Never stop learning!
Got some great continuing education in this weekend! Thank you to @NSCAofficial and Jenna Romanelli and other FL State Board volunteers for organizing and hosting!
Highlights / Takeaways:
A strong kickoff on training female warfighters with Kelsee Moore, discussing the history of women in combat and how strength coaches can better meet the needs of female tactical athletes to support both performance and retention.
A standout presentation (my favorite of the day!) from Erica Mulholland on Training Around the Menstrual Cycle: The Biggest Scam in Female Athlete Training. This talk had so many evidence-based fact checks and callouts: why you don’t need to “sync” your training to your cycle, noting the historical context and pattern of sidelining women for up to half of the month from everything from physical activity to socializing around that time of the month, to the negative psychological impact of potentially fearing plateaus, pain, or loss of gains around the female cycle - if you find yourself following any so-called "hormone coaches" - you might want to check their educational backgrounds or claims, and revisit the idea that you are capable and strong, and also should be lifting, eating enough, and recovering well every week of your cycle, instead of fluctuating behaviorally around your cycle. Could it be that replacing behavioral ups and downs around our monthly cycle with consistency actually results in feelings following action? 🤔
Insightful guidance from Giovanna Cassava Ramos, who works with youth athletes at IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL, on individualizing for athletes even in group training environments—meeting each athlete where they are, with daily tweaks adding up to weekly gains, with practical strategies and insights on how to structure and juggle multiple variables to optimize personal performance, minimize injury risk, and ensure long-term development.
I also loved reconnecting with a favorite friend and mentor, Dr. Sara Terrell. Days like this are exactly why I chose the National Strength & Conditioning Association as my professional home—evidence-based education, like-minded community, and opportunities to both learn and contribute. I’m grateful to spend a Saturday growing in my field.
How do you continue to learn, grow, and nurture relationships with others in your profession? I truly value every opportunity to keep growing! 💪