Monday, January 24, 2011

Improved Youth Sport Performance-Part 2

    In Part 1 of this series I discussed the utilization and need for strength training for improvement of youth sport performance. In today's post, I move on to the need for the implementation of a sound flexibility and mobility program into an athlete's training.



Flexibility/Mobility

   Relating back to the lifestyle discussion in part 1, many youth athletes lack sufficient flexibility and mobility in their hips, ankles, neck, adductors, shoulders, spine and others. Many issues can and will arise because of this. Faulty compensatory movement patterns develop, which, when more advanced strength training and competition periods arise, increase the chances the athlete suffers or develops an injury. As a strength coach and personal trainer, my number one priority is to make sure an individual stays healthy. 
     Performance wise, a lack of flexibility and mobility can hamper pretty much every athletic endeavor. Without adequate hip extension and flexion, high levels of running velocities will not be achieved. With inadequate scapular mobility, shoulder injuries can arise, especially in overhead throwing athletes. Heck, without good flexibility and mobility, the athlete will have troubles even doing a proper bodyweight squat. Bottom line, training these two variables is just as important, and in some cases even more important, than the resistance training portion of an athletes program.

No Nonsense Movement,

Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/Head Trainer
kyle@trainstrive.com
www.trainstrive.com

3 comments:

  1. Very enlightening and beneficial to someone whose been out of the circuit for a long time.

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  2. Exactly. More often than not, adults have larger problems with flexibility, mobility, and soft tissue due to the yearly grind of their daily lives.

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