New sports performance training course for athletes

The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), a global leader in sports performance training and personal training certification, today announced the release of an enhanced version if its Performance Enhancement Specialist (NASM PES) course, the "NASM Essentials of Sports Performance Training."

The new NASM PES course is backed by studies conducted at the NASM Research Institute at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and provides expert instruction in the key principles of sports performance training in addition to core concepts in human movement science, human performance testing and evaluation, flexibility, cardiorespiratory, balance, reactive speed, agility, resistance training, quickness and strength.

"As the physical demands and skill levels of athletes continue to evolve and sports continue to become even more competitive, training and conditioning techniques need to evolve and adapt to meet this demand and provide a competitive edge for athletes," said Dr. Micheal Clark, NASM chief executive officer. "'NASM's Essentials of Sports Performance Training' delivers the next evolution of training solutions for today's athletes."

Key changes to the PES materials include a performance focused version of NASM's exclusive Optimum Performance Training (OPT) model and additional chapters on cardiorespiratory training, Olympic lifting, injury prevention and reconditioning, and sports psychology. Additionally, there are over 30 different performance assessments and sports-specific assessments and programming strategies for football, baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey and golf. Each of these assessments was created by sports performance coaches working in the professional sports industry.

The new PES program will assist strength and conditioning coaches, athletic trainers, certified personal trainers, physical therapists, chiropractors, licensed massage therapists and athletic coaches at all levels in gaining a greater understanding of how human movement science, integrated performance profiles, a systematic programming plan and nutrition all improve athletic performance.

"The 'NASM Essentials of Sports Performance Training' course provides health and fitness professionals the advanced knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully work with athletes of all sports and at all levels to enhance performance and decrease the risk of injury," said Scott Lucett, NASM Director of Education and co-author of the new course textbook. "This integrated approach to sports training is not only backed by years of research; it is safe, effective, progressive and forward thinking."

The enhanced course materials include a first edition text book, study guide and three-disk DVD set that includes interactive chapter presentations and a video library of nearly 300 sports performance exercises. In addition, all DVD materials are available online via the NASM eLearning Center and in a downloadable format for iPod portability. Practice quizzes and exam prep support are also available online at www.nasm.org. For students who would like to experience hands-on learning, "NASM Essentials of Sports Performance Training" is also offered in live workshops.