FAST YOUTH ATHLETE

Deadlift variations are a great exercise to help young athletes learn how to recruit the powerful fast twitch muscle fibers. They are very economical in the sense that they affect so many muscles that are necessary for building youth speed. For instance, it strengthens the hamstrings,glutes, and spinal erectors. Let's just say it is a total body strength exercise because you have to have strong hip stabilizers,stomach muscle stabilizers, and upper back activation to get optimal stimulation from the exercise. There are many things to consider to affectively use this exercise. Stance- The stance we teach is to have the feet directly under the bar. The bar must also be as close to the shins as possible in order to minimize the distance the bar travels. That means less work for the athlete. The shoulders should be over the bar and back should be flat or slightly arched. We want the hips to be high enough that the athlete does not squat the weight up. But low enough that the movement is...

This is an area I am very passionate about as I have experienced this myself. I do not believe anyone can prescribe a cure for something they himself have not been a victim of. How can they help restore you or help you believe that what they are saying can happen for you as well? I guess that is why social proof and testimonies are so effective. I started playing football when I was 8 years old with the neighborhood boys. We grew up in apartment complexes in Miami and Hollywood, FL where football is a very popular sport. In fact, pick up football was mostly what we played as kids. I could feel the anticipation of scheduling match ups of our apartment complex vs other apartment complexes. Our bragging rights at school was why we practiced at the complex almost every day and had us timing our 40 yard dashes. How accurate were those times? It did not matter as long as everyone was improving and we had our game plan by game time. Anyways, many of the neighborhood kids went to the same scho...

You will never make quality speed gains if you do not recover properly. You grow during recovery and make adaptations while you are recovering. Let's start off by defining what Recovery is...shall we? Recovery is methods used to help the body respond favorably after being stressed through various activities. In simple terms, when you sprint your muscles are broken down or produce micro tears. In the recovery period, the body regenerates and produces more muscle or speed as a result of the sprinting stimulus. It makes perfect sense in the real world,we break something and we want to fix it. How many times has a car broken down and we take it to the shop? A better solution would be to have that car routinely serviced, so that it doesn't break down. Below, the servicing tool we are using is a foam roller. You cannot get a better and affordable tool for breaking up the knots after exercise. Why is that important? It is easier to move or manipulate a rubber band that is not knotted ...

The Squat is an exercise that every youth athlete needs to be familiar with. It strengthens the muscles that help in developing speed. Of course, that includes the hamstrings, glutes, stabilizers of the stomach, and the quadriceps. A common mistake that is made is adding too much resistance too soon. This is why the first step in teaching the squat to young athletes is to teach the proper cues by using light resistance with a pvc pipe. Cues: 1) Squeeze the elbows forward 2) Stick your chest out 3) Drive the Head up 4) Pull the bar down on the shelf of the back 5)Open the hips 6) Spread the floor 7) Sit Back on the box 8) Brace the Abs 9) Drive through the heels What Cues do you use to teach the squat?

I thought about what we did in college after a game. Then again, that depended on whether we won or lost. We generally watched some film, which was equally as brutal as the run afterwards. We would get ripped apart about not being where we were supposed to be on different plays. But it did teach us a lot about the game of football. My problem was the coaches running us into the ground as their way of relieving the soreness from Saturday’s games. It does not make sense now that I know better. After a game, most football players are sore from the heavy lactic acid build up in their muscles, the knots in the muscles from tissue damage, and mentally drained. The last thing you want to do is another conditioning session of gassers as that will produce more lactic acid in the muscles. Remember, the post game workout should be about RECOVERY. Speed work is out of the question as the athletes’ muscles are in a state of fatigue. And they would not be able to sprint at a maximal effort. Furtherm...

I am sure most people have heard about former NFL Agent Josh Luch’s tell all story about paying many players as part of his recruitment process. You can find the story at http://tinyurl.com/27wkr98 . Luch speaks about many former and current NFL players who took money throughout their collegiate careers. The thing that is interesting about this story is the timing of this confession. It only occurred after he was no longer involved in the NFL agent lifestyle. Is that coincidence? I don’t think so…I think he exposed the scandal for his own selfish motives. Could it be he wanted to clear his name about the commission check he took from Keenan Howry? Although, I have to commend Luchs for deciding to tell the story because there are still many agents that refuse to take responsibility for what they have done. I do understand the reasons many of these young football players took the money. Many come from impoverished families and sacrifice to play for these universities. However, I do not ...

