During the season, it’s hard for athletes to incorporate speed and agility training into their schedules. 

The team sports most young athletes are involved in are seasonal, coached by interested (and informed) parents, and are played only during the season.  While many children attend sports camps over the summer, these are also limited in time and scope, and are focused on the sport involved.  With the exception of warm-ups and cool-downs, most practices deal strictly with the skills necessary to master the particular sport.

Athletes who train for speed and agility off-season have the advantage since they are in condition, but can cut back on the speed and agility training during the season and not lose their edge. These athletes bring a strong competitive advantage to their teams, and are less likely to be injured during the season.  They can practice harder, play longer and, most importantly, give the team the best chance of winning.

STRENGTH:

Plyometric and resistence exercises develop strength by training the muscles using a series of muscle loading and contraction exercises. By loading and then contracting the muscle, the athlete is able to develop power and strength in the targeted muscles. One additional benefit of strength training is that it allows athletes to train both sides of their bodies. This is important for athletes whose sport requires them to work or train on one side more than the other (such as pitchers).  This minimizes injuries and provides the athletes with better movement and coordination.

ENDURANCE:

Endurance is the ability for the body to maximize exercise economy. In other words, it’s the ability to make the most effective use of body fuel so that the athlete can maintain his or her effort for longer periods. Endurance training consists of aerobic training to increase the body’s efficiency. The most effective training consists of interval training and short rest periods which brings the body to peak performance and allows for recovery.

AGILITY:

Agility is the ability to move and change directions quickly – whether that’s turning around when the ball goes in another direction, or jumping over a catcher between you and home plate. As with strength training, agility training trains the muscles to move in certain ways.

POWER:

Core skills training benefits young athletes in several ways: It reduces injuries by teaching the athletes how to move properly, and training their muscles to move as a unit. It teaches them core skills that can transferred to many sports, enabling them to move more easily between sports. It increases their confidence when practicing or playing matches, making them better players. It improves their core skills, giving them a competitive edge when playing games or matches.