Progression: Getting the most from your athletes

Most athletes are go-getters. They'll do anything you ask them to do. And often times will do things you don't ask them to. When training them for fitness and performance though, a good coach will be careful not to do too much, too fast, too soon.

And this is where most athletes have a hard time keeping things at the right level. Far too often players want to literally jump right into whatever it is they are doing. They want to start with plyometrics and ladder drills and skip right over everything that lays the foundation for those fun exercises.

So here is a basic progression that you can use with your teams, your kids and your athletes.

Squat/Jump Progression

• Weeks 1-2 : perform basic body weight squats 3 sets of 20 reps (3 x 20) and hold each squat at the bottom for :03 seconds. Do this during each practice or 3 times per week.
• Weeks 3-4: perform a jump and hold the athletic position for :03 seconds upon landing. Perform 3 x5 - 3 days per week.
• Weeks 5-6: perform squat jumps and upon landing have the athlete take a small bounce before performing the next repetition. There will be no holding or pausing on the landing. Perform 3 x 8, 2 times per week.
• Weeks 7-8: perform repetitive squat jumps with no holding on the landing going right into the next jump 3 x 5 twice per week. Also have the athlete perform single leg squats with a toe touch, 2 x 12 each leg. Perform each of these exercises 2 times per week.

Remember, you have to have a plan in order to get the most out of your athletes as well as to prevent injuries. An excellent resource for this is David Sadler's DVD Plyometrics Training.  It's a terrific resource that shows you how to progress plyometrics for your young athletes.

We at Peak Performance take our athletes through a similar plyometric progression over a period of 12-16 weeks. This is how plyometrics should be taught. 

We want your young athletes to benefit from our years of experience and education. To sign up for our FAST Forward Program for high school age athletes or our Movement First Program for younger athletes, email me at aaron@pairmarotta.com.