Child Sports
Universally children are not prepared properly for their respective sports. Kids are enrolled on teams before they are taught how to run, jump, hit, throw or kick. It has long been thought that athleticism is fundamentally a genetic trait which has been proven to be patently false. LIke anything it is a trainable ability controled by the central nervous system. I was fortunate enough to be enrolled in ballet class at a very young age and this gave me a huge advantage physically in controlling my body. It was the primary reason I enjoyed so much success in so many sports as a teenager. Excelling in any sport requires not only physical abilities in terms of running etc., but also sports specific skill. The younger a child can be taught the correct biomechanics of all movement patterns the greater their chance for success.
As children grow at different rates it is important to train the control of their limbs in different ranges of motion and planes of movement so that their coordination continues to develop. The importance of core strength in all athletes is imperative but is especially important to develop in children as all human movments are dependent upon core stabilization. The earlier the correct neural patterns can be established the sooner the athlete can master their sport specific skill sets. This has historically been seen in all so called child prodigies. In every case they were trained from the earliest time possible. The sheer quantity of time it takes to excel in anything has been well established in current research. I think it's important for any parent trying to help their child achieve success in sports to read the following books in the order listed.
The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle
Talent is Overrated by Geoffrey Colvin
These will give you a firm idea of what it takes to achieve athletic mastery or even mild success in sports or anything in life. Russian scientists long ago proved the importance of training the correct neural patterns in each specific movement and that over time the mylein sheath that surrounds the nerves, like insulation around a cable line, thickens over time through repetitive patterning. This leads to "conditioned reflex" which is the deciding factor in elite sports due to the speeds they are played at.
True mental confidence in sports comes from knowing you can physically perform the skill sets required of your sport and they take time to develop properly.
The Ballwork, Poolwork, Footwork and Foundational Plyometric programs are the primary tools I use to improve the athletic ability of children. Each one plays a vital role in improving balance, rhythm, timing, coordination, core stabilization, muscle balance, movement and sport specific skills.
The last thing to consider in training children is the importance of injury prevention. As their bodies are constantly expanding into their 20's it is important to properly prepare their ligaments and tendons for ballistic movement. Conventional weightlifting protocols weaken the connective tissue due to the excessive load put on them and this destabilizes the joints which leads to a higher incidence of injury. By focusing on the correct neurological movement patterns of running and jumping etc., as well as proper flexibility, joint mobility and muscle balance, most serious injuries can be avoided.