I know many athletes will be able to identify with this story. I can remember it like it was yesterday.As a high school senior at Miramar high school—home of the Florida 2009 Football State Champions I was a 5’9” 145 lb cornerback. This isn’t exactly the body type that has D1 scouts knocking at the door. I know now if I had a better nutritional strategy and lifted differently I would have accelerated my size at a much quicker pace. Whether we like or not, It plays a factor when recruits make a decision to offer scholarships. I was tired of being categorized with the group they referred to as the “pencil necks.” I attended Guilford College, a D3 school in NC, and vowed to myself that I would be dedicated in the weight room.Some of my teammates and I would research old strength training books from different universities to decide on what workout we would use during the in season or offseason. The process of designing our own programs accelerated our learning curve as we practiced what we...

1. Hi Coach Moffitt. It’s great to have you hear at Fast Youth Athlete. Could you tell us about background and how you became interested in physical training? My older brothers all lifted and played sports so my dad built us a gym in the garage. He could weld so made us a bench, squat rack, chin-up bar and dip station. There was always someone down there whether we were home or not. After I left home for college I still had friends who lifted in the basement while visiting with my parents. Another reason and I’m sure that it’s like this for almost everyone, I played football and we of course did it for that reason as well. When I got to college, my coach, Mr. Jack Williamson instilled in me the work ethic to someday want to do it to make a living. 2. When do you believe is the optimal time to prepare a young pop warner player for physical activity? I often tell parents that their young man does not have to lift weights, but he can increase his chances of staying injury free by strength...

Coach Andy Helper from www.heplerstrength.com and I were talking about how many athletes have goals of becoming faster. They are misguided in thinking that can be achieved by only incorporating speed drills or jumping drills. It is part of the equation-but will not happen if you do not have a proper strength foundation. How do you build a proper foundation and why is it important? I have never seen a fast athlete that was weak. In fact, I was told that Ben Johnson was squatting 675 lbs when he broke the 100m sprint world record at a weight of 175 lbs. I am not saying that an athlete has to squat such a large amount of weight...but you have to be strong for your bodyweight. For example, two athletes can weigh 170 lbs, but if one squats 180 lbs and the other one squat 300 lbs the stronger athlete will most likely be faster. It is just how it is. If you can apply more force into the ground, send faster signals from the brain to the muscles, or activate the fast twitch fibers you will be f...

Many young athletes envision being as strong as a famous athlete or body builders, yet they fail to realize the strength they need now is different from the strength they need for later. What is the purpose of the strength? Most youth athletes need strength to move the body’s weight in a specific direction. This is why it makes sense to master bodyweight exercises first before adding any resistance to the movement. Learning how to properly deliver signals from the brain to the muscle will improve strength at a rapid rate and help you avoid injuries. Learn the movement right the first time and you will not have to worry about injuries later. A fitness professional who knows how to coach youth movement to increase strength becomes critical. And remember that the length of an athlete’s limbs or structure also affects how strength is perceived. A tallerathlete has to do more work because of the distance that is traveled to do the same amount of work. For instance, it takes more work for a ...

1. Hi Dave. Good to have you hear to do this interview. I like referring to you as the band man because you do a great job with incorporating bands into your routines. Could you tell us what made you interested in the fitness industry and the bands? What is your background? Jimmy thanks for this opportunity. I have been an orthopedic physical therapist since 1986. In the mid 90’s I realized how our body truly functioned and why certain injuries continued to occur. I also realized that we were not training our athletes to work the body was designed to work. Primarily teaching it how to deal efficiently and powerfully with gravity as well the big 2.. Momentum and ground reaction forces. That got me thinking and to make a very long story short.. bands challenge our body to handle faster momentums, deal with ground reaction forces quicker and speeds up gravity. As a result neuromuscularly elastic resistance , specifically resistance bands, not only did this but allow us to train doi...

It is amazing to have the opportunity to be coached as you are allowed to learn through the experiences of another person. Experience can be the greatest teacher sometimes. It is hard to talk someone out of something they have been through. I cannot tell you about the numerous coaches I learned from over the years. An athlete can avoid so many mistakes if they listen and learn from their coaches. Most of the lessons I learned from my coaches were off the field lessons. I can remember coach Lang in high school teaching us about how the character of a man is more important than his athletic ability. He was a great Christian man and told us about the value of abstaining from sex until marriage. At the age of 16, I can't say I was very receptive to that lesson. But I look back now and wished I would have listened. What made me think about this subject was skimming through my college yearbook. It brought back some memories of how I had lived my life and some of the mistakes I had made. ...

