Training young athletes is my passion. I LOVE helping skinny, weak kids go from Boy to BEAST..... not just physically, but mentally as well.
But, I feel HORRIBLE for the athletes who are forced to train with a Coach who has NO clue as to WHAT the hell to do with regards to Safe AND Effective training. Some Coaches do NOT want to learn. They use their EGO to control the kids and force them into training in shitty conditions.
When you have a Coach who is hungry to learn, that is when athletes can thrive!
Let's discuss how to properly train athletes and build them into CHAMPIONS!
NOTE: For those who want to learn about training athletes, I HIGHLY recommend THIS Book.
Through 20+ years coaching experience, I see the athletes who often end up getting injured are being forced into mandatory training with an uneducated coach. Perhaps even worst, they are unable to reach their true potential because they are NOT maximizing their ability to get stronger, more explosive and adding necessary muscle through safe and effective training methods. I have PERSONALLY been there and done that myself as a teenager in high school, following ineffective bodybuilding methods that had me Look Strong, yet I was NOT Strong.
Athletes need what I call "Performance Muscles", and because I know the pain of injuries and regret, this is why you see me getting fired up when I get into the topic of training athletes.
I wanted to address a few tips for training high school athletes as I get these questions on a frequent basis. By no means is this a complete, exhaustive list, just a few tips......
1) Should an inexperienced high school lifter be doing power cleans, squats, benching & deadlifts?
NO.
NOT even with a light weight, the coordination is simply NOT there..... yet. It takes TIME. Train for the long haul, not for the immediate gratification of today and tomorrow only.
Build up their coordination with VERY simple exercises that yield a fast return in strength and coordination. Movements such as push ups, pull ups, bodyweight squats & lunges, sled drags, light Kettlebell farmer walks, ab exercises, high handle trap bar deadlifts, grip exercises and tons of band pull aparts.
2) Should young athletes max out every month for 1 rep?
The monthly max out test is common for high school athletes, regardless of their experience levels.
Should teenagers do this?
NO.
Instead of using only the 1 rep max as an indicator, why not see if they get stronger from month to month or week to week on specific movements, or as Dave Tate calls them, indicators.
You can test some safer options, such as a vertical jump, broad jump, flying 10 or 20 yd dash with a 10 yd lead up.
Once you begin testing 1 Rep Maxes with young athletes, technique goes out the window and injury chances increase.
I have seen too many half squats and bent back, jumping jack "power cleans". It's a recipe for disaster, I still have no clue how administration doesn't create a standard for the "weight room supervisor".
If you keep a training long or simply remember in your head what you did for Trap Bar Deads 3 weeks ago for 5 reps, see if you can get a lil' stronger for your 3 - 5 rep set today. How many pull ups did you get last week or 2-3 weeks ago compared to today?
Every workout is an assessment and every week you are testing yourself to see if you're stronger as a young athlete.
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3) Strength is NOT always measured in the number of reps or amount of weight. It could VERY well be a greater demonstration of body control or control over the weight.
Improved technique demonstrates greater strength.
For example, an athlete does 5 pull ups but his legs are swinging up on each rep and he squirms his way to the top. 2 weeks later he bangs out 5 TIGHT reps, abs and legs are rigid, upper body pulls in a straight line with NO wiggle room. THAT is a Legit increase in strength. The reps are the same, but each rep looks 20 x better, you dig?
Don't forget, make these workouts FUN... not just the style of training, but the atmosphere AND environment must be FUN and Competitive.....
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I was in a high school weight room when a Football team was testing their 1 rep max on squats. I could NOT believe what was going on in there and how anyone with half a brain couldn't see from a mile away that this was some seriously dangerous stuff! The weights being used were waaaaaaay beyond their control and even the exercises selected were too advanced for these skinny kids.
NOTE: If you need to add a BIG Ass Pad to the bar when doing squats you need to get OFF the squat bar and focus on building your body up to handle a heavy bar across your back with OUT the BIG pad. Instead, build up your back, traps, legs, trunk / ab stability and entire body FIRST. EARN your way to the squat rack, that's the bottom line!
