Periodically we will highlight a successful strength and conditioning program that was created to keep kids healthy, fit and strong. While the design of the programs may vary, all of them are taught by qualified teachers, coaches and youth fitness leaders who understand the uniqueness of childhood and adolescence and the importance of having fun. Our goal is to share different training philosophies and program ideas that can help to enhance the quality of your youth strength training program. We welcome your comments and suggestions and look forward to hearing about your kids' program. You can reach us at coach@strongkid.com.

Our featured Gold Star Program is the "Coed Functional Conditioning Program" at Greenwich High School in Greenwich, CT. The director of the program is Patrick Mediate MA, CSCS who is an award-winning Physical Education and Health teacher at Greenwich High School. Pat is the current Chairperson of the NSCAís State Director Committee and is the Vice President of Health Education for the Eastern District of AAHPERD. Pat is also the President of the Connecticut Strength & Conditioning Association and Physio-Fit Inc.

There has been a noticeable change in the level of athleticism that many students and athletes exhibit in high school and middle school. Parents believe that their children are great athletes. However, it is obvious that a growing number of these young student athletes have been increasingly unable to physically and mentally handle the rigors of sport activities.

The physical potential of many kids is being limited by a sedentary and in some cases, adult lifestyle. In the high school setting we realize that this phenomenon has its roots in the lower grade levels. By the time students reach ninth grade, it may be already too late to achieve their genetic potential due to a lack of preparation at a younger age. For many experts the answer has been to increase the number of youth sports opportunities and make them available to children as young as four years old.

More Challenges ...

Many young athletes are turned away from sports at an early age due to poor coaching and inappropriate conditioning methods. In addition, youth are constantly bombarded by muscle magazines promoting supplements as a way to get bigger. In fact, some personal trainers have kids doing things with no rhyme or reason. Young athletes need a reputable source of information for safe and effective models of coaching and conditioning that is easily available and trustworthy. To survive, we have begun to address the issue of sensible preseason conditioning for athletes at Greenwich High School.

The Program Philosophy ...

Research has shown that the unstructured and spontaneous movements associated with play up to age ten seem to develop physical functions, fluid motor movements and the healthy development of the brain stem. To substitute this with organized sports that are limited to skill development, game strategy and competition is frivolous. This approach to our young athletes comes at the expense of improving functional athleticism and performance. These children exhibit signs of developmental gaps in functional physical capacity. We often see the byproduct of this problem in the form of poor balance and posture, a weak upper body, and weak core abdominal and lower back strength. Conventional training methods were not countering this growing problem and in some cases added to its complexity.

The Program Goals ...

The program presented here can fit into any situation at any level and involves minimal expense. Its main intention is to improve athleticism. All the programming is plyometric in nature. Plyometric movements are safe and effective components of youth activities. When performed correctly, these movements enhance speed and strength. The key concept is that we don't play sitting down, and therefore this program does not include resistance exercise machines. Instead, it utilizes medicine balls, balance boards, and various apparatus to elicit the neuromuscular changes needed to develop functional conditioning, which is the creation of movements that mimic natural body positions and situations that can occur in a game. For instance, doing a lunge-type movement while holding a weighted ball at different positions away from the body during a constant state of motion is an effective movement. This causes the body to reach outside of its inner balance zone. How far can we step and still maintain dynamic equilibrium? The participants create the answers to this task on their own, thus learning the movement forever.

The Program Design ...

All students and athletic teams at our high school participate in the VO₂MAX preseason functional conditioning program. This six-week program is held 3-4 times per week in a 45-minute session using activities that develop athleticism and confidence. This form of informal plyometric training utilizes leather medicine balls, jump ropes and sticks. With these apparatus we have designed a fun, safe and effective program that includes both bounding and jumping activities to produce quick feet and strong joints. The program has been very effective, with a 30% improvement in all post test scores from our test battery. Without the proper preparation youths are as vulnerable as the "weekend warrior" who plays the game without any pre-conditioning at all.

Pre and Post Testing ...

The pre/post test is important in establishing a baseline conditioning level. The selection of specific tests creates a relationship between our conditioning methods and the test battery. The test also creates tangible evidence that athletic improvement is achieved and measured. The positive results become a great source of confidence and self esteem. One program goal is to have all participants single leg squat their body weight.

• Two-leg Shuttle Run [15 sec timed from a sitting position, straight legs with heals on ball].
• Standing Medicine Ball Throw [right and left arm individual throws].
• Vertical jump.
• Ball push ups [both hands on ball, legs 6" past shoulder width].
• Sit-Up/30 sec.
• 20 Yard Run test.

Why We Are Successful . . .

The success of our program is due to qualified supervision, proper instruction and safe and effective programming based on research. Conditioning must begin at an early age, and it must be widespread. There should be little difference between athletic teams and PE classes in training philosophies and methodologies.

For more information on the Coed Functional Conditioning Program
at Greenwich High School
or to purchase a program video, contact Pat Mediate at:

Physio-Fit, Inc.
P.O. Box 60
Riverside, CT 06878-0060

Email: Fitpat@dellmail.com
Website: www.medballforall.com