Creating A Base For Young Athletes

Last week, I discussed the notion of creating long-term systems
for developing young athletes...

... And I was flooded with emails!

It seems that I have mis-read the fitness industry at large.

Parents, trainers and coaches apparently WANT to better understand
athletic development... Thy just honestly don't 'get' how it works!

So... here is my system.

And this is important... VERY few professionals offer their system
to people at large.

This has taken me 12 years, over $100,000 and COUNTLESS
mistakes to create.

And that is not an overstatement at all.

I have read books...

Watched DVD's...

Listened to audio CD's...

Attended conferences...

Tried out concepts...

Charted their success rates and tried again.

In fact, I was chatting with my good friend, Latif Thomas, about this
just last week.

He and I are both 'conscientious' coaches.

We care tremendously about our athletes, and love watching them succeed.

One of the things I was telling Latif, which is among my most cherished
and important credentials, is that my athletes never seem to get injured.

I've seen that even more recently since I stopped providing training
services for young athletes in my area (due entirely to the fact that I am
focusing on developing the IYCA for now).

In the past 6-weeks, I have been overrun with phone calls and emails from
parents and coaches asking if I could donate some time to help 'rehab'
their young athletes.

It seems that a bunch of young athletes I used to train are incurring
injuries at a rate that is less than ideal.

Everything from ankle sprains to knee, back and hip pain.

Needless-to-say, I got concerned so started calling and emailing a bunch of
my former athletes to see how they were doing.

Now understand, injury resistance is a MAIN priority for me when developing
young athletes.

So... I was not ready for what I heard...

No fewer than 60% of the kids I worked with a few years back have had
some type of soft tissue injury within the past year.

As I sit and write this to you, I am still beside myself.

These injuries, by in large, were completely preventable with a sound system
of training.

It's when parents, coaches and trainers take their eye off the ball and start
searching for immediate gains in speed, strength or power that these
soft tissue injuries often crop up.

So, with that in mind, I wanted to share with you my system for developing
young athletes that has resulted in unbelievable performance gains IN ADDITION
TO an incredible resistance to the injuries that so often compromise a young
athletes life and sporting potential.

Each training session is categorized into 7 separate segments:

1) Saggital/Non-Manipulative

2) Frontal/Non-Manipulative

3) Transverse/Non-Manipulative

4) Movement Adequacy

5) Coordination Elements

6) Systemic Strength

7) Active ROM

At the heart of each session is SKILL DEVELOPMENT.

Not unlike academics, the basis for improvement is founded entirely on
a building block style of skill acquisition and development.

You simply cannot teach a second grader how to perform advanced
calculus because they have yet to master the basic elements of finite math.

The same holds true of training and developing young athletes.

It requires patience, and a strong disposition towards the future - not
only the prospect of immediate gains.

Within the 7-step process outlined above, the key is to offer 'ascending-based'
stimulus so that young athletes develop skills and abilities...

... From which specific gains in biomotor (speed, strength etc) ability can
be established.

Here's a sample of what my 7-step system looks like in practice:

1) Saggital/Non-Manipulative:

Definition - Saggital (forward/backward) movement without external load or equipment.

Example - Pepper Knees. Have each athlete perform a standard 'high knees' for
20 - 30 feet, but have them do so under the pre-tense that the floor is 'hot' and they
can only have foot contact for a split second. Repeat for 3 - 5 sets.

2) Front/Non-Manipulative:

Definition - Frontal (sideways) movement without external load or equipment.

Example - Side Skip-Steps. Have each athlete perform a rhythmic side skip
(pushing off with the back leg). Once they touch down with their front leg, pause that
position for a brief second before they push off again. Repeat for 3 - 5 sets of
20 - 30 feet.

3) Transverse/Non-Manipulative:

Definition - Transverse (rotational) movement without external load or equipment.

Example - Swinging Toe-Taps. Have each athlete perform a 'low high knee' motion
while they swing their arms and torso in opposite sequence to their feet, knees and hips.
Repeat for 3 - 5 sets of 20 - 30 feet.

