TSAC-F study guide
TSAC-F · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The NSCA Tactical Strength & Conditioning Facilitator (TSAC-F) is a certification for professionals who train military members, first responders, and other public safety personnel. Developed by the NSCA and introduced in 2014, it was the first tactical strength and conditioning certification to earn NCCA accreditation. Facilitators work as employees or contractors with local, state, or federal government agencies, applying data-driven needs analyses, tailored program design, and targeted interventions to lower injury risk and improve readiness, resilience, and wellness, while collaborating with tactical leaders, healthcare providers, and other performance staff. The credential suits aspiring strength and conditioning coaches, current unit fitness leaders, and experienced professionals moving over from athletics or the private sector; the CSCS is also required for many entry-level military positions. Topics on this exam: Scientific Foundations, Program Design, Exercise Technique, and Tactical Wellness and Human Performance. The TSAC-F study guide has 4 sections and about 1,307 words.
01Scientific Foundations
ATP is resupplied by three overlapping systems. The ATP-PCr (phosphagen) system dominates brief maximal efforts up to about 10 seconds; anaerobic glycolysis supplies most ATP from roughly 10 seconds to 2 minutes; oxidative metabolism dominates beyond about 2 minutes.
339 words, about 2 min02Program Design
Identify the occupational demands (rucking, sprinting, carrying, climbing), test the athlete against them, then prescribe. Exercise selection follows the demands: multi-joint, ground-based movements first, then assistance work.
321 words, about 2 min03Exercise Technique
Teach position before movement: stable base, neutral spine, knees tracking over toes, full controlled range of motion. Cue from large to small (stance, then hip/knee action, then arm path).
320 words, about 2 min04Tactical Wellness and Human Performance
Track external load (distance, ruck weight, jumps, arrests) and internal load (session RPE x duration). The acute:chronic workload ratio compares the past week with the 4-week average.
327 words, about 2 min