Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning

One of the most comprehensive strength and conditioning resources available.

Developed by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and now in its fifth edition, Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning is the single best resource for strength and conditioning professionals and students. This comprehensive text 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 content of Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, Fifth Edition, has been updated to reflect the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of a strength and conditioning professional in today’s world. Addressing the core proficiencies tested on the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) exam, the evidence-based approach and unbeatable accuracy of this text make it an ideal resource to rely on for CSCS exam preparation.

The fifth edition contains the most current research and applications, including the following:

• A new chapter on functional and nonfunctional overreaching, overtraining, and the overtraining syndrome
• Updated stand-alone chapters to expand on age- and sex-related differences
• New research on mental health and the psychological impact of injury in sport
• New information on vaping and smoking and the implications for aerobic training
• New content about the importance of activating the central nervous system before training

Written by contributors who are leading experts around the world, the text is organized to lead readers from theory to program design and practical strategies for administration and management of strength and conditioning facilities. Key points, chapter objectives, and self-study questions provide a structure to help students and professionals conceptualize the information and to reinforce fundamental facts. Application sidebars provide practical application of scientific concepts that can be used by strength and conditioning professionals in real-world settings, making the information immediately relatable and usable.

The online learning tools delivered through HKPropel provide students with 20 downloadable lab activities for practice and retention of information. Furthermore, 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, Fifth 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 one of the most widely used preparation texts 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.
 

ABOUT THE NSCA
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.

ABOUT THE EDITORS
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 program director in the department of kinesiology at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. She is a past president of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and is the current vice chair of the board of directors for the NSCA’s Council on Accreditation of Strength and Conditioning Education (CASCE). She was the 2025 winner of the Boyd Epley Award for NSCA Lifetime Contributions as well as the 2010 NSCA William J. Kraemer Outstanding Sport Scientist Award winner. She has served on two panels for NASA, one of which was for developing resistance exercise countermeasures to microgravity environments for the International Space Station. She was a sports physiology research assistant at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Dr. Triplett is a certified strength and conditioning specialist with distinction (CSCS,*D) as well as a USA Weightlifting club coach.