This article provides recommendations and advice from a former active-duty Infantry/Military Intelligence Officer in the United States Army on the transition to becoming a tactical strength and conditioning coach.

In this session from the 2016 NSCA Coaches Conference, Doug Bull addresses the multitude of problems faced by high school strength coaches every day. These include constraints on time and available space, training multisport athletes, dealing with the developmental level of the athlete, and ways to utilize a coaching staff to aid in running a successful program.

This article sets out to address and dispel these myths, offering evidence-based insights into the significance, safety, and multifaceted benefits of strength training for youth.

Squatting may be commonplace in the weight room, but proper execution of this great exercise is difficult. Strength and conditioning coaches will need to properly select exercises and cue their athletes in a way that not only allows for a proper stabilizing strategy to occur, but promotes it.

In this session from the 2015 NSCA TSAC Conference, Matt Wenning explains the sumo deadlift, a foundational exercise for maximal strength development and a tool that is essential to the tactical population due to its movement pattern. The ability to learn proper technique and progressions with this exercise can help to improve a tactical athlete’s performance and decrease the likelihood of injury because it trains major muscle groups and multiple joints at the same time.

The purpose of this article is to briefly identify the expectation dynamic for strength and conditioning practitioners and to provide a practical mode for operational thought.

Katie Fowler, from the University of South Carolina, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about being part of a National Championship team/culture, successful intern qualities, being a female strength and conditioning coach in a male dominated profession, and the influence of data in strength and conditioning.

This infographic reminds coaches of the importance of in-season strength training programs for maintaining physical capabilities and sport performance, while decreasing the overall risk of injuries in athletes.

This NSCA Coach article provides a framework for strength and conditioning professionals to support athletes in accessing appropriate mental health services. Visit NSCA online to read more on mental health and sport performance.

By understanding the means by which athletes encounter risk, strength and conditioning professionals can integrate exercise programs that may offset one of the steps toward injuries.