This is also why I am NOT a fan of timed workouts such as CrossFit style workouts.
I have found that NO matter how much you tell an athlete to stick to form and technique during a timed workout, the form goes to shit.
4) Poor form = Poor results.... and soon enough, injury, especially if timed workouts are with added resistance.
Watch the video below, and even though only bodyweight training, watch how a timed workout alters the focus on technique and quality to a focus on racing others and achieving a better time. These athletes were experienced and challenging them with a timed workout caused short reps and not the best technique.
As you can see..... even with repeated coaching and even threatening their life the form of these bodyweight exercises went OUT the window.
We deleted ALL times from this entire challenge at the gym & told the athletes that if technique is NOT legit, NONE of it counts.
There are OTHER occasions where time can be implemented safely and effectively.
Here are a few of those times where we've experienced success doing so.
- Running - You can't half rep the runs! Race for 100, 200 or 400 mtrs.
Race for 40 or 100 yd dash......
Hill Sprint Races.....
- Underground Sandbag Challenge - The bag MUST touch the ground each and every rep and the bag must get ON top of your shoulder each and every rep. 30 Reps of sandbag shouldering.
This is always a FUN challenge and pushes the athletes.
- Bench Press Your Bodyweight x Max Reps - Touch the chest every rep and lock out the arms every rep, leave 1 rep in tank for technique. This is cut and dry. The bar must touch the chest every rep, lock arms every rep.
Or, you can choose a set weight for the athletes.
Or, have them go for a 3 or 5 RM.
Today, with technology, you can test velocity / bar speed.
Test basic jumps such as a box jump, broad jump or vertical jump.
The key is to be on the constant improvement of training methods for your athletes.
On the flip side, adding competition to workouts fires these kids up, so you MUST find a way to incorporate competition within workouts but focus on technique. If technique wasn't up to your standards (and you should push for HIGH standards) then it doesn't count.
5) Should young athletes take their sets to max effort or failure?
NO.
Even experienced lifters are learning more and more, optimal workouts WIN, NOT Maximal Workouts.
I suggest leaving a rep or two in the tank on barbell lifts. This ensures best technique and best results.
Grind style reps are usually too advanced for high school athletes to perform safely.
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Listen to Louie Simmons talking maximal training VS optimal training.... He encourages lifters to leave with energy in the tank. Athletes even more so should leave with energy in the tank because the reason behind their training regime is to improve their sports performance.
Check this freshman wrestler out, 14 years young. He started with us exactly 3 months ago, trains here 2 x week. He began weighing 105 lbs and got to 117 lbs, adding 1 lb a week for 12 weeks. He'll wrestle at 113 lbs this season.
This young wrestler works the basics:
- Kettlebell farmer walks
- Pull Ups / Push Ups / Handstand Push Ups
- Sleds
- Back Extensions / Swings
- 1 Arm DB Rows
- Dumbbell Benching
- Kettlebell / Dumbbell Clean & Press
- Trap Bar Deadlifts
As you can see, ATTACK the basics!
By the way.... beginner or NOT, you need to attack the basics for LIFE. The movements listed above are regulars in my workouts as well. Why? Because they are LEGIT for producing results. Period. End of Story. DO Them.
But... Here are a few CRITICAL elements of a training program for high school athletes in addition to performance improvement:
- Improve Mental Toughness
- Increase Self Confidence
- Teach Discipline / Commitment / Intensity / Passion
Remember, we want to train these young kids for LIFE both on AND off the competitive sports field. People nowadays are soft, always whining, crying, making excuses and overall, are mentally weak. F**K that, some of your workouts need to be hellish (once they are ready for them) so these athletes understand what it means to go through a battle and fight to come out on top.
QOD (Question of the Day): How did you train when you were a teenager? What do you WISH you knew back then that you know now?
Peace!
