Jessica Burke is an experienced collegiate strength and conditioning coach, most recently at Penn State University, as well as a personal trainer. She joins the NSCA Coaching Podcast with a unique perspective on the state of the strength and conditioning profession. Burke shares her professional path with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, including rewarding work as a personal trainer outside of her responsibilities on campus. This episode explores the value of work-life balance across the coaching profession. Should we debunk the “hustle culture” model of the strength and conditioning coach lifestyle? Listen to learn about this topic and more. Other topics covered include strength and conditioning coaches having a presence on social media and training foundations for youth and female athletes. You can follow Jessica on Instagram: @coachjburke and TikTok: @coachjburke | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

This article discusses the benefits of an upper body power program for law enforcement officers and how to program this effectively.

This article shares various options for integrating mental skills training into existing strength and conditioning programs. Such simultaneous, dual-training approaches may better prepare officers for the realities of occupational performance.

This article explains the importance of educating and supplying firefighters with the right tools for hydration and optimal body composition to safely and effectively execute their job tasks.

This section from the book, Developing Endurance, gives an overview of how to plan and develop a program for endurance athletes by following four steps.

This article explores what a facility-level culture may look like, identifies some of the expected benefits of purposely developing that culture, and discusses some misalignment between what coaches say they want the culture to feel like and the message the athletes are likely to receive.

Three top personal trainers—Juan Carlos Santana, Robert Linkul, and Chat Williams—discuss “best practices” in the profession of personal training.

The purpose of this article is to compare the effects of quarter, parallel, and full depth squats on muscle activity, joint stress, athletic abilities, and potential injury risks for the consideration of all strength and conditioning professionals.