How to Become an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

Sports medicine professional Homer Zulaica has experience working with teams in Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, and NFL Europe. Based in Florida, Homer Zulaica is a licensed sports medicine professional and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

A CSCS is a professional instructed in the science of improving athletic performance through strength and fitness training. A CSCS works with athletes to design effective sport-specific strength and conditioning training programs and give guidance on nutrition and injury prevention.

To become a CSCS, a person must have a bachelor’s degree or be enrolled as a senior at an accredited college. The candidate must also be CPR/AED certified.

The certification exam must be taken within 120 days of registration. The first section focuses on the scientific foundations of strength and conditioning (anatomy, biomechanics, physiological techniques, and nutrition). It has 80 scored and 15 unscored questions and a time limit of 1.5 hours.

The second section focuses on practical strength and conditioning knowledge (resistance training, speed, agility, and flexibility). It has 110 scored and 15 unscored questions to be completed in 2.5 hours. Candidates must pass both sections and meet all other eligibility requirements to receive NSCA CSCS certification.

Four Benefits of Participating in Youth Sports

Homer Zulaica has worked in the medical sector for more than two decades. Originally a sports medicine practitioner, Homer Zulaica is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (NSCA), former college football player, and current youth sports coach.

Youth sports are a great way to help kids maintain their weight and develop physically. However, beyond the physical benefits associated with any type of exercise, participation in youth sports grants kids additional benefits, such as the following:

1. Improves self-esteem: Throughout their involvement in youth sports, kids enjoy a plethora of small, positive gestures. These include thumbs up, high fives, and nods of approval. Though these gestures may seem insignificant, they help kids feel more confident in their abilities, boosting self-esteem.

2. Teaches teamwork: Kids will work on teams throughout the rest of their lives. This makes teamwork a crucial social skill everyone should know. Youth sports teach teamwork to kids because they require that children work together to reach a common goal. To do this, kids must learn to respect the abilities and contributions of their peers.

3. Boosts communication: The very nature of youth sports places kids in social situations where they must express themselves clearly to their peers and coaches. In turn, children improve their communication skills and become more adept at sharing their thoughts verbally.

4. Improves time management: It’s been well-documented that participating in youth sports helps children perform better in school. Part of this is due to the fact that sports teach young athletes about time management by requiring that they find time each day to complete their homework and practice.

HITEC Spring Summit to Recognize Industry Leaders

Palm Beach-based executive Homer Zulaica has experience in both the medical device sales and athletic training fields. A former head trainer for major league teams, such as the Baltimore Orioles and the Dallas Burn soccer team, Homer Zulaica is also an active member of the Hispanic IT Executive Council (HITEC).

The Hispanic Information Technology Executive Council brings together leaders and executives from all sectors of the technology industry to promote the accomplishments of people of Hispanic descent within the field. In addition to mentorship and scholarship opportunities, as well as networking events, HITEC recognizes 50 senior-level executives with the HITEC 50 award. 

Award recipients are high-performing leaders from across Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula who have made remarkable contributions to their respective fields. The award is presented at the annual HITEC Leadership Summit, which takes place over several days in April. The 8th annual Leadership Summit will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina.

New Technologies Inform Sports Injury Prevention

Florida executive Homer Zulaica has a background in high tech medical devices and sports medicine. Homer Zulaica’s experience includes work as an athletic trainer with the NFL Europe’s Amsterdam Admirals and the NFL’s Baltimore Orioles. 

A recent article in The Medical Futurist drew attention to leading-edge technologies that are informing preventive strategies for sports injury. Advances have been made in avoiding injury through preventive genomics, whereby DNA information is collected and used to provide insight into optimal nutrition and the design of a personalized meal plan. 

At the same time, health can be monitored through a diversity of sensors tied to real-time analytics. In addition to generalist apps such as Fitbit Surge, there are specialized products such as Blast Motion, which measures and optimizes swings, and Vert, which informs jumping capacities. 

Another area of innovation involves the use of sensory helmets, garments, and mouth guards, many of which incorporate GPS trackers and dozens of biomarker metrics, including acceleration and heart rate. Zephyr Technology has developed trauma-monitoring patches that measure impact and force and provide critical data on concussion risks in sports such as hockey and football.

Understanding Peripheral Nerve Conditions

A business executive with a background in athletics training and pain management, Homer Zulaica has a wealth of experience in areas such as cardiovascular and orthopedic health. Homer Zulaica’s expertise encompasses peripheral neurosurgery, which centers on the body’s nerves that lie beyond the brain and spinal cord.

The peripheral nerves encompass motor nerves that trigger movement and sensory nerves that transmit sensation. The latter nerves are sensitive to elements such as pressure, temperature, and pain. Areas they help control include perspiration and temperature, as well as blood circulation.

In cases where pressure is exerted on these nerves, lack of oxygen may result in abnormal sensations such as numbness, prickliness, and pain. Causes of nerve damage include diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, thyroid hormone imbalance, vitamin deficiency, and compression syndromes, perhaps the best-known of which is carpal tunnel syndrome. In many cases, the cause of the condition is unknown.

Fishing for Tarpon in Florida

Homer Zulaica has an extensive background in sports medicine and the sale of medical products. A Florida resident, Homer Zulaica enjoys fishing with his sons in his free time. 

One of the sought-after sportfish off the Florida coast is tarpon, typically found in warm waters that exceed 70 degrees. With a preferred temperature of 79 degrees, some local tarpon stay around Keys such as Islamorada and Boca Grande year-round. Places to seek them include deep channels and outfalls created by power plants. 

Those tarpon that migrate typically arrive in April and stay through June, though they may last as long as December and come as early as February. The exact timing with which they make their way from the Keys to North Florida and back is highly variable, and it makes sense to research current weather patterns and fishing reports when considering an excursion.

The preferred tarpon bait is live mullet or crab, and the fish are most likely to bite early in the morning or in the late evening, depending on tide patterns. Given their size and ability to fight, the best tackle for tarpon is a medium-action 7-foot rod with a heavy reel. This provides the backbone needed to reel in the fish without completely tiring it out.

Baltimore Orioles Sign Pitcher Josh Lucas

Homer Zulaica is a healthcare sales executive with extensive experience in pain management, cardiovascular treatment, and orthopedic treatment. Earlier in his career, Homer Zulaica worked as an athletic trainer with the Major League Baseball (MLB) Baltimore Orioles.

Fresh off a season in which it lost the most games (115) in franchise history, the Orioles require plenty of roster changes if the team is going to be competitive in 2019. The organization took a small step forward in that regard on November 29 as it signed free-agent right-handed pitcher Josh Lucas to a minor league contract. A 28-year-old native of Lakeland, Florida, Lucas was selected in the 21st round of the 2010 MLB Amateur Draft when current Orioles general manager Mike Elias was the manager of amateur scouting for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Lucas, who has appeared in only 13 games in the MLB, boasts an earned run average (ERA) of 5.40 to go along with 21 strikeouts and 13 walks in 21 and two-thirds innings. He also spent seven years with the Cardinals' minor league affiliates, where he registered a 4.75 ERA and an impressive strikeout rate of 21.2 percent. He spent most of last season with the Oakland Athletics' Triple-A affiliate in Nashville, where he had a 2.56 ERA.