“My Child Needs ________ Specific Training”
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“My Child Needs ________ Specific Training”
Insert: Soccer, Baseball, Basketball, Hockey etc, etc… The truth is good training is human specific with a tinge of sport driven specificity only when the athlete has reached a point in training where the focus must narrow to create further adaptations.
Adolescents are not “Baseball players” or “soccer players” or “hockey players” until they have reached physical maturity and developed baseline levels or strength, agility and power. The problem with early specialization is the idea that these children are somehow “elite” before they have even developed the level of physicality required to support the amount of competition they are going to be thrust into.
A woodworker would be remiss to breakout their chisel to begin their fine detail work before finishing their large cuts on a block of cedar. First, build a worthy and respectable structure and only then should you begin zeroing in on the uniqueness of your project (or athlete). Brilliance at the basics prior to specialization will not only reduce likelihood of injury but will also amplify the sport specific traits when it comes time to focus on them.
Dimitri has begun accumulating a large body of quality generalized strength, agility and speed work during his first few months of organized training. As he further develops into a strong, well rounded athlete we’ll begin to zero in further on the demands of his preferred sport, baseball.
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🔸Lift, throw, jump and sprint.
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🔸Develop aerobic conditioning from participation in multiple sports.
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🔸Practice variable skills over the course of the year.
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🔸Begin chasing the specific demands of your sport once you have achieved an appreciable baseline of strength and power.