Edge training is the process of gaining an extra edge while at home and without the use of any elaborate equipment or training tools.

Ultimately the goal is to improve hand-eye coordination (and other fine and gross motor skills), focus, flexibility, cardio and strength training.  Your athletes will not mind doing reps if you set up the program correctly.

Here are some edge training ideas you can do right now:

Ping pong ball bounce off paddle or toss against a wall if no ping pong paddle. It’s all about control and concentration, proceed to bounce the ping pong ball against paddle, upon progression, make it a little more difficult by hitting the ping pong ball off the spine of the paddle continuously. Ping pong balls are great because they are lightweight and unpredictable, therefore concentration is paramount.

Bear crawls. Bear crawls are a fun and easy way to improve core and strengthen your athletes’ neck and spine. It is not about speed when it comes to these bear crawls- it is technique, ideally as you move forward you reach forward with your right arm while stepping forward with your left leg. Keep hips low, keep balance and coordination. Go forward, sideways then proceed backwards. Ensure good posture. I love this because you can perform this exercise anywhere. Here’s a plan to execute:

Planks. More core, because I believe youth football coaches do not focus on core as much necessary. Love this because it is easy to teach to any age. Let us keep it simple, proceed into push up position, body parallel to the floor and hold. It is beneficial to train core when possible.

Skips for height. Much to like about this fun edge training exercise. Kids will gain in explosiveness while strengthening glutes and legs. Good opportunity to get cardio exercise in ;). To perform, start with a simple skip, perform a few reps as a warm up.  Now, it’s about height. Have your athletes jump and push off the ground with intent, drive the front knee up, reaching for the stars. Drive arms to improve torque.  I prefer doing this on soft grass, as it allows for a softer landing. Always ensure proper footwear when performing these to avoid unwanted injuries. View the video on technique:

There is a common theme with edge training, keep it simple and fun. Also, you want to ensure you vary your plan, from the above examples, you will notice we have various exercises focusing on development — hand/eye coordination, crawling and stationary core, and jumping cardio. Good luck!

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3 Things Athletes Should be Doing During the Off-Season

One of the best things athletes can do during the off-season is to play other sports. There are a variety of different reasons why student athletes should continue to play other sports. Besides the enjoyment of playing sports and learning how to compete, there are more tangible benefits.

Other Sports 

Whenever athletes are involved in any game involving a ball, they are working a host of different muscles and skills that will benefit them in football. Things like reflexes, fine motor control and change of direction are essential components to all ball sports and are best developed through play. One component that these ball sports tend to develop better than football is spatial awareness. Sports like basketball require athletes to analyze space. In the course of any drive they must find space, find ways to expand it and then find ways to attack it. These are complex skills that are crucial for all skill players in football and are very difficult to develop through drills.

Related Content: Bear Crawls for Spine and Neck Strength 

Non-Ball Sports 

Non-ball sports also bring a host of different benefits to football players. In non-ball sports like wrestling student athletes are developing an understanding for the human body and how to establish and use leverage to control opponents. This is a huge advantage when these athletes need to block or tackle during the season.

Track 

Another great sport for developing football skill is track. Track has a variety of different events for different bodies and they all help develop a specific set of skills. Obviously, the short sprints are great at developing speed and increasing athlete’s straight-line speed. While I am a believer in change of direction being more important than straight line speed, there is a need for straight line speed, especially in receivers. In the Shot Put and Discus the larger, stronger athletes are learning how to transfer their body weight to deliver the maximum amount of force. In addition, the majority of the techniques require a high level of footwork. This is an area where big men tend to struggle, and while the footwork doesn’t translate exactly to football, it will increase their foot speed and their ability to control their feet.

Related Content: Tennis Ball Reaction Drill 

While there are different drills that players can engage in during the off-seasons, the absolute best thing for them to do is get engaged in other sports. The benefits of these sports will carry over into their football season but more importantly they will be engaging with their peers and having fun competing.

The post 3 Things Athletes Should be Doing During the Off-Season appeared first on Youth Football Online.

What about growth stunt, is it a myth or not? According to the Mayo Clinic, light weights and controlled movements are best for children as not to adversely affect growth.

I prefer to combine flexibility training with lightweight training, as this will not only increase strength, but also be a force to prevent injuries. Yoga stretches is a way to get an edge, as yoga will help to increase flexibility and prevent injury.

For younger athletes, calisthenics are the perfect introduction to strength training.

