Part 2: When do kids start Training?

In part 1 I talked about starting kids in training and "Fun" and games or exploring exercise the most important aspect, not worrying about whether they got the skill totally correct, but still teaching safety and technique.

Now our kids are older and becomes confusing when to we "play" and when we "work". Actually they are mutually one and as each child ages the dynamics of these aspects change.

When our kids reach the ripe old age of around 10 or 11 years old the body changes. Does that mean we turn the barometer up and start working them harder? No, it means the dynamics of how we train kids changes. There cognitive and motor skills are better so we can now challenge them more.

What I mean is now we "teach" motor skills because they to relate them to specifics of sport. No, I do not mean sport specific training, that is later. We want them to understand a little about the positive impacts of training on sport.

This means fun with relays and games that require specific tasks like hopping or back pedal and change of direction via verbal or visual command. When they were younger we ask certain skill be performed more to see their reaction and help us determine the next direction.

Between the 10 and 13 years of age we have a pretty good idea of how one learns via visual, auditory or kinesthetic (doing) and now we teach movements patterns such as crossovers and simple cuts through games.

We still want "fun" with the games and relays. Now we can start structure into their training. Some will get this and others may still want to explore. The structure is strength training, and yea we were doing that before now we can start to use external load, first with sticks and then lightweight bars.

See, training is starting to be like building a bridge. We need the foundation first then we add more dynamic skills as we age.

If you have any questions please shoot we a line and I would be happy to talk training.

Train smart,

Todd Baden, MS, C.S.C.S.
Synergy Sports and Performance
3350 N. Holland-Sylvania Rd.
Toledo, Ohio 43615
419-724-4140

If we are a good Strength and Conditioning Coach we learn to adapt the situation and teach weakness into a person's strength. This only makes them better.