In the matter of speed and agility training for kids, they certainly have a lot more going for them than adults.
As soon as the nervous system is fully developed, it is in a state where peak performance can be achieved for speed and agility more easily than virtually any other aspect of physiology.
Of course, depending on their age, kids cannot handle the same level of physiological load as adults.
Even though they have some natural advantages and can often find fun and excitement in developing their speed, courses of training should be adjusted.
It is important to “scale down” training so that kids will receive the maximum health and wellness benefit that they can without excessive risk of injury or physiological strain.
However, that does not mean that kids need to be talked down to.
With the right development and motivation, kids can become great athletes. The skills that they develop as athletes will also serve them in good stead throughout their entire adult lives.
Speed and Agility Training For Kids – Remember…
1) Sprint training is important for developing speed for kids. However, kids cannot deal with the same load of reps that adults can when it comes to high intensity training such as sprints. It is more important to develop a moderate approach.
2) Kids have not had time to develop mindful awareness of their body and its limitations. Things like heat exhaustion and dehydration can come on quickly. It’s important to keep a close eye on kids to ensure their performance and capabilities match up.
3) Kids, like adults, suffer from the same syndrome of recovery. They should be allowed more recovery time than adult athletes. This protects their growing systems and allows them to build up the mental discipline they need.
Speed and agility training for kids can be made more fun with a variety of different drills and exercises.
Kids take naturally to exercises that are similar to games, such as jump rope training.
On the other hand, kids might find it difficult to go through some of the more boring and rigorous drills that adults use, such as sprint training.
These should be used sparingly.
To learn more about the best methods for speed and agility training for kids, contact the athlete training experts at Train For The Game LI!