Top 8 reasons your kid athletes need to strength train via calisthenics (push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups):

• Set the building blocks for a lifetime of physical fitness.
• Thwart the risks of childhood obesity by teaching the importance of nutrition with strength training.
• Football is a demanding sport, it requires a kid athlete be in optimal shape.
• Will keep your athlete occupied during the off-season, busy getting better rather than playing video games or surfing the web.
• Will ensure your athlete remains disciplined.
• Greater quality of life.
• The athlete will look and feel better.
• Builds confidence.

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As the season nears start, it is ideal to create a strength report card to assess the development of strength and speed of your kids. Set attainable strength goals for your kids and encourage them to meet or exceed them. As the season concludes, this will give you an idea of how your kids have gained strength. The off-season is the ultimate time to keep the momentum flowing from the youth football season, it’s also the right time to develop a physical edge by strength training.

Create a safe and structured football environment for strength training, and you’ll team will reap the benefits of strength training.

Visit our Youth Football Training category page for more articles on strength and conditioning training!

The post When Your Kids Should Begin Strength Training appeared first on Youth Football Online.

Bear Crawl For Spine and Neck Strength

From an equipment perspective the set up to the drill is very simple. The coach puts out 4 cones to create a 10 yard by 10 yard box. The more difficult part of the setup is to make sure your players understand the purpose of the drill. Athletes see a drill and normally want to do it as fast as possible because most drills in football are judged based on speed and explosiveness. With the Flat Back Bear Crawl it’s important to emphasize to players that this isn’t a speed or explosiveness drill, instead it is a pre-hab drill that is designed to prevent them from getting injured. And while they will not be judged on the speed, they will need to have perfect technique to get the most out of the drill.

The coaching points for the technique are very straight forward, but combine to create a great exercise for athletes. Players will get on the ground with only their hands and feet touching the ground. They will then crawl forward while trying to keep their stomach as low to the ground as possible and their back totally flat. Once they have reached the point where they can touch the cone in front of them they will move sideways (still facing the same direction) while trying to keep their body low and back flat. When they get to the next cone they will finish the drill by going backwards. Once the whole group has gone through in one direction they will go back in the opposite direction.

This drill is not meant to be a physically demanding drill. While it will physically stress some of the players the first couple of times they do it, by the end of the week they will be able to complete the drill with ease and can focus on their form. This makes it a great warm-up drill that players can complete in pre-practice so they can begin to get their brains focused on the work ahead of them.

(See Also) Pattern Running Change of Direction Drill

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This offseason we will work to reinforce the following key elements of athlete development-

• Conditioning/training
• Nutrition
• Hydration

The goal in offseason training is to build strength and stamina, and to keep the momentum that was built from the football season in constant flow.

3 Key weightless or lightweight exercises to perform in the offseason include:

1. Box Squats to build explosiveness and leg strength with no doubts on the end position of the exercise. Use two boxes side-by-side and work lateral movement. Remember, football is not an up and down field sport, lateral movement is pertinent to success.
2. Run! Run up hills, down hills, sprint and for distance. Obviously, a key for conditioning that can not be overlooked. Build creative drill stations in your backyard, keep it fun.
3. Burpees, start in squat position, thrust jump up, down into push-up position for (1) push-up, knees to chest frog jump and finish with jump squat. Start with 7 reps for 4 sets. Athletes will activate shoulders and triceps, core and build strong legs.

Find youth football drills right here.

The offseason is  your athlete’s chance to build endurance and therefore it can not be ignored.

A post shared by Youth_Football (@youth_football) on Mar 1, 2016 at 7:44am PST

Nutrition is essential to your child’s performance on the field, and well.. for his life. Teaching the fundamentals of eating consciously will only benefit your kid(s) in their lifetime- and they will pick up on your eating habits.

Promote what I refer to as the 3 food major food groups: fruits, vegetables and grains.

Sample meals-

Breakfast: Oatmeal with water and raisins, dates / dry whole wheat toast with peanut butter (assuming no allergies) and jelly

Lunch: apple / banana / hummus wrap with veggies

Snack: grapes / avocado

Dinner: Pasta / salads

Hydration continues to be a major focal point – whether in-season or off. Continue to stress the importance of consistently drinking water and fresh juice. While steering clear from sodas, ‘energy’ drinks and others.

Remind your athlete(s) to that no one is working harder and keep them motivated!

The post How to WIN in the Offseason #Beastmode appeared first on Youth Football Online.

Pattern Running Change of Direction Drill

The setup of the drill is very simple. There are two different patterns, one with 90 degree turns and one with 45 degree turns. Each of these patterns is going to emphasize different cuts that players will need to make throughout a game. By having two different lines as a coach you can have up to 20 players going at once (10 in each line). This makes it a great drill if you happen to be short on coaches. If you have an abundance of coaches and not many players you can have them go in one line at a time. Either way there are a few critical coaching points you should be looking for.

