, CSCS, Michael Locasto, CSCS, RSCC, Derek Somerville, CSCS, Matthew Tenney, CSCS, RSCC, and Nate Shaw, CSCS, RSCC
Gain a thorough understanding of thoracic spine anatomy, the causes and effects of limited thoracic mobility, and the diverse strategies that may enhance thoracic mobility from the Arizona Diamondbacks Major League Baseball (MLB) Strength and Conditioning Team.
Establishing a relationship and communicating with your clients in simplified terms that they can understand is a critical aspect of the training process. If you are not taking the time to do this, start now, and it will make the whole experience better for everyone involved.
Personal trainersProgram designClient Consultation|Assessment
The purpose of this article is to present the reader with the prescription of a daily specific stretching routine that can help athletes avoid the onset of injuries and chronic pain in muscle-tendon structures of the lower extremities.