Squash demands speed, strength, and control at the edge of human range — but still suffers from a massive stigma around heavy lifting and underuse of strength and conditioning. Brigita Roemer is leading the shift as Director of Strength and Conditioning for U.S. Squash, where she oversees all off-court physical development. After suffering a devastating injury as a track and field athlete, she discovered strength and conditioning when a biomechanics team “put [her] back together,” setting her on a linear path in the profession. Assigned to a sport she had never heard of before, Roemer began by emphasizing injury risk reduction, full range of motion, and “strength at length” to meet squash’s extreme movement and deceleration demands. With frequent connective tissue injuries like sprains and strains, athlete availability remains a top concern. By prioritizing continuing education and building relationships, Roemer has helped U.S. Squash make history — on the path to LA 2028. Connect with Brigita on Instagram: @brigey_lux | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Elite strength and conditioning pros like Brigita Roemer rely on NSCA events to stay sharp, grounded, and connected. Join them at the 2025 NSCA National Conference (NSCACon) this July 16–19 in Kansas City, MO.

Competence, autonomy, and relatedness are three keys to promoting a more intrinsically motivated athlete. These components can be combined in nearly limitless ways, which is especially important for the long basketball season.

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 periodization of training is facilitated by a hierarchical structure that allows for several distinct interrelated levels that can be used in the planning process. Each level of the periodization process should be based on the training goals established for the athlete or team.

This article builds upon two other client assessment tools (breathing and posture, as seen in Personal Training Quarterly Issues 5.3 and 6.1, respectively) and discusses ways to assess client movement.

This article is the 11th 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.

This excerpt from the Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th Edition gives a quick glimpse into some of the implements used in strongman training.

The tactical strength and conditioning field is evolving each year. Because of the experience of those in the field, as well as the growing body of research, we are gaining a better understanding of what it actually means to work within the tactical field.

After almost leaving the profession entirely, Ashley Kowalewski landed her role as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at the prestigious Louisiana State University. Listen as she recounts the strength and conditioning coach who inspired her as a high-level athlete at Oklahoma State University, diverting her path away from pursuing a physical therapy career. Explore how her early experience as an NSCA intern and working with adaptive sports under the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee expanded her network and strengthened her coaching. Discover where to tap into access points that can build mentors in your corner and the importance of being relationship-oriented in a field where collaboration is key. Kowalewski also speaks about checking her ego after a difficult career experience and the challenge of starting again at the intern level. Learn her guiding principle of providing over proving and how high-quality leadership can elevate a program’s impact and staff longevity. Connect with Ashley on Instagram at: @ashleykowalewski or by email: ashk@lsu.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs

This article in NSCA Coach discusses how machine-based testing can be used to gather data and improve training. Visit NSCA online to learn more on sports science and exercise research.