Max Bernstein
Ann Arbor
Summary
Strength and Conditioning Coach with a proven track record at Wayne State University, specializing in athlete performance enhancement. NSCA and CSCCa certified, I excel in designing effective training programs and fostering strong communication with coaches and athletes. Successfully trained multiple All-Americans, demonstrating expertise in velocity-based training and injury rehabilitation strategies.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
Work History
Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
Wayne State University
Detroit
08.2024 - Current
- Charged with design and implementation of strength programs for swimming and diving, cross country, and tennis, as well as a speed, agility, and conditioning program for tennis.
- Assisted with football. Responsible for sending position groups out for warmups on gameday, as well as helping with the pregame warmup and working to keep the players back during the game.
- Served as the lead assistant with football beginning in the winter of 2025. Volunteered on my own to give speeches to the players to try and address cultural issues within the program.
- Led every major warmup with the football program from the summer of 2025 until the end of my time, excluding gameday warmups.
- Designed a warmup for football speed sessions on my own and presented it to the head strength coach, who then allowed me to implement that warmup on speed training days in the summer.
- Gained valuable experience communicating with head coaches and athletic trainers. Worked with the trainers to run the VALD ForceDecks during swimming lifts in the Fall of 2025.
- Worked with the swimming coach to design a dryland program for the swimmers in the fall of 2025.
- Learned to use Tendo Velocity Based Training Devices for the tennis teams.
- Implemented on my own the use of the ForceDecks with tennis to measure both jumps and shoulder strength.
- Trusted by the head athletic trainer for football to find ForceDecks tests to assess football players who were in the return to play protocol for hamstring injuries.
- Aided in the training of multiple All-American swimmers and divers, as well as an All-American runner, multiple individual conference champions in both sports, as well as a regular season team conference championship with Women’s Tennis.
Strength and Conditioning Intern
Michigan Basketball
Ann Arbor
06.2024 - 08.2024
- Responsible for helping with the set up, clean up, and training of both the men’s and women’s basketball programs.
- Gained experience running warmups for the women’s program.
- Observed practice for both teams, aided in the warmup by providing energy, as well as bringing the players water when necessary.
- Acquired experience with VALD timing gates, FirstBeat Heart Rate Monitors, Gym Aware Velocity Based Training, and Catapult GPS. Became capable of running all four on my own.
- Trusted to take care of things around the facility such as going on a troubleshooting call with Catapult, as well as labeling the FirstBeat straps and sensors for the players.
Strength and Conditioning Intern
Wayne State University
Detroit
06.2024 - 08.2024
- Aided in the training of athletes from multiple sports including football, basketball, volleyball, and fencing.
- Trusted to run warmups for football both on the field and in the weight room, as well as coach a station during speed and agility workouts.
- Assisted with tasks around the facility such as filling water tanks, vacuuming the floors, and making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the athletes.
- Earned an offer to return in the fall as a graduate assistant.
Strength and Conditioning Intern
Boston College Football
Boston
01.2024 - 04.2024
- Responsible for set up and breakdown of lifts, as well as keeping the weight room in a clean and orderly fashion.
- Trusted to run and coach sports science implements, such as the Vald NordBord, ForceFrame, ForceDecks, and Hawkins Force Plate.
- Gained valuable experience in how to be a coach on the floor in a Power 5 football program, as well as how to structure an offseason football strength and conditioning program.
- Earned the opportunity to lead a station during a team run, have racks to coach during resistance training sessions, and lead the neck, core, and primary movement for the entire team on my last day.
- Assisted in all aspects of the program, including nutrition, equipment, and operations.
- Prepared for the CSCCa SCCC exam as a part of the internship.
Strength and Conditioning Coach
Blue Chip Player Development
Ann Arbor
02.2021 - 12.2023
- Began as a volunteer intern in the winter of 2021.
- Observed group sessions and supervised the open gyms which started shortly after my arrival.
- Studied for the ACSM personal trainer certification.
- Became an hourly employee of Blue Chip following gaining certification in the summer of 2021, and was hired as a full-time coach in the fall of that year.
- Responsible for designing individual workouts for half of the athletes, and group workouts for the entire program.
- Spearheaded the group and individual open gym sessions, ensuring that the athletes learned proper movement patterns in both strength training and agility.
- Gained experience designing and leading workouts for groups of up to 15 kids on my own.
- Designed a program wide conditioning plan in the fall and winter of 2022-23 which saw great improvements in speed, change of direction, and endurance.
- Worked towards gaining my CSCS, which I passed in May of 2023.
- Maintained an orderly and clean training space.
Education
Master of Science - Exercise and Sport Science
Wayne State University
Detroit12.2025
Bachelor of Arts - Communications, English
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor01.2020
Skills
- NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
- CSCCa Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified
- USAW as Level 1 Weightlifting Coach
- Certified in CPR, AED, and First Aid by the American Red Cross
Volunteer And Leadership Experience
- Michigan Football Student Manager, Michigan Football Program, 08/16 - 12/18, Ann Arbor, MI, Manager for the offensive line. Essentially made sure that the group had everything they needed for practice set-up. This could be anything from getting footballs, cones, and sleds to running into the equipment room if a player was having an issue., Dealt with coaches in intense situations. Helped them solve problems they were having with equipment., Assisted in menial tasks around the building including stocking fridges, setting up nutrition tables, cleaning the practice area, loading equipment for games.
- Varsity Football Captain, Ann Arbor Huron Football, 08/15 - 11/15, Ann Arbor, MI, Essentially a coach on the field, told players where to line up and set defense., Communicated with coach about attitude and feeling of the team., Kept the players focused on what they need to do to succeed. Organized off-season football and conditioning workouts.
Timeline
Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
Wayne State University
08.2024 - Current
Strength and Conditioning Intern
Michigan Basketball
06.2024 - 08.2024
Strength and Conditioning Intern
Wayne State University
06.2024 - 08.2024
Strength and Conditioning Intern
Boston College Football
01.2024 - 04.2024
Strength and Conditioning Coach
Blue Chip Player Development
02.2021 - 12.2023
Master of Science - Exercise and Sport Science
Wayne State University
Bachelor of Arts - Communications, English
University of Michigan