Kurt Hester, Head of Sports Performance at Louisiana Tech University, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about his journey from weight lifting at 12 years old to training collegiate football athletes today. Topics under discussion include starting a business, pioneering strength and conditioning, and the interview process. Find Kurt on Twitter: @thekurthester or on Instagram: @hesterkurt | Find Scott on Instagram: @coachcaulfield

Once strength and conditioning coaches have a better understanding of some of the differences between coaching and training philosophy, they can build their coaching philosophy and ensure it is a combination of both the “why” and “how.”

This article discusses the benefits of an upper body power program for law enforcement officers and how to program this effectively.

Due to the principle of specificity, training should be tailored to the goal of the lifter in terms of the prioritization of strength, hypertrophy, health, and functional outcomes. If the goal is muscular hypertrophy, it may be beneficial to vary the repetition range, and to utilize a variety of loads and loading strategies in the pursuit of maximizing hypertrophy.

This article provides an overview of a resistance training program for tactical strength and conditioning facilitators in large law enforcement academy settings.

This NSCA Coach article examines the effectiveness of cupping therapy and assesses whether its benefits are evidence-based. Visit NSCA online to read more on athletic performance and sports recovery.

This article details an example assessment battery that could be used to measure the relative health and fitness of community service officers (CSO) within the context of similar populations.

The purpose of this article is to compare the effects of quarter, parallel, and full depth squats on muscle activity, joint stress, athletic abilities, and potential injury risks for the consideration of all strength and conditioning professionals.

Between the physiological, cognitive, and tactical skill demands, this article explains why fighter pilots should be considered tactical athletes and have access to resources like a professional sport athlete.

This article discusses performance under stress, as well as factors influencing this performance in tactical personnel.