While exercise and weight management can be critical for a healthy pregnancy and recovery, special care should be taken when training pregnant and postpartum clients. In this lecture from the 2014 Personal Trainers Conference, Annette Lang provides an overview of what it means to work with this specific population.
The expression of mechanical “muscle power” and the advanced training methodologies used to optimize it are explained by Duncan French in this session from the 2015 NSCA National Conference. By overviewing training strategies utilized with world-class athletes, this session links science with advanced training techniques designed to augment muscle power.
Why are some behaviors so easy to change while others are so excruciatingly difficult? In this session from the 2015 NSCA Personal Trainers Conference, Annette Lang explains how to identify specific components that have contributed to success—or lack thereof—in changing behaviors and ultimately, habits.
Tom Williams’ journey to Head of Performance and Sport Science for Major League Soccer (MLS) powerhouse, the Los Angeles (LA) Galaxy, began at a crossroads: pursue traditional coaching or medical pathways. As a soccer “Swiss Army knife,” he embraced early sport science alongside coaching, building a career defined by collaboration and innovation. At the Galaxy, Williams is part of a web of support that uses rich data storytelling tailored to stakeholders and players, guiding decisions and infusing value in every encounter. This system drives their three key pillars: winning championships — including their recent record-breaking sixth MLS Cup — developing a robust academy pipeline, and leading innovation. In MLS’s “cultural melting pot,” Williams balances diverse backgrounds and short-term demands like fixture congestion while employing sustainable long-term strategies. With a unique full-time cognitive department and creative approaches like dodgeball warm-ups, he combines trust and ingenuity to elevate performance and presents a blueprint for those exploring emerging sport science.
Reach out to Tom on LinkedIn: @tom-williams and X/Twitter: @Williams26Tom | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs
Did you know MLS has a newly mandated Certified Performance and Sport Scientist® (CPSS®) role? Engage with NSCA’s Pro Sport Partner, the Professional Soccer Performance Association (PSPA), on social media to learn more:
Instagram: @pspa_performance
X/Twitter: @PSPA_perform
LinkedIn: @professional-soccer-performance-association
Learn how to increase the body’s use of fat as a fuel without compromising the use of carbohydrates for higher-intensity training. Mike Nelson, PhD, explains how combining specific nutrition and exercise together affects the use of fat as a fuel, in this session from the NSCA’s 2017 Personal Trainers Conference.
It has been said that power lies within the transverse plane, but actually the frontal plane foot motion is what drives the transverse plane. In this session from the NSCA’s 2016 Personal Trainers Conference, Emily Splichal reviews frontal plane foot movements and how they are coupled with transverse plane rotations of the lower extremity.
Personal trainersExercise ScienceExercise Technique
Traditional movement screens are not always feasible when working with a multitude of athletes with time limitations. In this session from the NSCA’s 2016 Coaches Conference, Michael Bewley demonstrates how to implement the Dynamic Warm–Up Movement Assessment™, which is a succinct way to pinpoint movement deficiencies and apply correctives for an entire group at once.
A strength and conditioning coach has the ultimate platform to communicate many lessons that can impact the life of youth athletes. In this 2018 Coaches Conference video, Vernon Griffith goes over how to impact youth athletes in more than just weightlifting, and how to be the coach that they need.
CoachesOrganization and AdministrationProfessional Development
In this session from the 2018 Personal Trainers Conference, Douglas Sheppard, Owner of J & D Fitness Personal Training Studio, discusses how hiring quality staff is one of the biggest challenges in strength and conditioning. He also discusses how he discovered where to find a good coach and how to effectively develop them.
Personal trainersOrganization and AdministrationProfessional Development
Captain Tony Soika, MS, CSCS, TSAC-F, speaks at the 2013 National Conference on what it takes to become a tactical strength and conditioning coach. In this first of four videos, Tony reviews the importance of leadership.