PHASE IV FITNESS ACADEMY | STRENGTH FOR YOUTH

by Robert Forster, PT

At PHASE IV training the student athlete is our most important task. Developing a young athlete to their greatest potential takes a long-term perspective, a sound scientific approach, support, and patience. The Phase IV Fitness Academy utilizes our knowledge in physical therapy, exercise physiology, nutrition and coaching – the latest in sports sciences – to focus on the long-term health and development of the student athlete.

With the right approach to exercise and diet, puberty is a once in a lifetime opportunity to create the most dramatic bodily changes. At this stage of development, hormones provide the physiological basis to radically change bodies and develop stronger, leaner athletes, with improved balance, agility and speed- but only proper training provides the stimuli to achieve these results.

PHASE IV Student Fitness Academy was created to bring 30 years of experience in training elite Olympic and Professional athletes to the children of our community. As the parent of a Santa Monica High School student athlete, I found a great need to implement a scientific approach to student fitness and athletic preparation. We have used this science based program successfully to help athletes win 42 Olympic Medals, several High School State Championships and dozens of US and World Records in a variety of sports. Adolescent training programs must be anchored in science, have a long term perspective and require patience and guidance.

Most private student athlete training facilities are not scientific in their approach to fitness. The Phase IV Student Fitness Academy teaches age appropriate strength and flexibility exercise to promote injury prevention, create functional joint stability, improved posture, and proper nutrition to fuel your child to their highest possible potential in sport.

PRE-PUBESCENT ATHLETE PROGRAM

Before the hormonal surge accompanying puberty, the pre-pubescent student athlete has little potential to build muscle and develop strength. This does not mean, however, vital strides towards improving performance cannot be made now. It is critical to get a jump on the developmental issues that accompany the growth spurts of athletes at this age.

Flexibility and Posture

In adolescence the bones grow at a faster rate than the tendons, ligaments and other connective tissue structures resulting in a severe loss of flexibility of the hamstrings, gluteal muscles and lower back. This is the primary issue hampering performance mechanics in young athletes. The star prepubescent athlete, who develops these flexibility problems as they grow, will become slower and appear less coordinated, often performing at lower level of proficiency. This athlete needs to be supported psychologically and instructed in an appropriate and safe flexibility and posture program immediately, so as to emerge from puberty a contender once again.

Preparation for Muscular Development

Before the onset of puberty the hormonal stage is not set for advanced muscular development, but light handheld dumbbells and ankle weights are used to work the small “helper muscles” around the joints to protect joints and to improve the neurological connection between the brain and the muscle. This prepares young athletes for the heavier workouts that are appropriate after the onset of puberty.

PUBESCENT ATHLETE PROGRAMS

For the student athlete in puberty there is a window of opportunity as their body develops and matures. Hormone levels rise and provide a great capacity for fitness adaptation. If training in this period is not future looking, maturation appropriate, progressive and safe it does not serve the highest good for young athletes. Any less thoughtful approach can limit the ultimate level of performance and success attainable later in an athlete’s career.

During puberty is where hormonal surges serve to create bodily changes that are not possible to the same extent at any time later in life. This window of opportunity must be explored with safe and effective total body exercise to increase the size and strength not only of the muscles but of the skeletal structures as well. The bones of lower extremities, pelvis, rib cage and shoulders, will all be stimulated to grow bigger and stronger serving to increase performance later in their career.

Training programs to accomplish these musculo-skeletal changes involves heavier loads in the weight room, but can only be done safely if the flexibility and joint stability work is accomplished during the pre-puberty preparation training program.

THE STUDENT ATHLETE & SPORTS SPECIALIZATION

Studies have shown that young athletes who specialize in one particular sport all year long, as oppose to playing several sports to develop a broad range of sport skills, will peak earlier and most often will limit their potential for ultimate performance levels later in their career. They suffer greater number of injuries and burn out more often, never to achieve their ultimate athletic potential. Phase IV strongly discourages early sports specialization. Our trademarked approach to adolescent fitness training has been honed over thirty years in the results driven world of elite athletics, where injury prevention and performance must go hand in hand. We have distilled all the hype in the fitness world to include only safe exercises with a proven track record of getting results! The Phase IV Fitness Academy is economical, safe and effective.