This article provides a list of items that affect the ability to develop and retain quality fire fitness trainers and provides possible solutions to common challenges for program managers that make decisions for a facility or agency.

There is growing momentum in the modernization of law enforcement (and other tactical populations) to integrate industry and academic institutions into modernization plans. Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitators® (TSAC-F®) can contribute to this collaboration.

Connect with a young researcher and coach on exploring strength and power topics within elite sport, including a deep dive into velocity-based training. This episode features Dr. Jonathon Weakley, of Australian Catholic University and Leeds Beckett University, discussing his path from growing up in New Zealand, working and studying in the United Kingdom, and performing coaching-centric research with athletes in Australia. Listen in as “Jono” connects with Eric McMahon, the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, on uses of weight room technology, providing appropriate coaching feedback to support athletic performance, and the global strength and conditioning and sport science landscape. This episode mentions the following research papers from NSCA journals: Weakley, J, Mann, B, Banyard, H, McLaren, S, Scott, T, and Garcia-Ramos, A. Velocity-Based Training: From Theory to Application, Strength and Conditioning Journal (43)4: 31-49, 2021 Weakley, J, Wilson, K, Till, K, Banyard, H, Dyson, J, Phibbs, P, Read, D, and Jones, B. Show Me, Tell Me, Encourage Me: The Effect of Different Forms of Feedback on Resistance Training Performance, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 34(11), 3157-3163, 2020 Find Jon on Twitter: @JonathonWeakle1 | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

NSCA has a network of volunteer leaders who direct NSCA’s efforts at the state level. NSCA’s Southwest Regional Coordinator provides oversight and training to local state directors. Members in the Southwest Region can connect at local and regional events as well as on Facebook to others in this area.

Collegiate Strength and Conditioning: The KU Way

In order to effectively prepare an ice hockey player for the season, it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of the specific demands of the sport.

Examine the benefits of heavy effort training and where it fits in a tactical training program. In this session from the NSCA’s 2016 TSAC Annual Training, Matt Wenning explains a safe and effective approach to training tactical athletes using maximum effort training.

Gary Boros, Assistant Sport Performance Coach at the University of Denver, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about being flexible in your programming and with your staff, not always grinding your athletes into the ground, and the need to learn from others.

Megan Evans, Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning for Olympic Sports at Virginia Tech, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about the journey from student-athlete to assistant director.

This article discusses lactate testing as a cost-effective alternative way to create advanced exercise prescriptions, as well as opening the possibility of being a new biomarker of metabolic health for personal trainers.