Athletes
This page is designed for the athlete that just wants a little bit more.
I will give some information about the different components of fitness and how you can use that knowledge to train specifically for sports and activities that you are interested in.
I will give resources for workouts and exercises that you can do to improve these different components of fitness as well.
Don't push your kids too early
I believe that the most important factor to have as an athlete is drive or motivation or grit (whatever you want to call it). This comes from within the athlete themselves. They may get this motivation from many different things, but it rarely comes from their parent pushing them too hard. You need to let your children be children, they will know when they are ready. You can harness this motivation and challenge them with the right activities, but if there is too much push back, then you likely need to back off because eventually they lose interest if it isn't coming from within. Keep it fun, don't let it become like work, keep them internally motivated.
I will give some information about the different components of fitness and how you can use that knowledge to train specifically for sports and activities that you are interested in.
I will give resources for workouts and exercises that you can do to improve these different components of fitness as well.
Don't push your kids too early
I believe that the most important factor to have as an athlete is drive or motivation or grit (whatever you want to call it). This comes from within the athlete themselves. They may get this motivation from many different things, but it rarely comes from their parent pushing them too hard. You need to let your children be children, they will know when they are ready. You can harness this motivation and challenge them with the right activities, but if there is too much push back, then you likely need to back off because eventually they lose interest if it isn't coming from within. Keep it fun, don't let it become like work, keep them internally motivated.
Increasing Speed and Power
Speed and Power are two of the most critical components of most sports. If you are the fastest player, that can jump the highest, with the hardest shot then you will have a huge advantage over everyone else. These two qualities can be improved with the right training. Training for speed and power involves short intervals (less than 7 seconds) of very intense activity (your fastest, or highest, or furthest) with large amounts of rest (until you are ready to go your fastest again).
Here are some things you can do around the house/yard/street:
1. Short sprints (Race someone if you can, you can even give them just enough of a head start, or take just enough of a head start in order to make the race very close. This will encourage you to try your hardest and go your fastest.)
2. Broad Jumps (Try to jump as far as you can for 3 jumps in a row, then rest, this one doesn't seem hard but it is, your body will need at least 1 minute to rest)
3. Bounds (It's like sprinting, but each step is like you are springing off the ground as high and as far as you can - we say run like a deer)
4. Box Jumps (You don't need a box for this, just stand near something you want to jump onto, take off with two feet and land on two feet, try different areas around the yard or house and try to get higher and higher. If you've found a good height then stick with that for a while. Do about 5 jumps then rest)
5. Climb or Monkey bars (Jungle gyms and playgrounds are amazing for total body strength, but we can't use them at the park now so if you don't have one at home then maybe try climbing different things. Ask permission first of course.
There are also many great workouts for both of these in the Nike Training App that is completely free.
Here are some things you can do around the house/yard/street:
1. Short sprints (Race someone if you can, you can even give them just enough of a head start, or take just enough of a head start in order to make the race very close. This will encourage you to try your hardest and go your fastest.)
2. Broad Jumps (Try to jump as far as you can for 3 jumps in a row, then rest, this one doesn't seem hard but it is, your body will need at least 1 minute to rest)
3. Bounds (It's like sprinting, but each step is like you are springing off the ground as high and as far as you can - we say run like a deer)
4. Box Jumps (You don't need a box for this, just stand near something you want to jump onto, take off with two feet and land on two feet, try different areas around the yard or house and try to get higher and higher. If you've found a good height then stick with that for a while. Do about 5 jumps then rest)
5. Climb or Monkey bars (Jungle gyms and playgrounds are amazing for total body strength, but we can't use them at the park now so if you don't have one at home then maybe try climbing different things. Ask permission first of course.
There are also many great workouts for both of these in the Nike Training App that is completely free.
Volleyball
Basketball
Soccer
Training for Soccer
Start juggling the ball (alone or with a parent/sibling, use your feet, your thighs, try to keep it up with your head with a partner)
Shoot against the fence or a wall
Dribble through obstacles
Play pass with your parents or siblings and use different parts of the foot
Have a penalty shootout with a parent or sibling
Practice some tricks from Youtube
Throw the ball high in the air and settle it with different parts of the foot
Start juggling the ball (alone or with a parent/sibling, use your feet, your thighs, try to keep it up with your head with a partner)
Shoot against the fence or a wall
Dribble through obstacles
Play pass with your parents or siblings and use different parts of the foot
Have a penalty shootout with a parent or sibling
Practice some tricks from Youtube
Throw the ball high in the air and settle it with different parts of the foot
Track and Field
Training for the Sprints and Jumps
Baseball
Training for Baseball