This article is the eighth in a continuing series of tactical strength and conditioning (TSAC) research reviews. It is designed to bring awareness to new research findings of relevance to tactical strength and conditioning communities. On this occasion, the focus is on new research presented at the 2016 NSCA National Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 7 – 8, 2016.

This article emphasizes environmental and nutritional dimensions in which there is enough robust evidence to make meaningful recommendations for sustainable nutrition practices.

This consensus statement provides specific conditioning recommendations with the intent of ending conditioning-related morbidity and deaths of secondary school athletes. Most deaths in sports are preventable; our charge is to meet this expectation.

The purpose of this article is to propose a training model for the aging firefighter to improve the athletic qualities of aerobic fitness and muscular strength so that they may remain healthier longer into their careers.

Hunter Schurrer, Contracted Human Performance Specialist for Fort Lewis Washington 1st Special Forces Group talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about Coach Schurrer’s experience working with collegiate athletes, his mentors at the beginning of his S&C career, and his transition from D1 athletics to Tactical Strength and Conditioning. Topics under discussion include coaching colligate athletes, transitioning to the tactical setting, and training special forces groups.

Guy Leahy writes a review of the research relating to the tactical population from presentations and research from the 65th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

This column outlines a combat readiness framework that integrates physical conditioning to strengthen cognitive performance. Visit NSCA online to learn more about tactical training and mental health.

Learn about middle school and high school strength and conditioning from 2022 NSCA Coaches Conference presenter Elton Crochran. Coach “Croc” shares his story about transitioning from collegiate strength and conditioning to his work as the Strength and Conditioning Coordinator at Randolph Field School District in San Antonio, TX. Crochran is currently the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Veterans Memorial High School. He talks about his hands-on coaching session from Coaches Conference, as well as developmental milestones across key stages of long-term athlete development. Find “Coach Croc” on Instagram: @ecrock2 or Twitter: @TheCrocShow| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

If the strength and conditioning field largely keeps to itself, or the knowledge base is not seen to transcend the training facility, it seems reasonable to think that this will present a problem for strength and conditioning coaches. This article examines some actions strength and conditioning coaches can take to increase the awareness of the good work they do on a daily basis.

This NSCA Coach article discusses training modalities in bench press training and incorporating accessories to improve rate of force development (RFD) among athletes. Visit NSCA online to read more on strength training and exercise science.