Training is important for kids of all ages!  What do we mean when we say training? Training can look like games as a young child and movement/skill practice in middle school. Later, we increase difficulty and challenge through specialization as athletes develop in high school. The trick is to realize that training doesn’t mean bodybuilding or power lifting alone. Simply put, we want to teach kids movement literacy at very precise times to maximize results. Movement skills are most easily developed between the ages of 8-12 years old. The reason for this is simply there is a perfect overlap in tissue mobility and skill acquisition (neuroplasticity).

 

Ever wonder why gymnasts or dancers seem to be super coordinated and move with ease in daily life or in athletic situations? Introduction to these methods happen at the perfect time in childhood development and they grow up harnessing these skills later on.

 

The good news is that if you missed that window, training is always possible and development can always be optimized. In fact if you missed this window it is equally if not more important.  Since specializing may develop a very narrow series of skills necessary for a sport we need to understand the importance  of physically supporting those demands and supplement with additional types of movement or training to achieve balance and optimize function.

 

I love the phrase by weightlifting coach Gabby Qu. “Train like a human before you train like an athlete”. That’s the goal. Start early training like a human so we can be the best athletes and have the best team possible at WBC!