How do you find your coaching voice? Michelle Pifer, Associate Director of Strength and Conditioning at Rutgers University, shares how mentorship and professional communication helped her establish an authentic coaching identity. Reflecting on her extensive intern journey across Ivy League and Division III athletics, Pifer highlights key milestones that shaped her coaching approach. These include observing experienced coaches, applying constructive feedback, and effectively navigating challenging athlete personalities. She offers practical strategies, such as structured time-blocking and maintaining clear boundaries, to accommodate athlete accessibility, in-season travel, and work-life balance. Pifer discusses how coaches must adapt to evolving roles, like managing and interpreting athlete monitoring technology. She also addresses common coaching pitfalls, including inappropriate language during presentations, stressing that coaches can be both authentic and relatable without sacrificing professionalism. Tune in to clarify your coaching identity, enhance your professional skillset, and maximize your impact in the strength and conditioning profession. Connect with Michelle via email at mpifer@scarletknights.com, on Instagram: @coach_pifer, and on Twitter/X: @coach_mpifer | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs

Collecting data can be trial and error, but by building a solid foundation prior to data collection and putting the appropriate people and procedures in place, the tactical facilitator can minimize errors while optimizing effort, money, and time.

This excerpt from Strength Training, Second Edition briefly details hormones and their role in the human body.

This book excerpt describes field methods for assessing body composition that are portable and easy to use for assessment of several people in a short time period.

Using the sled closely mimics real-time sports performance movements and activities because of the horizontal resistance opposing the vertical movements typically seen in a weight room setting. This article highlights a variety of sled training exercises designed to target the core musculature.

Dietmar Schmidtbleicher, Head and Chair for Sport Sciences at the Institute of Sport Sciences at the Goethe University Frankfurt/Main in Frankfurt, Germany—and one of the world’s leading experts on strength and power training—explains the influencing factors of force production in eccentric muscle actions. Schmidtbleicher made a rare appearance in the United States at the NSCA’s 2015 National Conference.

Josh Leve, Co-Founder and President of the Association of Fitness Studios, discusses the current trends in the fitness studio industry in this session from the 2016 NSCA Personal Trainers Conference. Also covered is why personalization is the key to success, and insights into what is working and what is not.

One of the most difficult challenges for strength and conditioning professionals is incorporating non-traditional movements to develop explosive power in a team setting. In this session from the 2015 NSCA National Conference, Mark Watts will review several unique exercises in multiple planes of motion to develop explosive power using a variety of equipment.

This infographic discusses how testing for the change of direction deficit may be a more specific measure of change of direction ability in 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.