I had the privilege of reading an advanced copy of Jedd’s Ultimate Forearm Training for baseball book. At first, when I noticed that it was 400 pages long I thought it was going to be a long boring book. I was pleasantly surprised to say it was an easy read with a ton of images with every grip exercise a baseball player will need to succeed. I was amazed at how much I learned about the benefits of grip training. In fact, I am going to include more grip training into the routines of the athletes that I train. I am not going to try to sell you on the fact that you need this book if you know any baseball players. You will either see the value in preparing your athletes in every way possible or not. I will make a commission off of every sale. If you have been reading our material you know we do not recommend any products we do not believe in. Check it out and see what the hype is about. Click Here!

At Naperville Central High School, west of Chicago, children who are having problems with math or reading go to gym class first. And exercise isn't just restricted to the gym -- there are bikes and balls in the classrooms, and the children are in constant motion. The results are amazing -- reading scores have doubled, and math scores are up by a factor of 20. Research shows that after 30 minutes on the treadmill, students solve problems up to 10 percent more effectively. Keeping kids active at school is a superb way to increase learning, focus and even test results. As many of you reading this have likely experienced, if your mind is feeling cluttered or you’re having a mid-afternoon slump, a brisk walk or a quick workout can give you a renewed sense of clarity and focus. This is true for kids, too, and the results of implementing a physical activity program at Naperville Central High School are nothing short of astounding. Students who took part in a dynamic gym class at the begin...

The purpose of the warm-up is to lubricate the joints, increase the responsiveness of the central nervous system, prepare the body for the specific movements, and increase the body’s core temperature. The lubrication of the joints makes moving the joints easier. The bending of the knee is critical when sprinting, but will never be accomplished with stiff joints. The joints are better lubricated when the body is warm and able to produce fluid that easily flows to keep the joints moving. When a door has not been lubricated properly, it doesn’t function properly, doesn’t open and shut easily, and makes an irritating noise that confirms its problem. The brain sends messages to the muscles to tell them to move. The central nervous system must be awake to clearly signal to the muscles, and quickly and efficiently recruit as much muscle fiber as needed to perform a specific movement. If the brain does not send the signal efficiently, the body can’t perform that movement with the required spee...

1. Hi Aaron. I am glad you chose to do this interview with us. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? Thank you for having me. I have been in the health and fitness industry since 1991. I graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a BS in Physical Education / Exercise Science. Before starting my business Fucntion First in 1995 I worked at a couple of health and fitness facilities specializing in one on one posture correction as well as fitness. Eventually I sold half of the business and moved across the country and created Perfect Postures in 2002. I have worked with numerous Olympic as well as professional athletes; and the majority of my clientele are chronic pain sufferers. 2. We deal with a lot of youth athletes. Could you tell us how you improve the posture, joint mechanics, and muscle imbalances? First we do a postural evaluation. Second we do a gait analysis, and perform functional testing. These three components complete the puzzle. From there we create correc...

New article at the Equalizer http://tiny.cc/f9rd7

U.S. Children Snacking More; Junk Calories Leading the Rise Released: 3/2/2010 1:30 PM EST Source: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Newswise — Children in the United States are snacking more than ever before on salty chips, candy and other junk food, according to a new University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study. The increase in snacking, which now accounts for up to 27 percent of daily caloric intake, has occurred along with a rise in childhood obesity, a health problem that has put millions of U.S. children at risk of hypertension, heart disease and diabetes. The study, published in the March 2010 issue of the journal Health Affairs, is one of the first to look at long-term eating patterns in children, and suggests a trend in which some children snack almost continuously throughout the day. “Our study shows that children, including very young children, eat snacks almost three times a day,” said senior author Barry Popkin, Ph.D., the Carla Smith Chamblee Distinguished...

