Chris here is your quote with my notes inside...my notes will be in CAPS...I am not yelling
quote:
I've come up with the following workout program for my 15 year old son. He is small for his age (5'6", 118lb) and still has a lot of growing to do. At the advice of local PT, I have kept all reps to 15 in order to minimize the possibility of injury due to open growth plates.
THIS IS A MYTH. YES, CERTAIN PRECAUTIONS NEED TO BE MADE WITH YOUNGER ATHLETES, AND I DO RECOMMENDA SLIGHTLY HIGHER REP RANGE (TYPICALLY 10-12) THAN FOR MY OLDER ATHLETES, THE KEY HERE IS TECHNIQUE AND NOT LOSING POSTURE TO PREVENT INJURY. THERE IS NOTHING MAGICAL ABOUT 15 REPS, ESPECIALLY IF THE 15TH REP IS HARD AND POSTURE (I.E. TECHNIQUE) IS LOST.
IN THE WORKOUT YOU LIST TWO EXERCISES (LEG RAISES AND CALF RAISES) TO FAILURE. NEVER WORK TILL FAILURE. THERE IS NO NEED AND THIS IS A QUICK WAY TOWARDS AND INJURY AND IMPROPER MOVEMENT PATTERNS
In addition, I eventually want to work in some speed/agility and plyometrics as well. What do you think? Too ambitious? Any concerns/thoughts?
DONE PROPERLY SPEED/AGILITY IS WORKED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WORKOUT. EXERCISES SUCH AS SQUATS, DEADLIFTS, POWER CLEANS, POWER SNATCHES, PULLUPS AND PRESSES CAN ALL DEVELOP SPEED AND STRENGTH, AS WELL AS MANY OTHER FACETS OF ATHLETICISM.
PLYOMETRICS ARE DONE INCORRECTLY BY 99.9% OF COACHES WHO ATTEMPT TO DO THEM. TOO OFTEN A BASE IS NOT BUILT ON VERY BASIC PLYO EXERCISES SUCH AS THE DEPTH JUMP AND HOLD. USUALLY TENS OF EXERCISES ARE INTRODUCED WITH ABSOLUTELY NO CARE IN POSTURE OR VISION. IF YOU ARE DOING PLYOMETRICS IN REPS ABOVE 3 YOU ARE DOING THEM INCORRECTLY. IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE GROUND WHEN DOING PLYO'S YOU ARE DOING THEM INCORRECTLY. I WOULD SKIP THEM AT THIS POINT OR DO VERY BASIC VERSIONS. THEY ARE EXTREMELY DEMANDING UPON THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AND WITH THE OTHER WORK YOU SHOULD BE DOING THESE ARE NOT NEEDED UNTIL A PROPER BASE OF STRENGTH AND MOVEMENT IS ESTABLISHED.
GYM EXERCISE (MWF) Set #1 Set #2 Set #3
Sit Ups: 25 reps
Incline DB Press: 15 reps
Leg Raises: Failure
Seated Bar Curls: 15 reps
Leg Press: 15 reps
Bent Rows: 15 reps
DB Lunges: 15 reps
Tri Press Downs: 15 reps
Leg Extensions: 15 reps
Front Lat Pulls: 15 reps
Hamstring Curl: 15 reps
Back Extensions: 15 reps
Step-Ups: 15 reps
Forearm Curls: 20 reps
Calf Raises: Failure
THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ANY RHYME OR REASON WHY EACH EXERCISE IS INCLUDED AND IN THE ORDER THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED.
WHY SO MANY MACHINES? STAY AWAY FROM THEM. THEY DO NOT TEACH PROPER MOVEMENT PATTERNS ARE ARE NOT "SAFER" THAN FREE WEIGHTS.
TOO MUCH ISOLATION WORK. THE BASIS OF ALL TRAINING SHOULD BE THE EXERCISES I LISTED ABOVE WHEN SPEAKING ABOUT SPEED. THE BODY DOES NOT WORK IN ISOLATION SO WHY WOULD YOU TRAIN AND ATHLETE LIKE A BODYBUILDER? HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A BODYBUILDER PLAY A SPORT?