Related Content: Cone Drills for Speed and Agility 

In both patterns it is critical to emphasize the details and make sure players are getting better during the drill and not just trying to get through the drill. The first thing that I emphasize is finishing through the line. All players must accelerate through the line. If they let up early I will say their name and they know they have 10 push-ups and there is no debate about it. Players catch on very quickly especially when you emphasize that a critical part of the drill is teaching them how to accelerate out of a break. The other critical coaching point is that players should always be cutting off of their outside foot. This seems like something that would come naturally but many players will cut off their inside foot without realizing it. Once you make them aware of it they will begin to feel it and can give themselves feedback.

Within each pattern there are a couple of key coaching points. For the 90 degree pattern players are really work on dropping their hips to make cuts. Due to the nature of the cut, players must drop their hips and speed up their feet. Younger players tend to struggle to understand that by dropping their hips they can change direction quicker so it must be stressed early in the drill.

Related Content: The L Drill for Speed and Agility 

For the 45 degree pattern players will be working on a different type of cut. Instead of dropping their hips players will be making a single foot cut. On these one foot cuts players need to be exploding off of the foot and pushing through their ankle to change direction.

(See Also) Strength and Conditioning Program for Youth Athletes 

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The setup of the drill is very basic which makes it a great drill that you can do anywhere. To start the drill a coach is standing between two players holding two tennis balls. At the coaches feet is a container. The size and shape of the container can vary depending on the goal of the drill. The starting position of each player can vary but in the most basic drill each player is facing backwards. The coach will throw the balls out onto the court or field and give a go command. On the coach’s command each player will turn around and retrieve a ball and return it to the box. The first one to get the ball back to the box wins.

The simplicity of the drill is one of the strongest points of the drill. Because it is so simple, the drill can get up and running very quickly. In addition this simplicity gives the coach a huge range to tailor the drill to meet each individual player’s needs. If a player needs to work on operating in a small area he can give them a shorter toss while players that need to work on getting up to speed over a longer distance can get a longer toss.

There are a variety of different ways that the drill can be changed up but one of the best ways to change it is in the starting position of the players. When introducing the drill it’s best to have players standing so they can pick up on the drill quickly, but as players get more familiar with the drill the coach can start changing up their positions. This is a great time to work on getting off the ground and gaining speed form a non-traditional position. Some of the more popular starting positions are laying down on either their backs or bellies, on either knee, or on their butt. However you change the starting position players are going to be forced to learn to move efficiently and react to where the ball is going.

Another way to adapt the drill is to change where they are returning the ball to. While a box is a nice simple way to do the drill this can be changed depending on what you want players to focus on. One way to force players to pay attention to details and focus all the way through the drill is to make the box smaller. A perfect way to do this is to have a short saucer cone and have players set the ball on the top of the cone. This forces them to come to balance and focus while they are tired and under pressure. Another option to increase competition is to have the players return the balls to a tennis ball can. The one who get their ball on the bottom wins.

The Tennis Ball Reaction Drill is a great drill to help players work on their change of direction skills. It can be easily manipulated to focus on whatever the coach determines needs to be worked on. This simple drill is a staple of football conditioning programs across the country and can easily be adapted to any level.

(See Also) Strength and Conditioning Program 

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Cone Drills for Youth Football

The setup of the drill is very simple. As shown above the cones are spaced out over a 7 yard distance. The key element here is that players will finish through a line. This gives players a very clear starting point and finishing point. If they stop before they cross the line it’s easy to have them do a quick corrective exercise. The drills are easy to setup and monitor so you can have as many of them going at once as you need. This means there are very few players resting and more players are getting reps.

First Segment 

For the first segment players will run through the box. Here it’s important to focus the players on mastering the little things. This includes making cuts on their outside foot and not rounding corners. As players finish on the cone opposite of where they started they will set their line to the inside of the cone. Once the last member of their group goes through they will step back outside of the first cone and do the drill in reverse.

Second Segment 

The second pattern is the same as the first but will add some hip turns and lateral movement to get players used to changing their hips. Players will start running forward but when they get to the second cone they will flip their hips so they are shuffling facing the cone they started on. When they get to the third cone they will sprint through the line. Once they have completed it one way they will do it in reverse to return to their original starting point.