Another Excelerate Sports & Lamour Training Systems production The greatest benefit of training youth will be realized through patience. Do not be hasty with adding weight to their routine if they are not mastering the movement. I tend to keep my reps in the 5-8 range when teaching a young athlete a new exercise because I am after the neuromuscular adaptations from the routine. Our main aim as coaches is to make sure the brain is sending signals quickly and efficiently so that the young athlete can perform the movement correctly. The hardest lesson as a coach for me is to allow the athletes to continue to reap the benefits of bodyweight exercises like pushups, pull ups, dips, lunges, and squats. I get excited when the young guys make progress and think they might enjoy some resistance. But is it necessary if they are getting stronger through these bodyweight exercises. They will go a long way with the master their own bodyweight and their connective tissue will adapt to the stress ...

Every youth athlete should start jump training to work on absorbing force and learning how to be reactive. Progress slowly depening on the athlete's level of preparedness. Also, make sure you warm-up properly to avoid dysfunctions and injuries. Teach the athlete to throw the hands back violently to create an apposite force reaction. Also, make sure the athlete has a slight bend in the knees and lands softly. The leg muscles and glutes should be absorbing the force not the joints. Let us know what type of jump training your youth athlete is performing. Keep Working Hard, Jimmy & Oliver

Mobility is very important in improving the athleticism of every youth athlete. It is the ability of the joints that are intended to be mobile to move through the correct range of motion to achieve certain positions. We would like to see more middle school programs and youth organizations address this issue as this can have a profound affect on the athlete’s ability to move properly and with speed. How important is improving mobility in your opinion? Those who reply to the blog and send their email address to comments@fastyouthathlete.com will receive a free video of one of our athletes performing a mobility circuit. Keep Working Hard, Jimmy & Oliver

We are so very excited to announce that our manual is finally here at http://www.fastyouthathlete.com It has taken us many months to complete the manual and we feel we have delivered an excellent resource that will help youth athletes for years to come. The feedback for the manual has been incredible and we want to thank everyone that has participated. We would like to over our audience another chance to win a free book by telling us why you deserve one. All you have to do is comment below this blog and we will pick the person we feel deserves it the most. Don’t miss your chance as this contest will last until 2/5. We can’t wait to hear your stories. Take Care! Remember, Hard Work Pays Off. Jimmy & Oliver

1. Hi Dr. Don. Good to have you hear to do this interview. Could you tell us what made you interested in the youth fitness industry? What is your background? I have always had an interest in athletic performance. Obviously this has a “trickle down” effect to the level of youth fitness. The current trend to eliminate physical education in the school curriculums has placed an even bigger need for fitness among today’s youth. 2. Let’s jump right into the hot topics. What is your approach to plyometric training with younger athletes? What do you feel absolutely must be included to create a better youth athlete? My approach to plyometrics for younger athletes is that they are a part of the “Triad of Fitness” that needs to be addressed when working with youth. Namely, the three parts of the Triad are Strength, Speed and Agility. Plyometrics should be a natural part of youth development and they will involve themselves in these types of activities until an adult tells them to sit down and...

1) Hi Jay. Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to do this interview. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you were introduced to strength training? I am a Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach, as well as a Nutritionist. I have coaching since 1996-we're I started off as a Volunteer Assistant Track and Field Coach at Montclair State University. I began coaching after suffering a career-ending spinal injury, which occurred while I was competing as a Long Jumper at the University of Arkansas. 2) A lot of people know you as 50 Cent’s trainer and believe that he is able to stay in shape because he constantly has you around. I believe it still is the will of the person. What are your thoughts? It is fear and lack of self-confidence that usually keeps an individual from achieving any sort of success. We as coaches have to work with that fear, and turn it into belief. Once, there's self-belief-anything is possible. 3) I know that like my self yo...

All Natural Food Producer Creates Whole Food Bars & Partners With Fast Youth Athlete Inc. Parr Foods, LLC. Located in Boone, NC expands into the youth athlete market to make a national push to battle youth obesity January 15, 2010 -- Jay Parr started making energy bars after graduating from Le Cordon Bleu, School of Culinary Arts in 2004. With his experience in the kitchen and his love of the outdoors, the creation of the Boone Barr was inevitable. In 2008, he went back to school to study entrepreneurship and sustainable development at Appalachian State University. With enough encouragement from friends and family (especially my parents and Uncle Mark), I finally decided to give selling them a try. After a short conversation with a local coffee shop owner, the Boone Barr was put in its first retail location. Since then, we have grown from a rental home kitchen to a small production facility with several great employees. The rest is history. Parr Foods, L.L.C. is a sustainable loca...