"Sound Bite" Training is hurting our youth athletes

"Put 4 inches on your vertical in just 4 weeks!"

"Be the fastest player on the field in just 6 weeks!"

These are the kind of "sound bite" claims being made by traіners who want to traіn your kids.

Right now, as you read this, these frauds are trying to dupe you!

If you're not sick of them and the culture they foster, I am.

6 week traіning programs aren't helping our athletes improve. They just don't work.

Yet that's pretty much all you see out there. Inflammatory, sensationalized flyers, brochures, ads and websites telling you how fast, strong and powerful your kids will get in 6 weeks with "Super traіner!"

It's a bunch of crap.

And it's a major cause of іnjury and over-traіning in youth sports.

Whenever I hear or read one of these traіners' claims about the miracles that will happen to your kid in his or her 6 week program, I ask the same question.

Then what?

Short term traіning programs are like promises in a political campaign. They sound great. They appeal to our desire for improvement and success.

When first presented, they make all the sense in the world. They generate excitement.

They're convincing, display clarity and simplicity, and like political campaign promises...when the chips are down and it's time to deliver, nobody can remember them.

Not that it matters; there's no chance they'll create lasting change or success. Like the political sound bite, the short term traіning program is intended to get your vote!

With the traіning program, you vote with your time, your hopes, your enthusiasm...and your money. Not to mention your kids' health!

What happens when the 6 week miracle traіning program is over?

Do you really think those improvements will stick?

Will your kids be more іnjury resistant?

Will they have learned proper traіning techniques, ones that will help them progress consistently, play better in the long term and enjoy their sport(s) more?

Or will they simply learn to focus on a "product" instead of a "process?"

You see, coaches and traіners too often use "product" based coaching, rather than focusing on creating successful "processes."

In other words, they harp on things like the faster 40 yd. dash and the bigger vertical leap without teaching their players proper mechanics and strength-building techniques.

Think about it. If you devote traіning time developing great takeoff and landing mechanics for jumping, and combine that with functional strength development, doesn't it seem to follow that the athlete's "vertical" would inevitably increase? Of course it does!

Just like the combination of teaching great sprint technique, dynamic flexibility and functional strength will dramatically increase speed in all directions!

The trouble is, this kind of long-lasting, highly available athletic skill-set development can't be accomplished in a "6 weeks to 6 inches, etc." miracle program.

It comes from consistent, longer term traіning systems and good habits on the part of athletes and kids.

This is especially important for younger athletes and children. Between ages 8 and 13, it's a great time forus to help them develop proper functional movement patterns.

For many kids, this means getting them up and moving, period. Programs focusing on functional movement, that deliver fun and variety, will always outperform set and rep based programs for this age group.

Developing great movement patterns at an early age allows us to reinforce them, load them and make our kids stronger, faster, more agile, healthier and more resistant to іnjury!

The best part of this process is that the improved performance athletes get from a consistent, intelligent, "process" based traіning program will stick with them and help them in all their athletic endeavors.

Long after the "6 week miracle traіning program" and it's temporary nonsense has disappeared, like a tax cut promise in a political campaign, gains made through the development of good habits and consistent effort (in other words, a quality "process") will still be serving the athlete well.

More importantly, because of the good habits developed, the athlete will continue to get stronger, faster, more agile and more іnjury resistant.

The "6 week miracle" athlete will be steadily losing the"edge" they gained, and slipping into the "іnjury zone."

Here's a few well known examples of athletes who've benefited from a long-term athletic development program:

• Michael Phelps won 8 golds at the Beijing Olympics. (Embarassing photos and acts aside)
• The US Womens Soccer Team beat Brazil for Gold.
• The US Men and Women took home Volleyball Gold.
• The US swept the 400m.

It wasn't the "6 week miracle traіning program" that got them there.

Can you guess how they got their medals?

Think it might have been through a quality traіning "process?"

Can you guess what kind of programs we use at All-Star Sports Academy?

I'll give you a hint: 6 weeks is just about a good start.

Questions? Comments? Feel free to let me know!

Phil