High School Athletes Training Programs

Okay… So the ‘trouble’ really isn’t with high school athletes, per say,
it’s with the training programs they’re often forced to use.

And frankly, they don’t know any better.

But then again, neither do many high school Coaches.

Not a targeted shot, just reality.

So here are some of the problems I’ve seen –

1) Train Versus Teach

From Day 1, many incoming high school athletes are asked to ‘perform’.

Using lifts they are often unfamiliar with and receiving little to no
technical instruction, they are often left to their own devices.

That is without question problem number 1 with high school athletes.

2) Loading

Keeping #1 in context, the race to the ‘3,000 Pound Club’ is an
overt ‘motivation’ method that high school Coaches often employ.

If you’re not familiar, ‘The Club’ is your combined weight lifted on
bench, squat and clean.

So rather then learning HOW to lift, high school athletes are encouraged
to simply lift as much as POSSIBLE.

3) Competition

I’m all about natural competitive fires, but young athletes should never
be encouraged to compete against one another in terms of load.

And this happens A LOT more than you may realize.

Who can get to ‘The Club’ fastest.

Who can out-squat who.

These not-so-subtle forms of competition have been used frequently
in the high schools I’ve consulted with.

Again, I don’t blame high school Coaches.

Their job is tough enough without having the added responsibility of
finding the best and most credible training system with which to use.

But ignorance has never been a good defense so culpability does
reside at least partially in some Coaches hands.

What do you think?

I want to hear your thoughts on typical high school athletes strength and
conditioning programs.

Good?

Bad?

Ugly?

Let me know what your experiences have been.