Hear from 2022 NSCA Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year, Dan Dalrymple. Dalrymple shares insight, advice, and comparisons on working with players at the college and professional levels. He also mentions his special career connection with 2022 NSCA College Strength and Conditioning Coach, Liane Blyn. Tune in as Dalrymple talks to NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about professional development for coaches, and how the NSCA played a valuable role throughout his career development. Connect with Dan on Instagram: @dan_dalrymple | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

This article provides a first-hand account of the usage and benefits of dumbbell training programs with athletes.

The NSCA Long-Term Athletic Development (LTAD) Special Interest Group (SIG) Executive Council Members, Joe Eisenmann, Rick Howard, and Tony Moreno, sit down with the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, to discuss LTAD as a framework for the field of strength and conditioning, and the importance of establishing physical literacy in athletes. Find the Long-Term Athletic Development Special Interest Group on Facebook: NSCA Long-Term Athletic Development SIG | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Hear from a more than 30-year strength and conditioning coaching veteran in the sport of rugby, Ashley Jones. He talks to NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about his progression in the field, beginning in 1988 to his current roles as part of the NSCA Rugby Special Interest Group, Awards and Honors Committee, and Certification Committee. Jones provides insight on the important roles of NSCA Committees in supporting the integrity of the coaching profession. Learn more about the expanded roles of strength and conditioning coaches in non-mainstream sports, like Rugby in North America, while also helping to support skill and game development. This episode also includes great lessons on program planning within the team setting and how to emphasize the “human element” in coaching. You can contact Ashley by email at ashley@ashleyjonesstrengthcoach.com| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

The purpose of this article is to inform readers of a training tool which is both safe and effective in allowing swimmers to develop strength and power through a unique training protocol.

Thrown into the fire — that is how Jeanne Rankin learned, and it’s how she’s developing her athletes and interns at Coastal Carolina University. Rankin reveals how trust is what drives buy-in, performance, and success; without it, even the best program is just a piece of paper. She breaks down some of strength and conditioning’s toughest realities — long hours, relentless demands, and work-life challenges — which require strategic approaches across career stages. A process-oriented coach, Rankin shares practical strategies for setting boundaries, maximizing efficiency, and avoiding burnout when 70-hr workweeks are common. She also delivers real-world insights on career longevity, professional growth, and adapting to an evolving industry. With salary conversations, career sustainability, and the future of collegiate strength and conditioning on the table, Rankin brings an unfiltered, solutions-driven perspective. Whether you are just starting out or an experienced professional, this episode delivers straight talk on what it takes to succeed long-term. Connect with Jeanne on Instagram: @thegingerguns or by email at: jrankin@coastal.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Check out the 2022 NSCA Salary Survey discussed in this episode and watch for 2025 NSCA Salary Survey results coming soon. Additionally, find actionable strategies to support a raise request in the NSCA’s new article, “How to Ask for a Raise in Strength & Conditioning.” Read the NSCA’s proposal to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to recognize “strength and conditioning coach” as a detailed occupation in their classification system.

The purpose of this article is to provide strength and conditioning coaches with practical knowledge from the framework of self-determination theory to facilitate student-athlete motivation within the weight room across varying sports.

A fundamental training program at a young age gives the athlete the opportunity to develop many skills needed to succeed. The implementation of agility and coordination training can help reduce the risk of injury and elevate a young developing athlete.

Carmen Colomer, Director of Sport Science for the Philadelphia 76ers National Basketball Association (NBA) team, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about translating numbers into actions. Topics under discussion include periodizing athlete’s recovery in the NBA and how learning to code can help with data analysis and application. Find Carmen on Twitter: @CarmenColomer1 | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

The goal of this article is to understand contralateral and ipsilateral loading, how to set-up loaded carries, electromyography activity during exercises, and how to apply these exercises into the strength training program.