As a youth athlete, you probably spend a lot of time practicing your sport-specific skills. But did you know that it’s also important to train outside of your sport to improve your performance?
To build a strong foundation of fitness. Your sport-specific drills will help you develop the skills you need to compete, but they won’t necessarily help you build a strong foundation of fitness. Strength training, cardio, and flexibility exercises can help you improve your overall fitness, which will give you a better base to perform your sport at a high level.
To prevent injuries. When you’re only training your sport-specific muscles, you’re more likely to get injured. Strength training can help you build stronger muscles and joints, which can help protect you from injury.
To improve your overall performance. Studies have shown that strength training can improve your speed, power, and agility. This means that you’ll be able to perform your sport better, even if you’re not specifically training for it.
Improved overall fitness. When you only train your sport-specific muscles, you’re not getting the full benefit of exercise. Training the whole body will help you build a strong foundation of fitness, which will give you a better base to perform your sport at a high level. This includes improving your cardiovascular health, endurance, flexibility, and balance.
Reduced risk of injury. When you have strong muscles and joints, you’re less likely to get injured. This is especially important for young athletes, who are still growing and developing.
Improved performance in your sport. Studies have shown that strength training can improve your speed, power, and agility. This means that you’ll be able to perform your sport better, even if you’re not specifically training for it.
Prevention of overuse injuries. When you only train one set of muscles, you put them at risk of overuse injuries. By training the whole body, you can help to prevent these injuries.
Improved coordination and balance. Training the whole body can help to improve your coordination and balance. This is important for all sports, but it is especially important for sports that require you to move quickly and change directions, such as basketball, soccer, and football.
If you’re serious about improving your youth performance, it’s a good idea to hire a skilled professional coach. A good coach can help you design a training program that is safe and effective for your individual needs. They can also help you track your progress and make sure that you’re on track to reach your goals.
Contact Coach Bryan today and set up a phone consultation to discuss your youth athletes’ needs. We offer youth strength training programs privately, 1-on-1 and buddy sessions, around San Diego County to personalize this journey. Sessions can take place in a local park setting, in the home, or in a private community gym, if that is available.
Here are some additional resources that you may find helpful:
The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA): https://www.nsca.com/
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM): https://www.acsm.org/
The Youth Performance Institute: https://www.youthperformance.net/
I hope this helps! We look forward to taking your child to the next level of performance, injury free!
