Soldiers To Sidelines (STS) returned to Colorado Springs for its 3rd consecutive year of delivering a Strength & Conditioning Workshop for the military community. Wounded Warrior Project powered the event, while the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) hosted it within the training center at its international headquarters. 15 Soldier Coaches attended the event while Executive Director Harrison Bernstein and Endurance Director Nate Palin led the workshop.
The day began with attendee introductions and opening remarks from James Herrera, Vice President of Physical Health and Wellness for Wounded Warrior Project. Coach Herrera shared his longstanding passion for coaching and supporting the military community. The workshop’s opening segued into a presentation on the “Inverted Pyramid of Coaching Success,” a philosophical framework for the character-based approach to coaching that Soldiers To Sidelines instills in its community of Soldier Coaches.
After the initial presentation, the workshop transitioned into the weight room, where instructors emphasized the importance of understanding the influence of movement patterns, intensity, volume, and rest when selecting exercises with the intent of achieving specific physical adaptations. The instruction was conversational and experiential, including input from the attendees to ensure content relevance.
The afternoon was primarily hands-on coaching with an emphasis on communication and cueing to achieve a safe and effective training execution. Soldier Coaches taught their peers how to perform the squat and bench press while receiving and implementing feedback regarding their embodiment of effective coaching. Command presence, concise instruction, precise demonstration, and appropriate exercise adjustments were all points of emphasis as Soldier Coaches took turns honing their coaching craft.
Thank you to Wounded Warrior Project, the NSCA, and, most importantly, the attending Soldier Coaches for your efforts in making this workshop a successful event. STS looks forward to returning to Colorado Springs in the fall of 2025.
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