Secondary Fitness Characteristics in Young Athletes

The secondary fitness characteristics include balance, multi joint strength, power, speed, quickness, agility, movement skills and reaction skills. Together, the secondary characteristics of fitness enhance the movement abilities needed for real life actions and sport participation. The goal is to improve the mind-muscle connection, making the muscles more compliant to the brains commands, while enhancing inter segmental communication, linking the kinetic chain for more skillful movement. Training the secondary characteristics of fitness involves creating “smart muscles” through enhanced neural circuitry and muscle recruitment.

For young athletes, these attributes help improve athleticism which provides a better base from which to train specific sport skills. Athleticism must precede sport-specificity. It also sets them up to so well in other activities. I strongly discourage early streamlining in one sport which often leads to burn out, disinterest and overuse injury. The best athletes will rise to the top, and early sport specialization narrows kids athletic potential.

Obese children need balance and agility however these demands must be regressed to a simple and safe prescription. Keep exercises less complex, low impact and low speed. Obese children can do well on selectorized weight stack machines. In fact it is one activity they might out perform their peers of average body composition. Isolation strength training takes away coordination demands and allows them to enjoy success, pushing good weight and seeing quantified results. Early success may be helpful towards exercise adherence and buy-in. Having said that, there are some low impact, in-place supine, prone and CKC ball, dumbbell and tubing exercises that can also be trained safely, increase the metabolic cost and subsequent caloric expenditure, and begin to improve coordination. At the end of the day, this population must also feel more competent in movement if we hope to inspire them to lifelong activity.

The Twist Team!