BREAKING NEWS: 2026 ACSM Position Stand: Resistance Training Simplified

Short Summary:
A recent study confirms that males demonstrate higher absolute isokinetic knee strength than females, but key performance ratios and relative measures show far smaller differences—highlighting the importance of how performance is evaluated.

What it means:

• Males produce higher absolute knee torque and strength outputs

• Relative strength differences narrow significantly when normalized

• Key performance ratios (e.g., hamstring-to-quadriceps) are similar between sexes

• Programming and return-to-duty decisions must account for sex-specific baselines

Who should care: H2F and POTFF leaders, strength and conditioning coaches, rehabilitation teams

Confidence: High

Short Summary:
Periods of spiritual dryness are not regression but a necessary phase of deeper growth, where faith is refined, distractions are stripped away, and foundations are strengthened.

What it means:

• • Spiritual stagnation is often a signal of growth, not decline

  • Stillness and reduced activity create space for deeper development

  • Intentional small habits drive re-engagement and renewal

  • Long-term resilience is built in low-motivation seasons

Who should care: Command teams, H2F and POTFF leaders, chaplains, and anyone responsible for spiritual readiness, resilience, and long-term human performance

Confidence: Medium

Short Summary:
Pre-sleep behaviors, especially reading versus screen use, shape brain structure, sleep quality, and next-day cognitive performance over time.

What it means:

• • Reading is a positive cognitive and neurological input

  • Screen use before bed degrades sleep and recovery

  • Pre-sleep habits directly impact next-day performance

  • Performance outcomes are driven by repeated behavioral inputs, not one-off actions

Who should care: Command teams, H2F and POTFF leaders, cognitive performance specialists, parents, and anyone responsible for sleep, learning, and long-term brain performance.

Confidence: Medium

Short Summary:
A new human intracranial study shows that even a single session of exercise directly enhances brain activity linked to memory. Researchers observed increased hippocampal “sharp wave-ripples” and stronger synchronization with cortical networks—providing the first direct neural evidence of how exercise improves cognition.

What it means:

• • Exercise is an immediate cognitive amplifier, not just a long-term investment.

  • Performance gains are driven by network synchronization, not isolated brain regions.

  • Intensity matters, physiology drives cognition.

Who should care:Command teams, H2F and POTFF leaders, cognitive performance specialists, strength coaches, and anyone responsible for optimizing learning, decision-making, and mission readiness

Confidence: High

Short Summary:
A recent Entrepreneur article argues that high-performing leaders are separating themselves by treating mental resilience as an operational capability, not a personal trait. Organizations that embed emotional stability, cognitive readiness, and feedback-driven awareness into their leadership model gain a measurable performance edge.

What it means:

• Mental resilience is now a performance variable, not a soft skill.

• Leaders set the psychological ceiling for their organization.

• Listening and feedback are force multipliers.

• Resilience must be built into the operating model.

Who should care:Command teams, senior leaders, H2F and POTFF leaders, organizational psychologists, and anyone responsible for culture, performance, and decision-making under pressure

Confidence:Medium-High

Short Summary:
A new study in Gut found that the gut bacterium Roseburia inulinivorans was positively associated with multiple human strength measures, including handgrip, leg press, and bench press. In follow-on mouse experiments, supplementing R. inulinivorans increased grip strength and was linked to muscle metabolic changes, larger muscle fibres, and a shift toward more type II fibres.

What it means:

• The microbiome may be a legitimate performance variable.

• Strength effects may be mediated through muscle metabolism, not just inflammation or digestion.

• The fibre-type shift matters for performance.

• This could matter even more with aging.

Who should care: Human performance leaders, strength and conditioning coaches, tactical performance teams, H2F and POTFF leaders

Confidence: High

Short Summary:
A new DoD literature review shows readiness is built through connected domains, not isolated programs. Strong performance comes from integrating domains, not treating them separately.

What it means:

• Domain integration creates compounding readiness gains

• Multi-domain breakdown increases failure risk

• Next step is measurable performance optimization, not just risk reduction

Who should care: Command teams, TFF, H2F and POTFF leaders, performance integrators

Confidence: High

Short Summary:
An expert review highlights that short daily physical activity, including programs like The Daily Mile, can improve executive function and support learning outcomes in school-aged children.

What it means:

• Physical activity is a performance tool for the brain, not just a health tool
• Short, consistent movement can improve attention and higher-order thinking
• Outdoor activity may amplify cognitive benefits compared to indoor sessions

Who should care: Government leaders, TFF leaders, School leaders, DoW Recruiting

Confidence: Moderate

Short Summary:
This NSCA TSAC report argues the Department needs a clear definition of human performance that is separate from general wellness and tied directly to operational demands.

What it means:

• • Human performance should be measured by output under stress

  • Definitions must drive standards, roles, and metrics

More context:
Link to alternate take that disagrees with the premise in this TSAC report.

Who should care: TFF, H2F and POTFF leaders, performance integrators

Confidence: Low