Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research is a peer-reviewed scientific journal focusing on applied strength training, conditioning, and performance. It publishes original research, reviews, and methodological reports relevant to practitioners and researchers connected with athletic preparation. The journal serves as a bridge between scholarly communities and professional organizations involved in competitive sports, coaching, and rehabilitation.

History

The journal was established to serve members of the National Strength and Conditioning Association and allied professionals in the late 20th century, emerging alongside organizations such as the American College of Sports Medicine, International Olympic Committee, United States Track and Field Association, USA Weightlifting, and National Collegiate Athletic Association. Early contributors and editorial boards included coaches and scientists affiliated with institutions like Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Florida, University of Alabama, and University of Tennessee. Over time the journal intersected with initiatives by bodies such as the International Association of Athletics Federations (now World Athletics), European College of Sport Science, Australian Institute of Sport, and Canadian Sport Institute. Notable practitioners and researchers connected historically by authorship or citation include figures associated with Nike, Adidas, Reebok, Under Armour, Gatorade, and national sport institutes such as USOPC programs and the UK Sport high performance system.

Scope and Content

The journal covers experimental studies, applied interventions, and reviews addressing strength, power, speed, endurance, periodization, and recovery. Manuscripts frequently reference testing protocols, training periodization models propagated by coaches tied to Liverpool John Moores University, Loughborough University, Auburn University, Clemson University, and University of Southern California. Topics often overlap with rehabilitation research from centers like Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and Massachusetts General Hospital where applied conditioning intersects with clinical populations. The readership includes strength coaches, sport scientists, athletic trainers, military strength programs linked to United States Army, Royal Air Force, and Australian Defence Force, and performance staff from professional organizations such as National Football League, National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, National Hockey League, English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, and National Rugby League.

Publication and Editorial Information

Published monthly by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the journal is produced through editorial offices associated with academic partners including University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Michigan, Stanford University, Harvard University, and Yale University. Editors and editorial board members have been affiliated with research centers and funding bodies such as the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, and private laboratories connected to Abbott Laboratories, Johnson & Johnson, and Thermo Fisher Scientific. The peer-review process engages reviewers from universities and institutes including University of Sydney, University of Toronto, McMaster University, KU Leuven, and University of Copenhagen to ensure methodological rigor. Special issues have been guest-edited in collaboration with conference organizers from events like the American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting, World Congress of Biomechanics, European College of Sport Science Congress, and the International Society of Biomechanics Symposium.

Abstracting and Indexing

The journal is abstracted and indexed in major bibliographic databases and citation services that serve the biomedical and sports communities. It is listed in databases analogous to PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and specialized aggregators used by libraries at institutions such as Columbia University, University of California, Berkeley, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and Princeton University. Library cataloging and discovery platforms from organizations like the Library of Congress, British Library, and National Library of Medicine facilitate access for clinicians and scholars. Metrics from citation aggregators maintained by entities including Clarivate Analytics and Elsevier inform institutional subscriptions and tenure evaluations at universities such as Michigan State University and Texas A&M University.

Impact and Reception

The journal is regarded within the applied sports science community for its practical relevance to coaching, rehabilitation, and performance optimization. It is cited in guidance documents and consensus statements developed by groups such as the World Anti-Doping Agency, International Olympic Committee Medical Commission, American College of Sports Medicine, British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine, and national sport governing bodies like USA Track & Field and Athletics Canada. Practitioners in professional leagues including the National Football League Players Association, Major League Soccer, Australian Football League, and organizations overseeing Olympic preparation reference findings in strength and conditioning programming. Academic reception is reflected in citations across journals published by academic presses and societies associated with Springer Science+Business Media, Wiley-Blackwell, Taylor & Francis, and Elsevier.

Category:Sports science journals