David Frost, PhD, CSCS, spoke at the NSCA's 2013 TSAC Conference on how strength and conditioning programs can support our tactical operators.

John Graham

This article aims to offer guidance on the effects of certain medications, as well as help personal trainers and their clients in the consultation process with qualified physicians and pharmacists.

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

What's behind enduring success at the highest level of college athletics? Kate Smith, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Michigan, shares insights from nearly 14 years of experience coaching multiple sports in a competitive collegiate environment. Smith emphasizes sustained excellence through adaptability, genuine curiosity, and openness to opportunities — even outside of athletics. Drawing on her private-sector experiences, she explains how diverse roles helped shape her flexible, athlete-centered philosophy. Smith candidly addresses current collegiate challenges, including navigating Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) distractions and adjusting motivational strategies across team cultures and generations. As a Certified Performance and Sport Scientist® (CPSS®), Smith highlights how integrating data-driven insights helps her create a more effective training environment. This expertise uniquely positions her to bridge athletics with academics, deepening collaboration on campus-wide performance initiatives. Learn how to implement practical strategies for keeping athletes engaged amidst external pressures, leverage performance data meaningfully, and continually refresh your coaching approach. Connect with Kate via email at kannehay@umich.edu and on Instagram: @katehaycock | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs

During the initial interview, the personal trainer and client assess compatibility, develop goals, and establish a client-trainer agreement.

Dan Dalrymple, head strength coach for the New Orleans Saints, spoke about strategies for designing programs with a goal of injury prevention and management.

Learn about processes of data collection and presentation, and how to use the data to individualize athletes’ training. In this session from the NSCA’s 2016 National Conference, Kevin Paxton demonstrates an age-specific long-term athletic development (LTAD) syllabus for soccer players.

Every client should participate in a 20 – 30 min initial interview and consultation prior to participating in any physical activity. This process allows the personal trainer and client time to complete the strategy session form, physical activity readiness questionnaire (PAR-Q), professional liability form, and trainer-client agreement.

This infographic highlights the effects on performance measures from separate vertical or horizontal jump training programs in elite handball players.