Welcome to the NSCA Performance Center forum.  Located in Colorado Springs CO, our coaches are dedicated to helping athletes of various backgrounds and abilities maximize their athletic potential.  This forum is for anyone interested in communicating about the many different facets of athlete-based training.  Please share your ideas, training techniques, and ask questions so that we can all learn from each other.

Whether you're just learning about Strength and Conditioning or you're RSCC*E, everyone is welcome.

Scott Caulfield, CSCS,*D, RSCC

Head Strength Coach / Performance Center Manger 

NSCA Headquarters

In my spanish class, my professor mentioned that indigenous population is Latin America use Coca Tea when going from sea level to the top of Machu Picchu (7972 ft) because it reduces altitude sickness. 

As an personal trainer, i saw this as a potential opportunity to increase athletic performance or to remove Denver's altitude advantage (5690 ft). 

Coca tea is the plant used to make cocaine. Coca tea is illegal in the United States unless it has been decocainize. 

My question is, are the physiological benefits of Coca tea a result of the cocaine or are they the results of some other or combination of phytonutrients? If the physiological benefits are a result of phytonutrients then it could be used in sports drinks to increase oxygen uptake and delivery. 

 1.      Who are the coaches in the Performance Center?  

         We have 3 full-time, staffed coaches: Scott Caulfield, Jason Dudley, and Doug Berninger (Check out the Performance Team bio page), and 3 full-time interns. The interns are here for a semester, before moving on to other adventures in the field.  

 2.      How big is the Performance Center?  

          The Performance Center is approximately 6,000 square feet. 

 3.      What equipment is in the Performance Center?  

          The Performance Center has Uesaka bars and dumbbells, Woodway and Life Fitness cardio equipment, Versa Climbers, Power Lift full racks, the Boyd Epley circuit, which includes Hammer Strength power racks and machines for the whole body, and accessories from Power Systems and Gopher Performance.

 4.      Is the Performance Center open to the public?  

          Yes, we would be happy to show you around the next time you're in town. Let us know ahead of time, through e-mail or phone. See you soon!  

 5.      How many athletes in a typical Performance Center training session?  

         There are generally anywhere from single, tactical athletes up to as many as 25 Colorado College hockey players in one session. Most of the time the groups are somewhere in between those numbers (10 or so athletes). 

Do you have a PC FAQ?

Who do you train? Who's involved? What equipment does the NSCA have? etc.

Thanks Coach.

We're just getting warmed up, but for now:

What topics would you like to see covered in the NSCA Performance Center forum?

Scott Caulfield, CSCS,*D, RSCC 

Head Strength Coach / Performance Center Manager

NSCA Headquarters