Utilizing a personal trainer to help a young athlete with strength training can be very beneficial to health, increasing performance, reducing the risk of injury and can increase a child's confidence. It can also help kids and teens learn how to set personal goals and push themselves in a new direction. If you are a parent (or coach) looking for ways to encourage your young athlete this blog post will provide proven strength training tips that have been used with success by our team of experienced trainers in Keller. When starting a strength program with kids and teens, always begin with basic exercises that can be safely performed with good form. As they progress, you can add more difficult variations or increase the weight being used. Remember to keep workouts fun and challenging, but not overwhelming. Here are ten tips to get started:
Tip #01: Use Resistance Bands
Resistance bands provide a great way to start any youth training program. They are easy to use, portable and adjustable to any fitness level. Start by using light resistance and gradually increase as they becomes stronger. Any fitness instructor will know variety of complex band exercises, but our recommendation for young athletes is to keep it simple.
Tip #02: Incorporate Bodyweight Exercises
Bodyweight exercises are another great way to start for kids and teens. They can be done anywhere and require no equipment at all, which means it's easy to add in a quick workout session when time is short or motivation levels are low. This type of training also allows a personal trainer to teach the proper technique for more complicated exercises like squats and lunges without needing any additional equipment.
Tip #03: Focus on Technique First
When a personal trainer is working with people of any age, it is important to master the techniques for each exercise before adding weight or resistance. Strength programs should never be rushed and a personal trainer needs to make sure their clients have mastered proper form before increasing intensity levels. Once they do, kids will learn that no matter how challenging an activity becomes, there are always ways to push themselves further through good technique alone. This helps them develop a positive attitude about fitness in general while also laying down solid foundations for future exercises - young athletes can then move towards more advanced movements when ready.
Tip #04: Teach How to Set Fitness Goals
Setting personal goals is an important part of personal training for kids and teens. By helping them set positive goals, the personal trainer can encourage young people to push themselves when it comes to work out value. This can be as easy as encouraging them to try and beat their personal bests on time restricted testing or by adding more weight over time. A great personal trainer will work with their clients to set achievable goals for themselves, as a result the young athlete will be more likely to stick with the program long after.
Tip #05: Focus on Proper Warm-Ups
A new trainer may be unaware of how important it is for a young athlete to warm up before strength training workouts. A proper warm up should be done any time a person plans to perform physical activity - whether it's strength training, running around outside, or playing sports. Warming up helps muscles and joints prepare for physical activity and reduces risk of injury during exercise sessions. This also protects a younger athlete from losing motivation or becoming discouraged if they get hurt early in their workout.
Tip #06: Add in Sports Specific Exercises
As a personal trainer gets to know their clients, it is important for them to learn what sports they enjoy playing. This will help identify the muscles that are used most during specific types of activity and prepare workouts accordingly. This can be done by including exercises that focus on particular muscle groups, or adding in equipment from the client's sport of choice during the personal training sessions.
Tip #07: Be a Coach First and Personal Trainer Second
One key element of personal training that we must always remember when training kids is the role as coach first - personal trainer second. As long as a personal trainer keeps this in mind during workouts, they will find it much easier to motivate teens while providing great results at the same time. This means taking a more interactive coaching style with younger athletes rather than just focusing on getting them stronger or focusing on weight loss. Kids need motivation throughout each workout session so make sure they are having fun while they train!
Tip #08: Encourage Them to Take Breaks
Similar to adults, kids and teens need regular breaks during their workouts. We often think of kids as having endless energy and can fall into a trap of pushing them like a boot camp instructor. But kids have varying degrees of fitness levels and fitness doesn't require exhaustion for results. Personal training is about finding the right amount of tired and balancing it with the right amount of recovery. Breaks should also be used as an opportunity to provide encouragement and motivation - after all, a little positive reinforcement goes a long way!
Tip #09: Incorporate Plyometric Training
Plyometric training is a great way to add intensity and excitement into any strength training program for kids or teens. This type of training involves explosive movements that help improve overall power and speed. Most plyometric exercises can be added easily by including basic jumping exercises into workouts. It is important to note that a young athlete should have a solid foundation of strength BEFORE incorporating plyometrics into their program. A trainer will be able to asses whether or not these movements are appropriate on an individual basis.
Tip #10: Avoid Long Workouts
Teens have a lot going on, it is always something we need to keep in mind when designing personal training programs them. Even though they may be eager to get stronger and leaner quickly, a long workout session can often lead to boredom - which is never great for motivation! Nothing derails a teenage athlete faster from their fitness goals then lack of interest. A good idea would be keeping sessions with a personal trainer between 30-40 minutes whenever possible since teens tend to lose interest after an hour of working out (or anything really) anyhow. The shorter the session length, the easier it will be for personal trainers to do their job effectively while ensuring each client has plenty of energy left over at the end of every session.
Bonus Tip: Have Fun!
This one is definitely the most important - personal trainers should always aim to have fun with young athletes during strength training workouts. Not only does this keep things interesting, but it also allows them to establish a better correlation fitness. This can result in a more positive attitude towards working out and ultimately lead to better results for everyone involved!
Remember, these are just a few tips personal trainers can use when designing strength training programs for kids or teens. As always, it's important to personalize each program according to the client's individual needs and goals. With that said, using these guidelines as a starting point will surely help develop exciting and challenging workout sessions that both kids and teens will enjoy!
If your are looking for a personal trainer in Keller to help your young athlete develop a smart and effective program reach out to 360 Fitness DFW.