Strength and Power Training for Young Athletes

A systematic approach to strength and power training is needed to prepare young athletes for the demands of sports practice and competition. Since muscular strength and power underpin many biomotor abilities and performance attributes, strong and powerful athletes are more likely to perform athletic skills proficiently and less likely to suffer a sports-related injury. New insights into the health-, fitness-, and performance-related benefits of resistance training underscore the importance of integrating strength and power training into youth athletic development programmes. Exposing young athletes to developmentally appropriate resistance training early in life will set the stage for more advanced training later in life. Well-designed conditioning programmes that target neuromuscular deficiencies, enhance resistance training skill literacy, and spark an on-going interest in strength and power training may result in the greatest long-term benefits. Instruction from qualified youth fitness specialists is needed to address individual differences, facilitate participation, systematically vary programme variables, and optimise training-induced adaptations. Notwithstanding the critical importance of learning the technical and tactical aspects of different sports, there is no substitute for young athletes being strong and powerful.