Teenage athletes – why do they need to do strength training and develop athletic qualities away from their sport?
I could write a very long post that answers this question but I will provide what are the most important points.
- Strength training not only improves athletic performance but also significantly reduces the risk of injury. Adolescent athletes have rapidly changing bodies. These changes in height, weight, body awareness (proprioception), and hormonal levels all require a structured approach to preparing their ‘new’ and changing body for the demands of their sport/s. It should be the foundation of their preparation for sport.
- Sport-specific training eg: football, basketball, netball, soccer, and athletics do not often deliver the specific skills, movement patterns and qualities for teens to consistently improve in their chosen sport. This is often because time is spent learning the sport, not developing the qualities needed to play the sport. Athletic qualities such as speed, power, agility, mobility, reaction time, and strength need specific training.
- Teens that learn to train properly in a gym setting under the guidance of qualified exercise professionals develop lifelong skills. Leaning to strength train properly and safely requires a coach. Athletes need feedback. They need technique modification on occasion. In time they develop high levels of competence to train effectively and safely. There is a big difference in strength training for athletic pursuits and function compared to body composition training that showers the social media platforms today.
- Strength and athletic development training lay the foundation for future health and athletic success. The consistent and gradual development in strength through the teen years enhances so many physiological properties such as bone and tendon strength. These gains achieved in teen years with quality training cannot be ‘caught up’ on in adult years. I have seen many good young athletes enter representative or elite level sports only to sit on the sidelines of their new club for 1-2 years while that higher level system works with them in the gym or athletic development setting to bring them up to a level that will allow ongoing progression. At the elite level being good at your sport is not enough. You have to do the extra training to succeed.
For over 20 years we have provided young athletes, many on elite pathways, to commence and develop programs to improve strength, power, agility, speed, mobility, reaction time, coordination and more. Our proven approaches are based on the latest research in the fields of high performance, exercise science, rehab, and health. We used advanced technology to assist in this process such as force plates, jump mats, timing gates and more. We are holistic in our approach to assisting young athletes. They are educated on the importance of recovery, hydration, nutrition, and mental well-being.
Our mission is to offer this expertise and experience to ‘regional’ athletes of all abilities. All you need to bring is a good attitude.
If you are interested in learning more about our teen athlete performance programs or school programs please contact us.