Star Pattern 

The next pattern they will run is the star pattern. There will be an added cone in the middle on this drill. For this they will start by running directly at the middle cone. When they get to the middle cone they will plant off their outside foot and go to the top corner cone. When they get to the corner cones they will sink their hips and get around the cone instead of planting their feet. This lets them work on different cuts all within one drill.

Chair Pattern 

The last pattern they will run will be to run the chair. For this pattern the coach will need to add extend the box by adding one cone on each side. On this pattern they will start the drill similar to the first pattern. The only difference is when they get to the end of the horizontal segment at the top they will flip their hips and backpedal to the top of the chair. Once they reach the top of the chair they need to drop their hips and finish the drill in a sprint.

Conclusion 

These are the four most common patterns of running that we use but the combinations are endless. The major thing you want from the players is that they are working on making cuts and accelerating between the cones. An added benefit is that players have to think on the fly and adapt to different patterns that are thrown out to them. This forces them to listen and make adjustments when they are tired. 

(See Also) The L Drill for Speed and Agility

(See Also) Strength and Conditioning Drills for Youth Football Players

The post Cone Drills for Youth Football | Speed and Agility appeared first on Youth Football Online.

The L Drill for Speed and Agility Training

There are many different variations of the L Drill but the setup of the drill is the same. Players start on the outside of the first cone. The second cone is placed 5 yards in front of the first cone and the third cone is 5 yards to the side of it.

Basic L Drill

The most basic pattern is very quick to learn and works on developing lateral change of direction as well as acceleration. In this pattern the player runs forward and touches the first cone, returns back to his original cone and then runs around the second cone, loops the third cone and finishes the drill by going around the second cone to the starting line.

As a coach there are a few things that need to be emphasized. The main coaching point is to have the players facing the third cone the whole time. By doing this the athlete will work on making cuts off of both of feet. In addition to this his times will be much better because he won’t have to swing his hips around.

The other major coaching point is to have players use their arms to accelerate between the cones. Many times they will let their arms fall limp because they are only traveling a short distance. This takes away the acceleration that the arms can generate.

Backpedal L Drill

An easy change to the L Drill is to change the first segment of the drill. One of the quickest ways to do this is by having players run the first segment but then backpedal the second portion where they are returning to the first cone. The key here is to have players touch the line with both hands. This helps them work on lowering their whole body which not only encourages lower back development, but also puts them in an athletic position to start their backpedal.

Bear Crawl Drill

Another quick, easy adjustment to the drill is to have the players do the first segment in a bear crawl and then sprint the rest of the drill. This does a few things that are beneficial to the player’s overall conditioning. First by bear crawling they are developing their shoulder strength and stability which is critical to staying healthy over the course of a season. The second thing this does is force players to get into a sprinting position from a non-traditional starting position. The body awareness they develop is critical in teaching them how to make transitions that take place during any game.

As you can see the L Drill is a critical drill that can be adapted to fit any need. By working to emphasize the change of direction players can increase their conditioning while still creating gains in their change of direction.

(See Also) Strength and Conditioning Drills 

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1. Arm Movement
2. Liftoff
3. Landing

Arm movement

Warmups: Raise Arms and proceed to swing down in sweeping motion. Rotate shoulders naturally, as they are intended to rotate.  Practice this 10 reps.

This motion is similar to how a speed skaters or a skiers generate speed, clinch fists, it is with intent, no flailing arms.

Liftoff

We need the athlete’s hips and shoulders to drive through.

Keep elbows in, Stand feet inside shoulder width apart.

Bend legs, lean slightly forward, dip hips forward with chest up. Practice slight liftoff.

Tip: Remember to practice using your athlete’s arms in a sweeping motion at takeoff to generate power and get height. Keep in control. 

Landing

The box used in this exercise for youth football athletes, it should not be a challenge to complete. Keep the box low and focus on technique.

Address feet positioning, are they landing squarely on the box? Correction needed if heals are hanging off in a precarious position.

Land feet wider on top of box, feet come together while landing off the box. Repeat.

Ensure you have a sturdy box jump training tool and be mindful of accident prevention.

Here’s a great video on the box jump–

The post Box Jumps for Explosiveness appeared first on Youth Football Online.

The benefits of running hills are vast and primarily include increases in speed, strength, and cardiovascular endurance. These attributes are vital for success in youth football and can be developed over time.

Again, particularly in young athletes, regimented strength and conditioning workouts are not necessary. Normal physical activity in the form of free play and other sports typically provides all of the physical preparation needed for football season.  However, structure can be provided as a means of enhancing athleticism beyond what would be expected in regular activity.

The key is to provide safe, age-appropriate activities.

