From the 2021 NSCA Coaches Conference, Dan Dalrymple, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for New Orleans Saints National Football League (NFL) team since 2006, shares wisdom from his experience in the field. This includes the realities of coaching in the NFL and how he used the setbacks of the pandemic to drive positive change and opportunities.

Brian Thompson, Director of Strength and Conditioning at Springfield College, helps young coaches develop an understanding of how small mistakes can make a big difference while interviewing for a strength position. This session provides knowledge of how the selection process works for employers and discusses how to apply better professionalism to get the positions you want.

From the 2019 NSCA’s Coaches Conference, Andrew Paul, Senior Athletic Performance Coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the National Basketball Association (NBA), discusses the importance of the emerging role of the dual-credentialed physical therapist/strength and conditioning specialist and identifies communication strategies to help facilitate good relationships and player transitions between the medical and performance teams.

Former Lead Strength and Conditioning Coach for Edinburgh Rugby, Ashley Jones, discusses ways to simplify a complex world of programming. Jones lays a foundation of how to construct training programs that relate to the current training environment and how to develop a taxonomy of exercise variations and training methods to assist coaches with the “why,” “when,” and “how” of programming.

All stressors affect training, Dr. Bryan Mann says in this lecture from Coaches Conference 2015. No matter the source of the stress - strength training, conditioning, classes, relationship or family - stress is systemic within the body. As a result, it is critical to monitor the stress load on your athletes to ensure maximal results, and it's easy to do - all you need is a pencil and paper.

Our governing body, the CASCE Board of Directors, guides our efforts and accreditation practices. The Board is comprised of nine members: three Educators in Strength and Conditioning Programs, two Practitioners, one Public member, one Administrator, one NSCA Affiliate Representative, and one NSCA Board-Appointed Representative. Additionally, the Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary/Treasurer serve as Officers. Directors serve a term of three years and may serve no more than two full consecutive terms.

This article presents evidence why the log press may be a viable alternative exercise for the clean and jerk for some populations.

Get to know Army Lieutenant Colonel Nick Barringer, Program Director for the United States Army-Baylor University Master’s in Nutrition. Barringer shares how he originally planned to become a strength and conditioning coach before a nutrition course inspired him to pursue dietetics. However, it was his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® (CSCS®) credential that ultimately landed him his role as the first 75th Ranger Regiment (Army Rangers) Dietitian. He recounts drawing inspiration from the Navy SEALS to start the Ranger Athlete Warrior (RAW) program and seeing the Special Operations THOR3 program follow suit — laying the groundwork for the US Army Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) system. Barringer and McMahon discuss the synergy between strength and conditioning coaches and dietitians, as well as cultural challenges and diverse training ages in tactical settings. The pair also stress the importance of sales and building relationships before discussing basic nutrition advice and pathways into tactical and dietetics careers. Connect with Nick on Instagram at: @nickbarringer.phd.rdn or by email: nickbarringer35@gmail.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs

Sam Melendrez, full-time strength and conditioning coach for Discovery Canyon Campus High School, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the value of strength and conditioning coaches at the high school level. Topics include advice for those who are interested in strength training youth and high school athletes, programming fundamentals, and the value of applying classroom management skills in the weight room. Find Sam on Twitter: @sammelendrez2 | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

This article discusses what muscle dysmorphia is, the ways in which adolescents can fall victim to it, and how to intervene when body image becomes distorted.