STRENGTH SENSEI BOOKSHELF
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
If you’re serious about learning the truth, you always come back to the source. In the field of strength coaching, one source is The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
The National Strength Coaches Association was founded in 1978 but later changed its name to the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Its founder was Boyd Epley, the head strength coach of the University of Nebraska. Epley said “changing the name opened the door for researchers and anyone else who has an interest.”
Epley earned a master’s degree in education and championed the cause of weight training for all sports. Epley walked the talk, being a competitive Iron Game athlete who won the Mr. Nebraska bodybuilding title three times. In the 70s and 80s, the Nebraska weight room was considered one of the largest and best-equipped gyms in the country. Under Epley’s watch, the Nebraska Football Team won five national championships.
The flagship publication of the NSCA was the Strength and Conditioning Journal. Published six times a year, both in print and online, it provides news on the activities of the NSCA and articles on all areas of strength and conditioning. These articles are surprisingly readable and often contain summaries and commentaries about research studies on all areas of athletic fitness training, including nutrition and rehabilitation. One of the most popular articles in its history was Charles R. Poliquin’s “Five Steps to Increasing the Effectiveness of Your Strength Training Program,” published in the June 1988 issue.
To help the profession grow, the NSCA began publishing The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. This journal (now into volume 37) is produced monthly and publishes original, peer-review research. Its editor-in-chief is Nicholas A. Ratamess, Jr., Ph.D., CSCS, FNSCA.
The journal is divided into four sections: Original Research, Research Notes, Methodological Report, and Brief Review. Here are some article titles that appear in the January 2023 issue:
Original Research
Kinetics and Kinematics of the Free-Weight Back Squat and Loaded Squat Jump
Research Notes
Using the Load-Velocity Profile for Predicting the 1RM of the Hexagonal Barbell Deadlift Exercise
Methodological Report
Comparison of Sprint Timing Methods on Performance, and Displacement and Velocity at Timing Initiation
Brief Review
Effects of Differences in Exercise Programs With Regular Resistance Training on Resting Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
The motto of the NSCA is “Bridging the Gap,” meaning that they want to advance the strength coaching profession by showing its members how to apply hardcore science to improve athletic performance. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research enables the NSCA fulfill this promise. (TSS)
(The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research is available to its members through NSCA.org.]
