This PTQ article shares a real-world story to give inspiration and practical advice on creating your own sport performance business. Visit NSCA online to read more on athletic performance and professional development.

This article explores the critical role of nutrient timing in optimizing energy levels, supporting recovery, and enhancing overall physiological responses.

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.

Dr. Sara Erdner, author of “Dear Coach: What I Wish I Could Have Told You, Letters from Your Athletes,” talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the coach-athlete relationship. Topics under discussion include coaching education, giving athletes a platform to be heard, and what truly builds mental toughness and resiliency. Find Dr. Erdner on Twitter: @doc_serdner | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

As consumers embrace technology, they are also expecting that same incorporation of technology into their exercise programs. This article shares how some top trainers are meeting this need.

This article will discuss specific measures of stress that can be monitored, as well as coping skills to mitigate the negative effects of stress.

Night after night, Cirque du Soleil’s performing arts athletes defy gravity and expectations — executing elite-level feats across 480 shows annually. Maintaining peak performance requires more than talent; it demands strategic preparation, adaptability, and trust. Channeling backgrounds in dance and martial arts, married coaching duo Mike and Jade Esmeralda bring a philosophy of continuous improvement to Cirque’s collectivistic infrastructure. Preparing performers with diverse training experiences, they connect on an artistic level to balance readiness with creative expression. From applying RAMP (Raise, Activate, Mobilize, Potentiate) warm-ups for mitigating injury risk to tactical load carriage insights for LED costumes, the Esmeraldas leverage parallels across high-performance environments. Strategies for Cirque’s “valuable human artistic assets” must enhance durability, manage load, and support longevity in an unpredictable, physically — and psychologically — demanding profession. Jade’s evidence-based journalism also combats social media misinformation. Discover how they adapt daily, build buy-in across cultures, and redefine training for a one-of-a-kind population. Connect with Mike Instagram: @m.b.esmeralda, and LinkedIn: @michaelesmeralda, and Jade on Instagram: @jadesmeralda_ | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Discover more stage-specific strategies in the NSCA Performing Arts Special Interest Group on LinkedIn. See some of these impressive feats mentioned in this episode performed by Cirque du Soleil athletes on Instagram at @cirquedusoleil and @cirquedusoleilcasting.

Do you fear public speaking? It may seem counterintuitive for coaches who command the weight room every day, but it’s more common than you’d think. On the floor with your athletes, you’re in your element, but shifting audiences to administrators can have you second-guessing. Honing your communication and public speaking skills shouldn’t be saved until you’re eyeing a promotion — Coaching & Presentation Skills Coach Jenny Rearick advises getting in as many early reps as possible. Combining her experience as a collegiate athlete, strength and conditioning coach, and corporate marketer, Jenny founded Fit to Speak to empower fitness professionals in the “sport” of public speaking. Discover concrete strategies like the BLUF method to make sure your key message is heard. Learn how to seek out low-risk scenarios that can transform your speaking skills from just getting by to getting ahead. Plus, don’t miss her simple mindset shift to ease pre-presentation nerves. Connect with Jenny on Instagram at: @fit_to_speak or online at: fit-to-speak.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Check out Jenny’s episodes in the new NSCA Presenter Playbook series on NSCA TV. Ready to take the big stage? Apply online to speak at a 2025 NSCA event before the May 15 deadline. BONUS: Answer Bryan Mann’s “call to arms!” Get involved locally and give back to your strength and conditioning community at NSCA.com/Volunteer

According to a recent study, the hip hinge kettlebell swing produced the greatest amount of hamstring surface electromyography of the three styles of kettlebell swings that were assessed. These findings have implications for the application of kettlebell swing exercises in strength and conditioning, injury prevention, and rehabilitation programs.

This article serves as a guide for current and future strength and conditioning professionals who oversee program design for fire academy recruits. This includes a summarized needs analysis and a sample training program that considers the unique challenges of the fire academy.