PES
Performance Enhancement Specialization
National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
What This Certification Means For YouPerformance is not reserved for the pros. Speed, power, change-of-direction, reactive strength, and the resilience to absorb force without breaking — these are trainable qualities at every age. The NASM Performance Enhancement Specialization (PES) is the advanced credential that teaches a coach how to actually build them, with a periodized plan rather than a random Tuesday "leg day."
"Whether you're a competitive athlete, a tactical professional, or a forty-year-old who just wants to be able to play with your kids until you're eighty — speed, power, and resilience are trainable. The PES is the framework that gets you there without breaking you in the process."
The PES bridges general personal training and athletic strength-and-conditioning. If your goal is to move better, be faster, jump higher, change direction without your knee complaining, and perform under fatigue — this is the framework I use.
What This Credential CoversThe PES is an advanced specialization that sits on top of the CPT. It expands the OPT Model upward into the performance tiers (Phase 4 Maximal Strength, Phase 5 Power) and adds dedicated curriculum on the qualities that separate an athlete from a general fitness client.
Beyond the basic OHSA: vertical jump (Sargent), broad jump, 40-yard dash, pro-agility (5-10-5), L-drill, T-test, and YMCA step test. Movement screens specific to sport demands. Force-plate and timing-gate data interpretation where available.
Linear speed mechanics — first-step acceleration, top-end velocity, deceleration — plus lateral movement, cutting mechanics, ladder/cone progressions, and reactive agility (visual and auditory cue response). This is the part most "trainers" skip entirely.
The stretch-shortening cycle (eccentric → amortization → concentric) and a structured progression from stabilization plyometrics (box jump-ups, holds) through strength plyometrics (squat jumps, tuck jumps) into power plyometrics (depth jumps, single-leg bounds, MB throws). Volume and contact-count guidelines per session.
Macrocycle, mesocycle, microcycle planning. Off-season, pre-season, in-season, post-season organization. Block periodization vs. undulating models. Tapering for a competition window. Conjugate methods for advanced athletes.
The clean, the snatch, the push press, the jerk — taught from scratch with hang variants and high-pull progressions. Why these movements remain the gold standard for triple-extension power output. Kettlebell swings and ballistic medicine ball work as accessible substitutes.
Sleep architecture, HRV trends, RPE and session-RPE tracking, nutrition timing for recovery, soft-tissue work, contrast therapy, and the difference between functional overreaching and overtraining syndrome. The body adapts during recovery — not during the lift.
How Adam Uses This In Your ProgramHolding the PES means I do not treat every client like they showed up for general weight loss. Here is what changes when athletic performance is the goal — or when it should be, even if you did not realize it.
Sample Drill — Power Day, Phase 5Here is what a Phase 5 (Power) lower-body session looks like — for an intermediate athlete or a general client who has earned the right to train explosively after a properly structured Phase 1-4 build-up.
| Block | Exercise | Sets × Reps | Tempo / Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warm-up | Dynamic mobility + glute activation | 5 min | Continuous |
| Plyo (low contact) | Box jump (low box, max height) | 4 × 3 | Reset each rep · 90 sec rest |
| Power lift | Hang clean | 5 × 3 | Explosive · 2-3 min rest |
| Strength | Back squat @ 80-85% 1RM | 4 × 5 | 2-0-X · 2 min rest |
| Accessory | Bulgarian split squat (DB) | 3 × 8/leg | 2-1-1 · 75 sec rest |
| Reactive | 5-10-5 pro-agility shuttle | 4 × 1 | Full recovery · 60 sec rest |
| Core | Pallof press + dead bug | 3 × 10 each | Continuous · 45 sec rest |
Notice the order: jumps and power work go first when the CNS is fresh. Strength follows. Reactive drills land near the end, on purpose — training change-of-direction under fatigue is what shows up in the fourth quarter, not the first.
Common Myths This Credential Debunks Coach Adam's CertificateCoach Adam holds the PES alongside CPT, CNC, and WLS — uniquely equipped to serve both the athlete who wants to compete at a higher level and the everyday person who wants to move with power and purpose.
Key FactsIf you want to train like an athlete — with periodization, performance assessment, and a real plan to peak at the right moment — start with the Fitness Intake. I'll learn enough about your sport, your timeline, and your starting point to build the right program.
Start the Fitness Intake → View NASM PES Official Page ↗