Weightlifting at a Young Age: Pros, Cons, and the Right Approach
The appropriate age for a child to begin a weightlifting program is generally around 7-8 years old. However, it's crucial to note that this age can vary based on individual factors, including physical maturity, emotional readiness, and proper supervision. Children should only engage in weightlifting under the guidance of qualified coaches who specialize in youth training.
Identify Core Muscular Weaknesses and Strength Imbalances to Tailor Training Programs for Athletic Excellence
In the realm of youth athletic development, the pursuit of excellence extends beyond honing skills and perfecting techniques—it hinges on understanding the significance of identifying core muscular weaknesses and strength imbalances. This blog post embarks on a journey to explore the pivotal role that recognizing these physical limitations plays in enhancing athletic performance among young athletes. We'll delve into methods for pinpointing these issues, delve into customized training approaches aimed at addressing individual core weaknesses and strength imbalances, and illustrate the remarkable transformations young athletes can achieve through targeted training.
Mastering the Game: Balancing Skill and Strength in Youth Athletic Development
In the world of youth sports, success isn't just about perfecting a jump shot or scoring a goal; it's also about building a solid foundation of physical strength and stability. At Atlas Performance Training, we recognize the importance of striking a delicate balance between honing sports skills and developing physical prowess. In this blog post, we'll explore the top five ways athletes benefit from this holistic approach to training and how it plays a crucial role in injury prevention.
The Road to Greatness: Long Term Athletic Development in Youth Sports
In the world of youth sports, success is not just about winning today's game; it's about nurturing young athletes for a lifetime of achievement. At Atlas Performance Training, we understand the profound significance of a structured and long-term approach to athletic development for our young athletes. In this blog post, we will delve into why Long Term Athletic Development (LTAD) is the cornerstone of future athletic success and how it fosters lifelong healthy habits.
Progressive Overload in Strength Training for High School and Middle School Athletes
Progressive overload is a fundamental concept in strength training that plays a crucial role in enhancing athletic performance, regardless of an athlete's age. For high school and middle school athletes, understanding and implementing progressive overload can be a game-changer. In this blog post, we'll explore the concept of progressive overload, its positive effects on athletic performance, and provide practical strategies for young athletes to safely and effectively incorporate it into their training routines. Additionally, we'll highlight the critical role of consistency in achieving strength gains.
Building Champions: Periodization and Progression in Youth Athletic Development
Youth sports are more than just games; they are a journey of growth, development, and achievement. At Atlas Performance Training, we recognize that the path to athletic excellence involves careful planning and structured training. In this blog post, we'll delve into the concept of periodization and its critical relevance in youth sports. We'll also explore periodized strategies for developing the athletic abilities of young athletes and the transformative outcomes achieved through this structured approach.
Lifting Up Young Athletes: Power, Precision, and Performance
Weightlifting, when introduced correctly, can be a valuable component of a well-rounded training program for youth athletes aged 12-17. Emphasizing movement proficiency over heavy weights is paramount in this age group, as it ensures safety and maximizes strength development. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of introducing weightlifting to young athletes with a focus on proper techniques, injury prevention, and how weightlifting contributes to functional strength and improved athletic performance.
Building Strength Safely for Teen Athletes
Strength training is a cornerstone of athletic development, and it holds particular significance for adolescent athletes. During this critical phase of physical growth and development, proper strength training can have a profound impact on athletic performance, injury prevention, and overall well-being. In this blog post, we will delve into the importance of strength training for teen athletes, explore safe and effective training methods, and emphasize the crucial role of supervision and technique correction.
Specific Health and Performance Training For Athletic Development
All great gains and achievements on the field and or court of play are made possible when athletes chose to dedicate themselves to the process of developing the work ethic needed to achieve their goals in the offseason, and between seasons if they are multi-sport athletes to compete and win in the regular and post-season. The four areas of focus mentioned above should be the foundation of any comprehensive training program. There may be other elements that could be included but for the sake of time, I chose to focus on these 4 elements that have shown results for my clients over the years. Let’s also keep in mind that this process is for the long-term growth and development of the athlete and there is no such thing as a quick and easy path to improving the physical and mental development of a youth athlete. Any youth training program should have the long-term development of the athlete in mind, and address all areas that will improve their physical and mental performance…..
Strength Training: The Foundation of Speed Training for Youth Athletes
Everyone understands that speed kills, but the foundations of training that skill can be developed in athletes of all ages starting with a good foundation of strength training. There are two types of speed, there is linear speed which is running in a straight line and lateral or what I like to call Multi-directional speed which is transitioning from a linear direction to lateral direction at different angles of movement. Both of these types of speed are developed by increasing the force that is applied to the ground, and the only way to increase the force that is applied to the ground and increase your RFD or Rate of Force Development……..