Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning

Developed by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and now in its fourth edition, Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning is the essential text for strength and conditioning professionals and students. This comprehensive resource, created by 30 expert contributors in the field, explains the key theories, concepts, and scientific principles of strength training and conditioning as well as their direct application to athletic competition and performance.

The scope and content of Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, Fourth Edition With HKPropel Access, have been updated to convey the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of a strength and conditioning professional and to address the latest information found on the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) exam. The evidence-based approach and unbeatable accuracy of the text make it the primary resource to rely on for CSCS exam preparation.

The text is organized to lead readers from theory to program design and practical strategies for administration and management of strength and conditioning facilities. The fourth edition contains the most current research and applications and several new features:

• Online videos featuring 21 resistance training exercises demonstrate proper exercise form for classroom and practical use.
• Updated research—specifically in the areas of high-intensity interval training, overtraining, agility and change of direction, nutrition for health and performance, and periodization—helps readers better understand these popular trends in the industry.
• A new chapter with instructions and photos presents techniques for exercises using alternative modes and nontraditional implements.
• Ten additional tests, including those for maximum strength, power, and aerobic capacity, along with new flexibility exercises, resistance training exercises, plyometric exercises, and speed and agility drills help professionals design programs that reflect current guidelines.

Key points, chapter objectives, and learning aids including key terms and self-study questions provide a structure to help students and professionals conceptualize the information and reinforce fundamental facts. Application sidebars provide practical application of scientific concepts that can be used by strength and conditioning specialists in real-world settings, making the information immediately relatable and usable. Online learning tools delivered through HKPropel provide students with 11 downloadable lab activities for practice and retention of information. Further, both students and professionals will benefit from the online videos of 21 foundational exercises that provide visual instruction and reinforce proper technique.

Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, Fourth Edition, provides the most comprehensive information on organization and administration of facilities, testing and evaluation, exercise techniques, training adaptations, program design, and structure and function of body systems. Its scope, precision, and dependability make it the essential preparation text for the CSCS exam as well as a definitive reference for strength and conditioning professionals to consult in their everyday practice.  

Note: A code for accessing HKPropel is included with all new print books.

The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is the world’s leading organization in the field of sport conditioning. Drawing on the resources and expertise of the most recognized professionals in strength training and conditioning, sport science, performance research, education, and sports medicine, the NSCA is the world’s trusted source of knowledge and training guidelines for coaches and athletes. The NSCA provides the crucial link between the lab and the field.

G. Gregory Haff, PhD, CSCS,*D, FNSCA, is a professor of strength and conditioning based in Australia. He has published more than 280 articles, centering his research on performance effects in the areas of strength-training methodologies, performance testing, training theory, and nutritional supplementation.

Haff is a past president of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and a senior associate editor for the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. In 2021 he received the NSCA Impact Award for his significant contributions to the strength and conditioning profession. Additionally, in 2014 he was the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA) Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year for Education and Research and the 2011 NSCA William J. Kraemer Outstanding Sport Scientist Award winner. He is a certified strength and conditioning specialist with distinction (CSCS,*D), a UKSCA-accredited strength and conditioning coach (ASCC), and an accredited Australian Strength and Conditioning Association level 2 strength and conditioning coach.

Additionally, Haff is a national-level weightlifting coach in the United States and Australia. He serves as a consultant for numerous sporting bodies, including teams in the Australian Football League, Australian Rugby Union, Australian Basketball Association, and National Football League.

N. Travis Triplett, PhD, CSCS,*D, FNSCA, is a professor and chairperson of the department of health and exercise science at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. She has served as the secretary-treasurer of the board of directors for the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and was the 2010 NSCA William J. Kraemer Outstanding Sport Scientist award winner. She has served on two panels for NASA, one for developing resistance exercise countermeasures to microgravity environments for the International Space Station, and was a sports physiology research assistant at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Dr. Triplett is currently a senior associate editor for the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist with distinction as well as a USA Weightlifting club coach.