---

---

QUESTION:

Dear Coach:

I am the parent of a very athletic 9 year old boy. So far, he has has a lot of success in baseball, football, and all of his sports. It is becoming obvious that he is not very quick or fast. He is a pretty good sized kid but it sure would help if he were faster. What do you recommend for someone at that age? Are there programs to do or is he too young and should be left alone? What about weights? It is cnfusing to me because I was always small and quick, but he is much larger than I was at the same age levels. Once he gets going he is pretty fast but the "getting started" part is the problem. Thanks for any suggestions and information.

Billy W.

ANSWER:

Dear Billy,

Thank you for writing to our "Questions for the Coach" section. It is nice to see a parent who is concerned with the safety and applicability concerns surrounding performance enhancement programs.

Due to concerns with inappropriate volumes, intensities and loading schemes not every speed and strength training program will be suitable for a nine year old athlete. It is important to remember that prepubescents and adolescents are not miniature adults. Rather, these athletes have specific concerns and physiological differences that are unique to their age and maturity levels.

That being said, there still exist some very significant and safe methods that can help your son to become a faster athlete. Be careful to progress at a safe rate: move to a new activity or skill only after mastering the intricacies of the previous one or ones.

From your description, it sounds like your son needs to develop his starting strength and ability to accelerate.

I would recommend the following strategy:

1. Develop basic biomotor skills
a. Emphasize drills that promote improved balance, movement skills, and kinesthetic awareness (the ability to sense your body's position in relation to the surrounding environment).
1. These include foot and hand speed drills that emphasize control, coordination and balance
2. Learn correct running form
a. This should be done with the help of an experienced track or speed coach. If one is not available, please refer to the list of video resources at the end of the column.
b. Concentrate on the following type of drills and exercises:

1. marching drills
2. skipping drills
3. ankle-knee-hip interaction drills
4. arm swing drills

3. Develop "Starting" Strength

a. The ability to overcome inertia and get the body moving quickly in a specific direction is often a combination of reaction and power.
1. Reaction

a. The ability to react to external stimuli and cues is a trainable quality.
b. Drills should emphasize the performance of a quick start or pre-rehearsed skill/ movement/reaction to a variety of visual cues (i.e. hand signals, foot movements, lights) and/or auditory cues (i.e. beeps, whistles, claps, finger snaps, music, etc.)
2. Power Development
a. The ability to produce as much force as possible as quickly as possible is essential to the process of propelling yourself in a desired direction (forward, backward, sideways)
b. Learning to drive your feet into the ground with as much force as possible as quickly as possible is key to the process of exploding off the blocks or starting line.
1. the reaction forces from striking the ground will result in a strong and quick triple joint extension of the ankle, knee and hip, which will in turn propel you forward.
2. improving your ability to "put force into the ground" as quickly as possible will allow you to improve both stride length and stride frequency, which are keys to increasing running speed
c. Power is a blend of strength and speed. Applicable drills to help increase your ability to produce power include:
1. medicine ball training
2. jumping, bounding, and leaping drills (limited plyometrics)
3. sprint drills
4. Olympic style weightlifting drills with pvc or ultra light technique equipment
d. The above drills should only be preceded by the development of an adequate strength base.
1. a good benchmark would be the athlete's ability to handle his own bodyweight in a variety of exercises
a. These would include, but not be limited to:
1. Pull-ups
2. Push-ups
3. Squats
4. Lunges - Fwd, Rear. Lateral
5. Split Squats
b. In addition, the ability to jump/skip rope for 3-5 minutes may be a good indicator of the athlete's ability to perform power training exercises.
e. Refer to the resource list at the end of the column for specific guidelines on incorporating strength and power training into a pre-pubescent's activity program.
1. Reckless performance of too high a volume of exercises or drills, too high an intensity or too much external loading can result in permanent injury to the athlete.
2. Always consult an informed and experienced sportsmedicine physician prior to allowing a young athlete to particiate in strength, speed and power programs. A good pre-participation screening is a must.
4. Be Specific
a. After developing a base of athleticism, concentrate on performing drills that meet the demands of sport and the position within the sport while respecting the individual medical, physiological and psychological constraints of the athlete.
5. Be SAFE
a. In addition to the precautions stated above, never let the athlete perform unsupervised training or competition. Consulting a certified coach (CSCS, Degreed and licensed Physical Educator, USA Track and Field Coach, USAW Coach - for Weightliftng technique) is one of the best ways you can assure that your son will get the safest, most effective training.
b. When in doubt, BACK OFF. Do not push past pain, discomfort or fatigue.

Please consult the following resources for specific drills and precautions concerning speed and power training for pre-pubescents and adolescents prior to initiating any program. Good Luck with your training.

Resources: (I apologize for any improper references)

Strength Training for Young Athletes, Kraemer and Fleck, Human Kinetics Publishers

NSCA Position Papers on Pre-Pubescent and Adolescent Strength Training

Plyometrics - Farentinos and Radcliffe, Human Kinetics Publishers

Proprioceptive Plyometrics Video, Vern Gambetta, Gambetta Sports Training

Straight Ahead Speed Training Video, V. Gambetta and S. Odgers, Gambetta Sports Training

Optimum Power Training Innovations, Rich Lansky, Optimum Performance Training Productions

Speed Development Manual, Chris Dunaway, Jim McDonald and Gretchen Daniels, Optimum Performance Training Productions

Medicine Ball Training Manual, Rich Lansky, Jim McDonald. Optimum Performance Training Productions

Sincerely,


Richard C. Lansky, CSCS
Director of Sports Performance
OPTI Sports & Fitness Clinic
Sarasota, Florida USA




NOTICE: THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE IN THIS COLUMN ARE NOT MEANT AS MEDICAL ADVICE.

YOU ARE URGED TO CONSULT A PHYSICIAN OR THE APPROPRIATE MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY OF THE ACTIVITIES, DRILLS OR EXERCISES DESCRIBED IN THIS OR ANY OTHER PART OF THE O.P.T.I. SPORTS & FITNESS CLINIC WEBSITE

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PERFORM ANY OF THESE ACTIVITIES WITHOUT QUALIFIED SUPERVISION, SUCH AS THAT PROVIDED BY A LICENSED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL OR CERTIFIED STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING SPECIALIST

---

If you have questions about sports performance, conditioning, or other health and fitness related topics, e-mail them here.

Our professional staff will answer selected questions and post the responses on this page.