STRENGTH TRAINING THE FOUNDATION OF ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT

The majority of field and court sports and even many individual sports have similar general needs. All rely on speed, strength & power with strength as the foundation. Strength training should be the foundation of athletic development for all high school athletes. Here are three reasons why young athletes should participate in a strength-training program.

1. Strength Training Reduces The Risk of Injury
   Strength training improves an athlete’s durability by strengthening muscles, bones, and connective tissues like tendons and ligaments. Core strength and hip flexibility help reduce groin and hamstring pulls. Stronger athletes are able to land safer and decelerate properly. They are less likely to roll an ankle or sprain ligaments in their knees during a game or practice.
2. Strength Training Enhances Skill Development
   A common problem among high school athletes is their inability to control or move their body through space. They do not possess enough relative strength to properly perform basic movements & sport skills efficiently. Increasing relative body strength enhances skill development by giving athletes increased body awareness and movement capacity. A highly coordinated athlete with a balance of muscle and tendon strength will apply optimal strength & speed in the correct direction within the shortest time!
3. Strength Training Improves Performance
   Here are a few reasons why strength training is important for your sport and how it can enhance performance.

Football – The physicality of football means that athletes, especially young athletes, must be structurally strong and conditioned to compete safely. Upper and lower body strength is extremely important. Developing upper back and neck muscles can decrease neck injuries.

Soccer – Soccer is a contact sport with no pads. Athletes must be able to take hits and hold off opponents. Stronger soccer players will dominate in the box on set pieces. 54% of goals scored in the 2018 World Cup were in the box on set pieces.

Hockey is the fastest game in the world played and has the highest speed collisions in sport. Strength training is essential to ensure reduced injury occurrence and peak performance.

Basketball players with strength training improvement will be able to run faster, jump higher and box out opponents more effectively.

Swimming – Leg strength and leg power enhances starts and turns. One third of the race consists of starts and turns.

Baseball – Strength training creates the ability to control the body, as well as external implements, better. A hitter with more strength and power can now wait a split second longer in determining whether to swing at an incoming pitch.

Lacrosse Shot speed is a combination of technique, hip and torso strength. The more rotational power you can develop through your hips and torso, the faster your shot can be.

At Get The Edge, our strength-training program focuses on mastering body position and fundamental movement patterns first. This enhances mobility, coordination, and increases relative strength. Athletes also see dramatic improvements in speed and power along with developing a strength training knowledge. They have a better understanding of muscle mechanics, tempo and learn how to train with proper technique. After the foundation of has been built, athletes are ready to progress to ground based, multi-joint, and multi-directional strength training exercises that continue to improve relative strength as well as develop maximum strength. Strength training reduces the risk of injury, enhances skill development and improves performance. This is another way we help our athletes “GET THE EDGE.”