The purpose of this article is to help bring awareness of athletic recovery by useful fatigue monitoring and managing tools, such as external and internal load examples.

Female athletes in the United States have made great progress in sports since Title IX was enacted in 1972. Despite the progress they have made, female athletes have yet to gain full recognition for their athleticism and their achievements. The purpose of this article is to break down the stigma female athletes have received over the years and shine light on the differences that make female athletes a reward to train.

The power position is an integral position for a variety of power lifting movements. Athletes can develop their power position via an integrated approach involving sound exercise selection and purposeful instruction leading to enhanced strength and technique.

Bobby Smith, owner and Director of Sports Performance at Reach Your Potential Training, talks to the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about the transition to owning his own facility and his impact on youth athletes. Topics under discussion include Smith’s education and previous athletic experience that led him to sports performance, being the owner of a sports performance facility, and his impact on youth athletes.

CC 2020

Nicole Rodriguez always knew she wanted to pursue strength and conditioning, but the extent of her journey — spanning 44 countries and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games — is nothing short of inspiring. During her time at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning, Rodriguez recognized the value of experience and environment, later joining the EXOS International Program to coach globally. Eager to test her skills and help standardize coaching education, she sought out developing countries to advance their sport infrastructure. Rodriguez outlines key differences between U.S. and European approaches: while the U.S. excels in strength methodology, Europe enhances sport-specific application through tactical periodization. Additionally, she highlights Europe’s emphasis on rehabilitation and an “inverse relationship” between time in the weight room versus pitch-side with sport coaches. Rodriguez also describes her work with Poland’s Ministry of Sport and Tourism to pursue NSCA Global Chapter status, aligning with her passion for improving strength and conditioning education and implementation worldwide. Connect with Nicole by email: nicole@coachnicolerodriguez.com and online at: coachnicolerodriguez.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Learn more about NSCA international programs mentioned in the episode at NSCA.com/Global.

Monitoring training load is essential for determining if athletes are adapting positively or negatively to their training program. This article goes over the various measurement metrics and includes recommendations to monitor training load for football athletes.

This article provides guidance on designing strength and conditioning programs for male collegiate trampolinists by combining the available sport science with practical coaching experience.

This NSCA Coach article explores how neck training programs can reduce the severity of sport-related concussions. Visit NSCA online to read more on sports science and athletic performance.

The purpose of this article is to discuss the theory behind the French Contrast Method (FCM), current evidence demonstrating its effectiveness, as well as proper implementation and execution for athletic populations.