The purposes of assessment are to gather baseline data and to provide a basis for developing goals and effective exercise programs. Gathering and evaluating the various pieces of information give the personal trainer a broader perspective of the client. The process and the data collected assist the trainer in identifying potential areas of injury and reasonable starting points for recommended intensities and volumes of exercise based on the goals and fitness outcomes.

This second article of a two-part series continues the discussion of long-term athletic development (LTAD). This article provides practical application of the LTAD principles by examining two sample programs.

The purpose of this article is to investigate a few important considerations for the ice hockey goaltender: common injuries, specific physical characteristics and conditioning, and the mental game.

Early sports specialization has been a controversial topic in the field of sports medicine, training, and conditioning. Recent studies report increased sports-related injuries in single-sport specialized athletes compared with multisport specialized athletes.

Learn about the 10 pillars of successful long-term athletic development, summarizing the key recommendations detailed within the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s (NSCA) Position Statement on Long-Term Athletic Development (LTAD).

This infographic summarizes a study that analyzed performance based on target velocity or coaching cue.

Kourtney Thomas discusses the inverted row and how to implement it within a training program for clients with different ability levels

One area that can have great impact on the success of a high school athletic department is the strength and conditioning program. This session from the 2015 NSCA National Conference provides insights from Coach Kevin Vanderbush’s personal experience as the strength and conditioning coach at Ben Davis High School for 31 years. This session covers the most important components of strength and conditioning at the high school level and provides both the rationale behind certain practices as well as practical tips.

Development of grip strength is often overlooked in traditional resistance training programs, but small program adjustments that target grip strength can be of benefit athletes.

This article presents ways to add variety to workouts using Bulgarian Bags as an alternative to kettlebells. It also provides an effective sample Bulgarian Bag program.