YOU HAVE THE SAME EXERCISES IN THE SAME ORDER EACH EXERCISE. THIS WILL DEVELOP MUSCULAR IMBALANCES. EXERCISES THAT UTILIZE COMPLEX MOTOR PATTERNS, AGAIN SUCH AS THE EXERCISES I LISTED ABOVE, NEED TO BE DONE FIRST IN A WORKOUT. EVERYTHING ELSE IS PERFORMED OFF OF THAT.
YOUR "AB/CORE" WORK IS NOTHING MORE THAN TRUNK FLEXION. THE PROGRAM YOU OUTLINED IS A BACK INJURY WAITING TO HAPPEN. I RARELY USE CRUNCHES. THEY ARE BASICALLY USELESS. NO CARRYOVER TO THROWING, PITCHING OR SWINGING. YOU NEED TO FOCUS ON GROUND-BASED MOVEMENTS THAT INCORPORATE CORE WORK. AGAIN, I WILL GO BACK TO THE EXERCISE ABOVE. ADDITIONAL ROTATION WORK SUCH AS MEDICINE BALL THROWS, HOME RUN PRESSES, WINDMILLS, CORKSCREWS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, ETC NEED TO BE USED FOR AB/CORE WORK.
IN ADDITION YOU NEED TO INCORPORATE STATIC HOLDS SUCH AS THE PLANK, SIDE PLANK, BRIDGE AND HORSE POSE.
THE LOWER BACK TAKES A BEATING IN BASEBALL AND THIS PROGRAM WILL FURTHER DEVELOP AN ANTERIOR MUSCULAR IMBALANCE. IT CURRENTLY HAS VERY LITTLE POSTERIOR CHAIN WORK AND LOWER BACK WORK.
EXERCISES TO KEEP:
BENT-OVER ROW
LUNGES
STEP-UPS (HIGH BOX VARIETY USING ONLY LEAD LEG)
DROP EVERYTHING ELSE.
ADD:
SQUATS (ALL VARIATIONS)
DEADLIFTS(ALL VARIATIONS)
POWER CLEANS (HANG)
POWER SNATCHES (HANG)
PULLUPS/CHINUPS (ALL VARIATIONS)
PUSH PRESS
OTHER VERSINS OF LUNGES SUCH AS OVERHEAD LUNGE AND STAR LUNGE
MEDICINE BALL CIRCUITS
XVEST WORK
GROUND-BASED CORE WORK (EXERCISES LISTED ABOVE)
LADDER DRILLS FOR AGILITY/SPEED
I THINK 1-2 SETS PER EXERCISE IS FINE. 25-30 MINUTES IS PLENTY FOR HIS AGE. YOU JUST WANT TO START DEVELOPING PROPER MOVEMENT PATTERNS.
WHAT IS RARELY UNDERSTOOD IS 15 YEAR OLDS WILL GET STRONGER DUE TO IMPROVED NUEROMUSCULAR CONNECTION, BUT WILL RARELY GET "BIGGER" DUE TO WEIGHT TRAINING. SURE THEY WILL GROW, BUT THE WEIGHT COMES A FEW YEARS DOWN THE ROAD FOR MOST.
DAILY Set #1
Knee-Ups: 10 reps
Seated Leg Tucks: 10 reps
V-Ups: 10 reps
Bicycle Sit-Ups: 10 reps
Crunches: 10 reps
Lateral Crunches: 10 reps
Side-to-Side: 10 reps
Side Leg Drops: 10 reps
Seals: 10 reps
Thrower’s 10 (see attached)
PLEASE DROP THIS AB ROUTINE ASAP. ITS A NIGHTMARE WITH WAY TOO MUCH VOLUME.
FOR YOUR SON I WOULD DO A WORKOUT WITH ABOUT 25-35% OF THE ENTIRE VOLUME OF THE WORKOUT YOU OUTLINED.
I HOPE I DID NOT COME ACROSS TOO HARSH. I AM JUST TRYING TO HELP AND AGAIN, COMMEND YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO HELP YOU SON AND BE INVOLVED.
