strength & conditioning
Central High School’s weight room gives athletes championship boost
Central High School in Baton Rouge is taking pride in its newly renovated weight room, the centerpiece of a $3 million upgrade to its athletic complex, which also includes football locker rooms and a gaming... more »
Purnell Swett unveils $5.5 million multipurpose athletic facility
Purnell Swett High School recently celebrated the opening of its new $5.5 million multipurpose athletic facility, highlighted by a cutting-edge weight room that promises to transform training for student-athletes across all sports. Construction began in... more »
Carlsbad’s new training facility built for the future
Carlsbad High School’s Cavemen are training in a facility built for the future. Completed in spring 2025, the new field house replaced an outdated complex that no longer met the needs of a growing program.... more »
Texas Tech SPC evolves into Big 12’s premier training hub
The Texas Tech Sports Performance Center (SPC) has evolved into one of the Big 12’s premier training hubs, and returning strength coach Aaron Uzzell has a front-row seat to its impact. Now directly connected to... more »
UT-Rio Grande Valley’s Vaqueros Performance Center FCS-ready
UT-Rio Grande Valley football’s brand-new Vaqueros Performance Center is giving the university’s first-ever NCAA Division I FCS football team a training space worthy of a flagship program. At nearly 10,000 square feet — triple the... more »
Thornton Academy fitness center ‘high-functioning and multi-purpose’
Thornton Academy’s new fitness center delivers a true “wow” factor for both student-athletes and the wider school community. Part of a larger campus improvement initiative, the project transformed an outdated, cramped weight room into a... more »
Social-emotional learning through strength & conditioning
Sports teach life lessons. At least that’s what we have been told. In my time as an athlete and coach, I have yet to see a football, a basketball, or a barbell teach a young... more »
Finding the right form of periodization to suit your athletes
Periodization was started by the Eastern Bloc countries in the 1950s. It was created to train their athletes for better muscular endurance, focusing on volume and intensity. In the 70s and 80s, when strength coaches... more »
Adapting popular civilian fitness trends for military use
With each new year, differing fitness trends arrive in the general population and are adopted by the men and women in our military services profession. In 2025, some of these trends include wellness programs, functional... more »
OK State’s HPNRI hosts strength & conditioning clinic for high school coaches
More than 40 Oklahoma City Public Schools coaches gathered last Wednesday for a high-impact strength and conditioning clinic hosted by Fields & Futures in collaboration with the Oklahoma State University Human Performance and Nutrition Research... more »
Massachusetts high school adds unified strength and conditioning team
A Massachusetts high school has expanded its unified sports offering with the addition of a strength and conditioning team. Wareham High School unveiled the unified strength and conditioning team coached by the school's occupational therapist,... more »
Study suggests cardiorespiratory fitness lowers dementia risk
A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that high cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is linked to better cognitive performance and a lower long-term risk of dementia, even among individuals with a genetic... more »
Using protein to help build muscle
Nutrition plays a critical role when it comes to building muscle. At the core of muscle growth is protein, the essential macronutrient that repairs and rebuilds muscle fibers after intense workouts. Without enough protein, the... more »
Establishing correct exercise technique
When an individual begins their fitness journey and begins to implement weightlifting in their quest for bigger muscles, athleticism, or general health, one recurring topic vocalized is to use correct technique by utilizing a full... more »
CSCCa announces 2025 National Conference in Indianapolis
The Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa) is excited to host its 2025 National Conference in Indianapolis, IN, from May 5-7 at the Indiana Convention Center. This premier event brings together strength and conditioning... more »
Strength & conditioning considerations for the multisport athlete
Designing training programs for athletes who compete in multiple sports throughout the year is a little more complicated than the individual athlete who may only play a single sport. The ability to train the multisport... more »
In-season strength training for basketball athletes
As a collegiate strength and conditioning professional for close to 30 years at the Division-I level of intercollegiate athletics, the in-season part of your training year is the most important time of your year. As... more »
Study: Brain cells may mimic muscle signaling to enhance memory and learning
Our biceps and our brain cells may have more in common than previously thought. New research led by the Lippincott-Schwartz Lab shows that a network of subcellular structures similar to those responsible for propagating molecular signals that... more »
The effect of HIFT on performance and body composition
High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT) has gained popularity as an effective workout regimen combining strength training and cardiovascular conditioning elements. This training method improves overall fitness by incorporating functional movements that mimic everyday activities. Recent research... more »
Study suggests electrical stimulation boosts strength and mass
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), or electrical muscle stimulation for short, uses electrical currents to contract muscles. The stimulation devices are easy to use and widely available on the market, according to Sudip Bajpeyi, Ph.D., a... more »
Walking can add years to your life, study says
A recent study found that walking can add as much as 11 years onto your life. The problem is, however, many Americans don't get enough daily exercise. Only 26% of men, 19% of women, and... more »
Nutrients that help athletes build muscle
Building muscle takes more than a high-protein diet. While protein gets all the glory, there’s a wide range of nutrients that are needed to support muscle development, recovery and strength. A recent story from Eating... more »
Study reveals effects of resistance training break on muscle and strength
A study conducted at the University of Jyväskylä's Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences investigated how a 10-week break from resistance training affected maximum strength and muscle size. The study found that a 10-week break... more »
Strength Training Facilities of Excellence: Cedar Rapids Prairie High School
Cedar Rapids Prairie High School in Iowa wanted to give its student-athletes an NCAA Division I feel. To do that, they brought in Zach Walrod to be its new physical education teacher and strength coach,... more »
Strength Training Facilities of Excellence: St. Thomas More Catholic High School
The Our Lady of Lourdes Athletics Center, located in Lafayette, LA, is the new 7,400-square-foot training facility for St. Thomas More High School — which has won the most Louisiana state championships in the last... more »
Study suggests physical fitness from childhood to adolescence associated with better mental health
A recent Finnish study has found that good physical fitness from childhood to adolescence is linked to better mental health in adolescence. These results are significant and timely, as mental health problems are currently a... more »
Strength Training Facilities of Excellence: Northern Highlands Reg. High School
Located in Allendale, NJ, roughly 30 minutes outside New York City, Northern Highlands Regional High School has a stand-out training facility for its students and student-athletes. The two-story, 7,600-square-foot facility overlooks the Highlanders stadium and... more »
2024 Strength Coaches Survey results
Strength and conditioning coaches have two primary goals. The first is to improve athletic performance, which usually means improving athletes' speed, strength, and power through systematic training programs for teams and individual athletes, often working... more »
Interpreting new research for optimal protein intake post-workout
With constant advancements in the study and application of sport nutrition taking place, new research findings are around every corner. As the level of competition rises for even the most elite athletes, the application of... more »
In-season women’s hockey programming considerations
The ice hockey season spans from mid-September to late March, making it one of the longest seasons of all NCAA sports. Despite the season length, it is one of the more routine weekly microcycles with... more »
