P24 Youth Athlete Training Principles

Over the years, we have worked with some of the best youth athletes in Tampa.

Some of our athletes have accomplished major recognition

• Division 1 scholarships

• Nationally ranked in their event, or at their position

• Drafted by a professional sports team

• Completed US Military Special Forces Selection

Likewise, most of our young athletes do not formally compete at the next level. However, most of them do maintain regular training. For most modern college students, a self-maintained training routine is impressive.

Regardless of our young athlete’s physical talent or potential competitive arena, we have developed a handful of training principles that we apply to each program. Our job is to meet the athlete where they are on their competitive path, and simultaneously challenge them and introduce them to the weight room in a way they may value for a lifetime.

Principle #1 - Competent General Movement Mechanics

We will always introduce our athletes to all major movements. Here are some examples:

• Squat Pattern

• Hip Hinge Pattern

• Lunge Pattern

• Lateral Lunge Pattern

• Upper Pressing Mechanics

• Upper Pulling Mechanics

• Proper Pelvis/Core Posture

• Acceleration Movement Mechanics

Regardless of how “specialized,” a youth athletes’ sport, event, or activity may be, we will regularly introduce and refine ALL of these major movements. We believe that as our young athletes develop, the more general movement competency they possess the more injury resistant they will be down the road. Young athletes’ bodies are still rapidly growing and adapting, and we need to encourage balanced progression.

This is not to say we won’t translate the movements back to their specific sport, but we will regularly challenge them outside their regular exposure.

Example: We have our national level high school swimmers complete single leg, multi-directional hurdle series to keep the musculature in their feet and ankles balanced and strong. This is not something they will ever experience in the pool.

Principle #2 - Individualized Programming

Contrary to many youth training programs, we typically don’t train in groups, classes, or teams. While those programs can certainly be successful, we have chosen to approach our training differently.

Our coaches have the skill set to accurately identify and address strengths, weaknesses, and compensation patterns. Equally important, we take our time to communicate our training objectives to the athletes in a way that resonates and educates.

Example: Even two pitchers of the same age and on the same team may have completely different physical abilities on the mound. Additionally, they may absorb information differently. It’s also likely that these athletes have their own dynamic schedules outside school, baseball, and training. We have learned that a one-size-fits-all approach does not always “fit all.”

Note from Levi: Ironically, I personally believe that group exposure and teamwork is critical for young athletes. While the Perform24 training model isn’t designed to accommodate groups, I am hopeful they are experiencing a positive team environment at practice, games, and tournaments. The training programs we write for our young athletes may be individualized, but our weight room environment is full of people chasing their own challenges and encouraging one another.

Principle #3 - Eventual Weight Room Independence

Naturally, our youth athletes will eventually advance into the next stage of their life. Some will continue pursing formal athletics or training, and others will prioritize training on their own time.

Surprisingly, we encourage our potential NCAA athletes to be the most independent. We want them to be confident and capable in the weight room on Day 1 of their Freshman Year. Not only will these collegiate athletes be low maintenance for their future Strength Coach, but if they are ready to train they will immediately begin reaping the rewards of their new Strength Program. They will have the luxury of “skipping,” the typical introductory phase.

Now, some of our youth athletes are young or brand new to training. We do not expect independence from our young or new athletes; it is our job to instruct them and guide them through a successful training program. We believe if we do our job well, they will eventually be comfortable in any training environment they may find themselves in.

Example: Each athlete has their own hard copy training program in the filing cabinet at the gym. Old school pen and paper style. As our athletes become more familiar with our process, they may start to read their own templates themselves. We don’t require this, but we love to see a young athlete take some interest and ownership in their training.

Principle #4 - Long-Term Training Habits

You may have seen this coming, but we intend all our training to ultimately be a push in the right direction.

Regardless if an athlete spends a summer with us or six years through middle school and high school, we want them to finish their time at Perform24 feeling energized and empowered by a solid training routine.

We want to highlight the fundamentals, expose them to variety, and turn them loose on the next adventure.

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We naturally ramp up our youth training schedule in the summer months.

If you are interested in learning more about our youth training program, please drop your information below!

We’d love to speak further about how we can help.

Train hard. Live full.