Jim Davis, the Director of the Good Athlete Project, identifies usable methods for effective, research-based methods to motivate a unique group of athletes. In this session from the NSCA’s 2018 Coaches Conference, Davis explains how to distinguish between effective and ineffective motivational techniques, and how to design individualized strategies to get the most out of your athletes.

What does it take to become an award-winning Director of Strength and Conditioning in the National Football League (NFL)? Justin Lovett reveals the “we over me” mentality that guides his role with the Los Angeles Rams. Lovett reflects on receiving the 2024 NSCA Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year Award after being an NSCA Member for over 20 years. He draws parallels between working with high school and NFL athletes — where the desired training responses are the same and ability levels vary — making versatility key. Lovett also stresses the importance of finding clean and effective training methods to accommodate wear and tear in football athletes. He compares the Rams’ hiring philosophy to gathering “infinity stones,” emphasizing character attributes, culture alignment, and staff chemistry. Lovett and NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager Eric McMahon discuss progressing into leadership and the rise of performance director roles, as well as how to seek out career and networking opportunities. Connect with Justin on Instagram: @strcoachlovett, Twitter/X: @justin_lovett, or LinkedIn: Justin Lovett | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs

Proper form and biomechanical execution of the squat has been a long-debated subject in the fitness and sports performance industries. The following article describes a method to help determine an individual’s preferred squatting foot position, setup, and depth based on their unique hip anthropometrics for smarter, safer, and more optimized squatting.

This Personal Trainers Quarterly article promotes the benefits of walking to boost physical activity and improve overall health outcomes. Visit NSCA online to read more on health science and low-impact exercises.

In this session from the NSCA's 2016 National Conference, Boo Schexnayder demonstrates how to effectively design long-term and short-term programs for speed development. Schexnayder explains how to effectively periodize strength training in a manner that supports speed development, as well as how to use speed and power training as a neural integration tool to enhance strength development.

This article builds upon a previous article on the potential benefits personal trainers can offer clients by combining both cognitive and physical training.

This article is an overview of several studies that look into the effects of intensity and volume in the training of combat soldiers and its relation to injury.

The purpose of this article is to describe the 165-lb body drag as performed by California law enforcement recruits in order to graduate academy.

This article reviews the recommended exercise prescription the author uses when training special populations.

Learn how to identify the performance benefits associated with weightlifting and effective teaching progressions for weightlifting. In this session from the NSCA’s 2016 National Conference, Bo Sandoval discusses effective weightlifting methods to address common training errors and common concerns practitioners have with weightlifting.