Strength and Conditioning Coach Study Guide 2026-2027 for the CSCS Exam, NSCA Certification Prep, Practice Tests, Printable PDF

Become a certified strength and conditioning coach with a complete, illustrated study guide for the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS®) exam, built on the current NSCA detailed content outline. It covers all seven domains across both exam sections, Scientific Foundations and Practical/Applied, with explanations, NSCA reference tables, worked calculations, technique checkpoints, and diagrams, then puts it all to work in two 100-question exam-level practice tests.

This 199-page digital guide for aspiring strength and conditioning coaches is organized the way the exam is weighted, with the most depth where the most points are: Exercise Sciences and Program Design.

What's Inside

• An overview of the current CSCS exam: 220 four-option questions (190 scored), Scientific Foundations (95 questions, 1.5 hours) and Practical/Applied (125 questions, 2.5 hours, including video and image items), scaled scores of 1–99 with 70 to pass each section, eligibility, fees, retakes, and recertification
• Exercise Sciences: muscle and neuromuscular physiology, biomechanics (levers, torque, power, force–velocity), bone and connective tissue, bioenergetics and work:rest ratios, hormones, cardiopulmonary responses, training adaptations, youth, female, and older athletes, fatigue and recovery, and research and statistics
• Sport Psychology: motivation, arousal and anxiety, goal setting, attentional control, imagery, self-talk, reinforcement, team dynamics, and athlete mental health and referral
• Nutrition: scope of practice, energy availability, carbohydrate and protein targets, nutrient timing, hydration and sweat-rate calculations, the plate approach, and supplements, ergogenic aids, and performance-enhancing drugs
• Program Design: needs analysis, exercise selection and order, the %1RM–repetition table, load, volume, and rest assignments by goal, the 2-for-2 rule, plyometric, speed, agility, aerobic, and anaerobic program design, Karvonen calculations, periodization, tapering, and return to play
• Exercise Technique: warm-up and PNF stretching, grips, spotting, and breathing, checkpoints and common errors for squats, deadlifts, presses, pulls, and Olympic lifts, alternative equipment, and sprint, change-of-direction, and plyometric mechanics
• Program Implementation: coaching cues and feedback, motor learning, the NSCA testing order, test protocols with worked calculations, training-load and readiness monitoring, z-scores, and trend analysis
• Organization and Administration: scope of practice, facility design, layout, and maintenance values, supervision ratios, liability, overtraining, heat illness, and exertional rhabdomyolysis
• Illustrated diagrams, including a sarcomere, lever classes, force–velocity and energy-system curves, the inverted-U, the athlete plate, periodization, power clean phases, sprint posture, agility test layouts, and a facility layout
• A final review checklist, 8-, 12-, and 16-week study schedules, FAQs, test-taking strategies, and recommended resources
• 2 practice tests of 100 questions each (200 questions total) in the proportions of the exam's scored items, with scenario, calculation, technique, and data-interpretation questions, plus a separate answer key explaining every answer

Format

• Instant digital download (PDF), 8.5 × 11 in
• Clickable table of contents
• Print it or study on a tablet, laptop, or phone

Please note: This is a digital product. No physical item will be shipped.

CSCS® and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® are registered trademarks of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). Test Treasure Publication is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NSCA or any testing organization; all exam and organization names referenced are trademarks of their respective owners.