4) Movement Adequacy:

Definition - Ability to perform locomotion (movement) with transitional ease.

Example - Sprint/Turn-A-Rounds. Have each athlete sprint at 85% of capacity for
20 - 30 feet. At the 15 foot marker, they will begin to decelerate, and perform a
linear deceleration technique in order to stop the motion. Repeat for 3 - 5 sets.

5) Coordination Elements:

Example - Coordination is comprised of several physical characteristics such as
spatial awareness (understanding of where you are in space), kinesthetic
differentiation (how much force is required) and rhythm (timing).

During this timeframe, you will create a 'game' that best generates skill in one of those
elements.

For instance:

- Throwing a tennis ball up in the air, performing a 360 degree jump and then catching the
ball (spatial awareness).

- Throwing medicine balls at various targets, and using different throwing motion
(kinesthetic differentiation).

- Performing different patterns of jump rope such as forwards, backwards or even to
musical beats (rhythm)

6) Systemic Strength:

Definition - Overall body strength that is not restricted to single-joint activities.

Example - Bear Crawl Circuit. Have each athlete perform a bear crawl through a circuit
that includes moving forwards, backwards or sideways

7) Active ROM:

Definition - Range of motion exercises performed on your own accord.

Example - Ankle Alphabet. Have each athlete trace the alphabet with their ankles.

So, there you have it.

A 7-step process for ensuring optimal athletic skill, speed and strength development
as well as injury avoidance.

Keep in mind that my system is ever-evolving and dynamic. As young athletes age,
you must begin adding elements of technique development and specific skill.

The system I outlined here applies to young athletes aged 6 - 10 and is based on the
concept of guided discovery -

Don't over-teach!

Let the kids learn and experience how to move and create force.

Once they get to the age of 11 or 12, you must begin the process of technical execution
and stability strength development.

And that, my friend, is the topic for next week's article...

... How to carry this system into the teenage years.

If you want to understand how best to develop blazing speed and strength in high school
athletes, than next week's newsletter is something you shouldn't miss.

I'll be honest...

... I have NEVER shared this information before.

Not because I want to keep it to myself, but because I didn't know if people were
ready for it.

At this point in time, only my athletes, their parents, the coaches I have worked for
and a small handful of professional trainers I have personally mentored over the years
know and understand the sheer power of this system - and how incredibly successful it is.

And know you have received a glimpse of it as well.

Use it wisely!

If you feel as though what you have read in this newsletter is incomplete, you are right!

I haven't 'shorted' you on information or purposely withheld anything.

To understand my complete system it takes much, MUCH more than just one article.

Now you have the template and flow.

But where do you go from here?

How do you make this work within your own training business, facility or camps?

You need my Complete Youth Training System.

It gives you everything you need to understand the entire system and how it works.

What is my 'linear deceleration technique' program?

How do you develop kinesthetic differentiation and why is the MOST IMPORTANT
skill for a young athlete to develop?

How to you create movement adequacy and allow your young athletes to become the
most agile and smooth athletes in the game?

Speed and agility IS NOT about running fast, using ladders, cones or any other type
of resisted speed equipment (like parachutes or bungees).

It's about understanding the PRINCIPLES OF MOVEMENT and knowing how to
teach them in an effective system.

And ALL OF THAT is in my Complete Youth Training System:

http://completeyouthtraining.com/

And here's my last promise...

... My Complete Youth Training System is a guaranteed 'how to' package that gives
you everything you need and doesn't leave you searching the internet for something
else to buy.

The best part?

It's $67

A system that will allow you to DEVELOP young athletes to their optimal ability,
generate HUGE speed and movements gains and reduce the risk of injury by an
exponential rate.

12 years, $100,000 and tons of mistakes later...

... I found a system that works.

And over 60% of my former young athletes wish they were still able to use it.

'Till next time,

Brian