--Z--
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I just found out a certain gym that will remain nameless … has the PT sessions last 30 minutes. Normally I’m use to 60 because thats when people really start to get what your trying to teach, but when you have a new person coming to see you for only 30 minutes, wheres the time to warm up and cool down???? If your only seeing then 1hour instead of two a week, how effective a teacher/training is truly going on? While not impossible to do with someone that has a little bit of training under their belt, that person will feel cheated because they’ll want more! Really … nameless gym?!?!?!?! Thanks for the post Coach, form is everything and should never be bypassed for the sake of performance, or time.
My teens may have only been 4 years ago but training has changed a lot in those short 4 years! Too many curls and not enough barbell strength work. Now going back to basics frequently and hard. Squats, deads and bench coupled with your bodyweight stuff Zach! Effective!!
No offense, but it seems like you contradicted yourself a few times in this article. You say HS athletes should not Squat, Clean, Bench, or Dead than go on to suggest they Bench their body weight for max reps, while a few sentences later claim that they should take their sets to failure?
It’s also my opinion that the basics should be taught early. Of course, I’m not nearly as experienced as you, and I look up to you in many ways, but I disagree with things here and there. For example, I believe the Bench, Squat, Dead, and even Power Clean should be taught as early as possible for HS athletes with very light weight to work on their form, while slowly and incrementally loading the bar each week. Once their form looks clear cut, than Linear Progression each week is applied to the basics. This is all done during the offseason. This is safe, effective, and I also believe it teaches them a lot about body awareness as well. The Squat will teach proper lumbar activation and spinal awareness and leg/hip drive, just like the Dead will. I’m not advocating this over body weight workouts, but having both is good and I don’t see how a 16 year old with a proper coach could injure himself performing proper basics.
@Mike: Mike – NO offense taken.
Corrected, bodyweight bench for submax reps (1 in tank). The focus here is the fact that is measurable – the arms MUST lock and the bar MUST touch chest
I do NOT agree in starting w/light weights on squats, bench from get go. It takes some time to get there.
I have heard some coaches feel the same as you, including Coach Rip – I have found through testing this that they develop great body control w/learning tension through basics of bodyweight exercises and basic KB farmer walks….
try teaching a BRAND new to kid to bench press:
– squeeze shoulder blades (upper back too weak)
– drive with legs and engage entire body (coordination not there yet, understanding not there yet, tension not there yet)
– try teaching a new kid a power clean with an empty bar – back will round, technique of hips back will not be understood / coordination won’t be there
We build up ALL these weak areas so when it’s TIME to teach benching, cleans, etc their muscles are strong enough to HOLD Proper Technique
So, no, I am NOT contradicting myself.
On the benching of bodyweight, we would have to BUILD them up to this…. and although I say MAX, when we train here we leave a rep in the tank to keep technique clean
Regarding basics taught early, I’d say bodyweight exercises are considered “basics”
I’ve seen plenty of guys who can lift heavy from the get go yet can’t do a push ups or pull up
bodyweight exercises from the get go are safe and smart and also, for the big guys, helps us realize if we’ve got to lose some bodyfat to be more effective on the playing field
^ I meant “each workout” in regards to the LP. Woops.
18 now. I wish I had done more overhead work, squatting, sandbag, bodyweight, hill sprints and had heard about you and other guys like you. Great post! Definitely true about timed workouts. One thing I hate seeing is bad technique as I have had friendly competitions or helped others with training and their technique and form are so-so or ugly. 🙁
I’m 52 now. I first lifted at age 16. I was too focused on trying to look good. I wish bodyweight training had been emphasized then, because I was a very skinny kid who had no business trying to squat heavy; I ended up blowing out a disc. I was just too impatient.
Now, I do a mix of bodyweight, kettlebell, and weight training, plus some sandbag moves. I don’t worry about the weight I use, as long as I can get a good wokout with good form, and I’m in great shape.
@Pencilneck: slow and steady is the name of progress, regardless of our age, AGREED, my man, always appreciate your comments 🙂
I started training two years ago and I’m a teenager and what I regret of is the ubiquitous mistake, trying to bulk. Fuck, I totally lost control of my body, bulking is a no no no.
