Lockdown Workout for Sporty Kids & Parents!

If your kids are anything like my daughter, they will be missing their sports fix during this lockdown. The big problem though is how they should train during this time, especially with the trap of social media where the illusion exsists that to be in shape for their sport means having the same chiselled physique as their sporting heros. 

Then there is the mistake of looking at how their idols train and attempt to replicate their workouts.

The key here, parents, is to remember that we are training kids, not adults! To keep them healthy and efficient in later life kids must develop as many movement patterns as possible so that they are able to solve the physical challenges that they will be presented while playing their sport. Before organised sport, this involves general play before engaging in as many varied sports as possible up to their teenage years. Then they can begin to specialise in 1 to 3 different sports. I can go on for hours about this but I'll stop there so I don't get side tracked.

With lots of time on their hands, it is the perfect opportunity to improve your kids sporting performance ready for when they can rejoin their teamates. I will also add that if you play any sports yourself, especially team sports such as hockey, netball and football then this is also for you, so join in with your kids!

As ever, I plan workouts using the DrMe 4 Zone approach.

Read More Here on the 4 Zone Approach

First the warm up. Unlike us, the kids don't need to warm up like adults. This is an opportunity to learn movement patterns that help them to control their bodies during movement.

Next up, Zone 2 power development,  we are looking to enhance their central nervous system, by exposing them to fast explosive movements. This will result in your child developing the neural pathways needed for the quick reactions and explosive energy they will require to switch on the right muscles required for lighting speed, as they physically develop.

Strength is up next in Zone 3. But before we allow our kids to compete with one another by outlifting each other it is important to remind ourselves that they must first learn the correct techniques of the movements. This will help avoid injuries and actuallty enable them to lift heavier when they are old enough as they will be using a more efficient technique. Squat, lunge, push and pull variations are key in this area.

To complete the workout we have the fitness element also known as endurance or stamina work. I am not a fan of long distance aerobic conditioning work for the national league rugby team that I coach, let alone for the developing bodies of our young ones. I am, however, a fan of combining a series of movements into a circuit with shorter rest periods as a way of "conditioining" young athletes. Be creative with the movements you select, think of the different scenarios that they may encounter during a game. Lots of fun can be had here, especially if you join in too!

This isn't intended to be a full guide to the long term athletic development of your children. I just wanted to provide you some guidance as I have been asked by many of you for fitness ideas for your kids during this potentially challenging time. 

I'd love to see how you are all working out togther as a family. Please send any of your photos or videos to us via our social media links.

Enjoy.

Coach Ben is a certified strength & conditioning specialist (CSCS), personal trainer and golf conditioning specialist who has been guiding people to their health & fitness goals for over 25 years. He is also a NLP and Mindscaping practitioner, emotional inteligence coach, hypnotherapist and Time Line Therapist.  Ben has coached CEO's and executives of global companies, international athletes and currently heads up the S&C department at a national league rugby team while running DrMe with Ashley, his wife, along with helping out with his daughters football team, Bottisham Girls U11s. Ben's own sporting background includes proffessional football, national league american football and internationally with GB Bobsleigh.