Zach Kinninger

Zach Kinninger Strength & Conditioning Specialist, U.S. Air Force Special Warfare Transitioning from the college athletics scene, Zach Kinninger is in his first year as a Strength & Conditioning Specialist with U.S. Air Force Special Warfare and in his second year overall. Kinninger began his career with Air Force Special Warfare in February 2020 as a contractor for T3i before making the jump to a civilian government employee. As a contractor, he was the Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach where he organized the strength staff through daily operations, which consisted of designing and monitoring the training-course-map for all modalities; implementing a strength & conditioning, mentorship and teambuilding curriculum for all Air Force Special Warfare trainees; designed and applyed specific group strength programs; utilized Smartabase to consolidate, view and adjust programming based on relevant test results and key performance indicators; and collaborated with active duty military personnel in ensuring that all training strategies reflect the values and standards relevant to Special Warfare. After making the transition to a civilian government employee in July 2021, Kinninger now manages a staff of 20 coaches and oversees the training of 230 Air Force Special Warfare trainees. He directs and monitors the progression of training for these Airmen, along with the integration of technology, in order to better prepare these future Special Warfare Airmen throughout their two-plus year training pipeline. Additionally, he ensures that all Air and Education Training Command (AETC) protocols are being met for the safety and well-being of the trainees. Prior to his transition to tactical training, Kinninger was an Assistant Director for Strength & Conditioning at Rutgers University from July 2017-February 2020 after interning with the program from July 2016-17. While at Rutgers, he designed and implemented yearly programing for men’s & women’s track & field, softball and field hockey; oversaw the internship program where he was in charge of hiring, leading and developing the program; implemented velocity-based training, along with individualized programs, based off force/velocity profiling; interpreted and implemented Sparta Science Force Plate testing into team programs; and analyzed GPS/heart rate data, specifically for field hockey, in order to effectively maximize practice times and improve game day quality. Kinninger’s passion for strength & conditioning comes from his four-year college football playing career at the University of Findlay (2009-13), where he was a two-year starter for the Oilers, a Division II program in Findlay, Ohio. He received his Associates of Arts in Personal Training (2013), a Bachelor of Science in Strength & Conditioning (2013) and a Master’s Degree in Education (2016) - all from the University of Findlay.