@Kinshiro: don’t confuse bulking w/eating MORE QUALITY foods.
I recommend eating more quality but training on the regular bro, train hard and at your age those muscles will SOAK up your added nutrition!
Back in the ’70’s in highschool we trained on the Universal Gym machines. We thought it was a big deal to bench press the stack, 255lbs. We used the Universal Gym for my sophmore and junior years. At the end of my senior football season, my dad signed my brother and I up for training at a gym where we were introduced to barbells. We thought we were strong, benching 255 for reps on a Universal Gym. We were really humbled when we attempted bench even 100lbs with a barbell. The owner of the gym was used to seeing guys like us. He had patience and taught us to bench, row, press and squat. I don’t know why he excluded deadlifts.
I wish I had been exposed to training with olympic barbells earlier in my highschool career. It made a huge difference in my overall size and athleticism.
@Big O: Bro, we used the Universal in early 90s! ha ha
I AGREE – I wish I knew less ghey bodybuilding and more powerlifts and o lifts as an athlete
It woulda been a GAME changer for me, NO doubt!!! Agreed, my brutha!
As a natural farmboy, I was already doing frequent heavy labor. It was not unusual to manhandle a 400lb tractor tire. We would have to flip it to get it standing upright—roll the damn thing (not as easy as you may imagine, haha!) to set it up. A shitload of loading 100-200lb logs and of course, the famous wheelbarrow walk. In my town, no joke, everyone called me the boy who can lift and carry anything. I took great pride in that. This is when I was a kid, ironically I was fat as hell. Due to the fact i ate like shit and never really exercised besides my labor. So, i turned to the “muscle mags” and when I was a teen at 320 lbs..i knew these dudes “HAD” to be right!
After the course of wasting my time for 3 years or so—i finally came to my senses and actually realized what strength training was all about. I read Steve Justa’s book, Dinosaur Training….just the two—it was enough to set me back on track. (Now ya’ll are lucky to have Zach’s website haha!) From then on—getting brutally strong was the only way for me. Never looked back. Now at at 190lbs and aiming to get back upt to 225-250 …..muscle, baby.
If I had to make one advice to all novce lifters—even though I am 23, it will not change my opinion, is to start with bodyweight basics. Slowly include barbell lifts.
More importantly!! Realize that just because you follow a specific program (Say, Arnold’s bodybuilding program” does not mean you will look like him.) Listen to what your body responds best to. It is very important to stickkkk with *your* program for the longest time. A small change every now n then is recommended but never change your entire program just because you failed to attain a specific goal rep or whatever. Shit happens…who knows you could probably get double the amount of reps 2 weeks from then. Ohh! The best tip is to realize, in the iron game—everything takes time. Don’t think you’re going to be elite overnight but after years of back-breaking work….expect to be a monster.
Two of my favorite stories in Zach’s posts—Big Boy George…2 exercises—set after set. The same damn thing all the time..getting stronger and bigger every time.
The other one—the Madman at Noon—welding plates directly to the barbell. That is one surefire way….of KNOWING, guaranteeing you’re always getting stronger.
One last thing–
Major props to that kid in the Vids for his hardwork. Goodluck in your wrestling season—I got no doubt ur gonna create some thunder *Slam that muthaf**ker to the ground!* Haha!
Incredible 60 year old man. Just goes to show what bodyweight training can do for you.
http://msn.foxsports.com/video/shows/what-the-fox?vid=ecf482be-374c-4caa-a19f-61d885808054
I wish i knew more of the benefits of strength training when i was younger. Playing football all we ever really concentrated on outside of skills training twice a week was cardio. All i use to do was run, didn’t know what a squat was, could do some push ups only 1 chin up and that was it. I spend a lot of teenage sporting years on the bench injured. It messed with my head and i ended up throwing in the towel after years of injuries which could have been avoided if i performed the basic bodyweight exercises and some hamstring targeted exercises.