Conference Recap: National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) Tactical Annual Training
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In this article, you're going to get an insider's summary of my experience attending the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) Tactical Annual Training event, held in Norfolk, VA at the end of August. If you (the reader) are in any way involved in government, military, ROTC, private tech, strength training, academic research, fire/rescue, or law enforcement, my overall report is that there is much to be excited about.
Personally, I'm amped about the overflowing stream of innovation happening across all sectors of the tactical space! It was a joy and a privilege to be around people who were willing to share what their lives have been like over the last year, and how they have adapted to (and crushed!) the challenges that the pandemic brought about.
Looking back on the event, I’d say there were four main themes that I noticed most during these conversations and attending the sessions:
1) Irresistible Passion
During the conference, I was able to speak with individuals in all sectors of tactical performance. It seems as though everyone is involved in one or more projects aimed at improving the physical and mental health of their teams. Examples of these projects include research studies and incentives-based pilot programs. Each person I talked to had their own vision for what they were trying to accomplish. And, while each conversation was unique and interesting, it quickly became clear to me that everyone shared a passion for finding new ways to improve their organizations and help people strive to become better versions of themselves. The common thread that seemed to be woven into the fabric of each of these initiatives was the collection and interpretation of data, paired with intelligent insights and guidance, that empowers people to make better decisions for themselves and the organizations they belong to.
2) Culture, Culture, Culture
Here's one of my favorite quotes shared during the event:
“ A simple and effective strength training program that gets used is better than the best-built program that no one uses. You must focus on buy-in and adoption at all levels of the organization first and the rest will come.”
In my opinion, this quote is a perfect illustration of a practical solution for building a strong culture or positive change. A strong culture is something that every organization talks about and strives to develop. What many organizations don't understand is that culture is all about the individuals. A common mantra repeated by many strength professionals, leaders, or coaches is "the hardest step to take is the first one". It's easy to overthink and over-plan and those plans are likely to fail without a champion that believes in the project and is capable of getting more people excited about participating. Only then, will the spark of an idea have a chance to catch like wildfire. Many speakers (particularly those involved in research and pilot programs) mentioned that "buy-in" starting with the leadership level, through the ranks, and down to the individual, is the driving force behind successful projects and impactful change.
3) Adaptability
Targeted resources Helped strength and conditioning professionals and athletes safely return to training and adapt to the new challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
If the pandemic has shown us anything, it is that adaptability is crucial to the success of any individual, team, or organization. The tactical performance industry strongly exemplifies adaptability amidst uncertainty! Most of the projects being discussed at the conference were being implemented throughout 2020 & 2021 and were all affected by the pandemic in some capacity. Whether it was daily COVID-19 testing, new safety protocols, virtual remote training, or adopting new technology, the teams adapted and made changes to ensure that project goals could be met. It was amazing to sit back and listen as people shared the creative solutions that they used to accomplish what needed to be done.
4) Opportunity is out there
With this lean into technologies that are capable of providing personalized, holistic benefits, employers need to be quick to measure and evaluate. Employers need to be moving beyond "checking the box". It's one thing to offer personalized, holistic benefits; it's an entirely different thing to assess your population, implement offerings, reassess for feedback and adjust accordingly. Look for software/digital solutions that can help streamline that process by providing data you can actually USE when making decisions or by offering AI-enhanced technologies that can assist in responding to the employee user in real-time.
Cortex™, Volt’s revolutionary performance training AI designed to provide Safer, more personalized training.
Overall, I was very impressed by all the other professionals in the tactical industry and thrilled to be able to connect and collaborate with them again! After hearing about all the work that is happening to continue moving the industry toward innovation and technology, we all have much to be excited about!
Check out our website to learn more about how Volt is partnering with industry leaders to provide world-class technology that improves physical performance readiness for tactical operators at scale across the world.
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