There are inherent challenges to designing training programs for firefighters, Mark Abel says in this member-only lecture from the 2014 TSAC Conference. Join Mark as he provides valuable insight into programming for these tactical athletes, including appropriate periodization and training strategies that address these challenges.

This infographic highlights seven effective strategies to reduce the risk of injury in young athletes for strength and conditioning coaches.

Developing safe and effective exercise training programs requires the application of abundant training variables and the implementation of appropriate progression for each variable. Importantly, the outcomes of each training program are the product of these variables and their progression, so practitioners are keen to select methodologies and overload strategies that effectively support their target training outcomes. One such training variable is mechanical loading, which describes the forces of gravity, resistance, and muscle contraction and how these forces affect musculoskeletal adaptations. Numerous research articles and texts have been published regarding mechanical loading and its effects on exercise adaptations; however, these findings can be arduous to organize, which requires additional time investment by professionals. Developing a succinct system is critical because practitioners face clients and patients with a wide range of physical skills and challenges, and having an easily referenced loading guide may assist them in designing appropriate strength and conditioning or rehabilitation programs. Thus, the purpose of this review is to define and describe the mechanical loading continuum and its individual components to better assist the practitioner in identifying appropriate exercise modes and progression strategies.

This article will highlight an intervention involving mental skills training and virtual reality (VR) to address acrophobia with this population.

"Pay attention to the details and the corrective exercises because they set the conditions for the success you're going to have executing the big lifts," Jose Cruz says in this hands-on lecture from the NSCA's 2014 TSAC Conference. Jose identifies and discusses missteps when executing and integrating performance and corrective strategies in the tactical athlete.

In this session from the 2015 NSCA National Conference, Greg Myer discusses current concussion prevention strategies as well as possible innovative strategies of the future. By learning how nature may provide a key piece of information to reduce concussion injuries, the strength and conditioning professional may be able to help prevent sports related concussions.

In this Bridge video, Loren Landow, from Landow Performance, demonstrates exercises and techniques of various plyometric movements for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) strength and injury prevention.

This infographic outlines a two-step approach to resistance training for endurance athletes.

Dan Dalrymple, head strength coach for the New Orleans Saints, spoke about strategies for designing programs with a goal of injury prevention and management.

Five evidence-based motor learning practices can bridge the gap between knowing what correction needs to be made and developing effective strategies to facilitate skill acquisition.