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

This excerpt from the Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning outlines what training typically looks like in the preparatory period, or off-season.

This article will review the latest evidence regarding optimal rest intervals, and the science behind them.

This book excerpt discusses how to maximize sprint quality during training sessions.

This infographic summarizes how varying sled-loads increase different characteristics of sprint performance in male high school athletes.

This infographic briefly reviews the differences in sprint velocity and technique, including stride length and hip, knee, and ankle flexion during a 20-meter resisted sprint.

The importance of sprinting in many sports has resulted in the search for the most appropriate training methods to improve sprint performance. Authors of recent reviews conclude that resistance training is an effective means to improve sprint performance. Others, however, have reported that resistance training is not as effective as simply engaging in sprint training.

This infographic shows the effects of sprint specific training, both forward and backward, and its relation to speed and power output.

This infographic details sprint profiling and reviews possible resistance training exercises that help along the force-velocity curve.

The use of conditioning activities at maximal and sub-maximal intensities can increase subsequent sprint speed. This infographic describes how individuals’ responses can differ and suggestions to optimize post-activation potentiation (PAP) methods.