Strength Training for Lacrosse

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 Joel Raether, MAEd, CSCS, TSAC-F, RSCC*D, has over 20 years of experience in sport performance at the collegiate and professional levels, and he has worked with hundreds of lacrosse athletes of all levels. He is the managing partner at FAST Performance in Denver, Colorado, and has served as the head of performance for the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) since 2008. The Mammoth won the NLL Championship in 2022. Raether also spent seven years at the University of Denver training a multitude of teams, including lacrosse. He has trained more than 10 NCAA national champions, All-Pro athletes, league MVPs, and Super Bowl champions as well as one Olympic gold medalist. Matt Nein, MS, CSCS, RSCC*E, is the assistant director of athletics and recreation and coordinator of sports performance at Salisbury University, where he oversees the training programs of 23 varsity teams, three graduate assistants, and an intern and volunteer staff of 10. During his 20-year tenure, Nein has had the opportunity to work with 14 national championship teams (including 12 men’s and women’s lacrosse national champions), eight individual national championship athletes, and over 340 All-Americans. In 2018, he was named the NSCA’s College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year after being a finalist in 2016 and 2017. Nein currently serves on the NSCA’s Awards and Nominations Committee. He founded the NSCA Lacrosse Special Interest Group and now serves on its council. He also represents the NSCA as a liaison on USA Lacrosse’s Sports Science & Safety Committee. Recently, Matt has been named the strength and conditioning coach for the 2024 U.S. men’s box national team and 2027 U.S. men’s sixes national team. When not training athletes, he serves as an adjunct professor in the health and human performance department at Salisbury University.

Foreword by Dillon Ward
Introduction by Matt Nein

Part I. Principles of Sport-Specific Resistance Training

Chapter 1. Importance of Resistance Training
Karen Sutton and Brittany M. Ammerman
Chapter 2. Analysis of the Sport and Sport Positions
John Cole and Justin Kilian
Chapter 3. Testing Protocols and Athlete Assessment
Thomas Newman
Chapter 4. Sport-Specific Program Design Guidelines
Nicole Shattuck and JL Holdsworth

Part II. Exercise Technique

Chapter 5. Total Body Exercise Technique
JL Holdsworth and Edward R. Smith, Jr.
Chapter 6. Lower Body Exercise Technique
JL Holdsworth and Edward R. Smith, Jr.
Chapter 7. Upper Body Exercise Technique
JL Holdsworth and Edward R. Smith, Jr.
Chapter 8. Anatomical Core Exercise Technique
Andrew Sacks and Jessi Glauser

Part III. Program Design Guidelines and Sample Programs

Chapter 9. Off-Season Programming
Drazen Glisic (High School), Tracy Zimmer (College Women), David Eugenio Manning (College Men), and Joel Raether (Professional)
Chapter 10. Preseason Programming
Drazen Glisic (High School), Tracy Zimmer (College Women), David Eugenio Manning (College Men), and Joel Raether (Professional)
Chapter 11. In-Season Programming
Drazen Glisic (High School), Tracy Zimmer (College Women), David Eugenio Manning (College Men), and Joel Raether (Professional)
Chapter 12. Postseason Programming
Drazen Glisic (High School), Tracy Zimmer (College Women), David Eugenio Manning (College Men), and Joel Raether (Professional)