Speed and strength training in the form of hill running is a perfect example of such structure. More effort is required to sprint uphill when compared to running on flat terrain because gravity becomes more of a challenge. This is an ideal form of training for youth because it is natural and does not require the need for any equipment. Although football fields are flat, hill training is sports specific in that the athlete is forced to use movements he or she would use on the field, but in a much more challenging environment.

Likewise, cardiovascular endurance can also be enhanced through hill training, depending on how the workout is structured. Again, a hill can provide football specific training that is optimal when compared to activity (cycling, for example) that wouldn’t be employed directly on the football field. Hill running mimics the flow of a football game in that each trip up (or down) the hill is a repetition…similar to running a play and having the opportunity to return to the huddle. It provides an environment to put forth a great amount of effort for a short time, followed by a period of rest.

Choosing A Hill

Seems simple enough, but there are a few things to keep in mind. First, when choosing a hill, choose one that has a grade (incline) no greater than 10 degrees. The steeper the hill, the more stress it can place on the muscles and joints of the lower limb….and not in a good way. Next, make sure the hill is SAFE. It should be covered in grass, free of rocks and holes, and in a safe area (not near a street)

Structuring the workout depends on the overall goal. Strength gains will always be a byproduct of hill training, however, longer rest periods should be employed for optimal results. To increase strength, the athlete must put forth maximal effort each rep. This is not possible if the athlete is too fatigued. Likewise, the athlete can’t increase their speed if they aren’t running as fast as possible. Thus, for speed training, the athlete must fully recover after an uphill sprint, prior to starting the next rep. Conversely, endurance gains are made by minimizing rest.

Sample Endurance Hill Running Workout:

*Remember to warm up and cool down.

1^st Quarter:

• 4 Uphill Sprints – The downhill jog to return to the starting position is the rest period.

2^nd Quarter:

• 4 Uphill Shuffles, alternate the lead leg each rep – The downhill jog to return to the starting position is the rest period.

3^rd Quarter:

• 4 Bounds (bounding is an exaggerated run with leaping strides) – The walk down hill to return to the starting position is the rest period.

4^th Quarter

• 4 Uphill Broad Jumps (the goal is to make it up the hill in in the least amount of hops as possible) – The walk down hill to return to the starting position is the rest period.

Overtime

• 4 Uphill Sprints – The downhill jog to return to the starting position is the rest period.

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We all know that proper hydration is at the focal point of all nutritional plans.  This idea is only intensified during exercise as, with physical exertion comes a much higher necessity for hydration. The human body’s ability to perform athletic movements precisely or to conduct proper exercise is decreased even with a small amount of dehydration.  At the point of dehydration, or simply not hydrated adequately your muscles won’t be anywhere near optimal performance, there’s a possibility of dizziness and your body will cramp quicker.

Many factors can change the levels of hydration needed. The environment is a major factor. Warmer weather increases sweat loss and, therefore, require a higher intake of liquids.  Humidity is a major factor, separate from temperature, that causes a person to sweat much more.  As the athlete becomes improperly hydrated, the sweat rate will reduce. This will cause the body temperature to rise.  Additionally, higher altitudes can cause more urination and more rapid breathing, which would also lead to a greater need for water intake.  Illness is another factor that can heavily affect hydration levels. Water losses of as high as 200 ml/day can be a result of a fever. Vomiting and diarrhea can cause dehydration very quickly.  Pregnancy, or breastfeeding, is another factor in hydration.  Women who are pregnant should intake about 10 glasses of 250 ml of fluids while women breastfeeding should consume upwards of 12 glasses.

The rate at which a person should consume water is roughly equal to the rate the person is sweating. During colder weather many athletes can tolerate slightly lower hydration levels that equal nearly 2% without a risk. However, in warmer weather (>80 degrees Fahrenheit) dehydration could lead to a heat injury (heat cramps, heat exhaustion or a heat stroke) and impairs power production and acute motor function.

Fluid replacement is the main focus of coaches across all sports when it comes to proper hydration. Most coaches and athletes don’t know, or care, the rate at which it’s acceptable for water loss or the amount of water an athlete needs to consume.  The idea surrounds the rate of hydration, water breaks, an athlete receives during exercise (practice or games). It is recommended that an athlete consume water prior to an exercise so as to better prepare the body to work, and help start the body at a proper hydration level. This should begin several hours before the exercise and continue until about 15-20 minutes before exercise.

You can’t talk about proper hydration without at least mentioning hyponatremia.  This is caused from an imbalance between hydration (increase) and electrolytes (decrease). With this imbalance, the sodium in your body becomes diluted and your cells begin to swell, which could cause mild health problems, and, at times, more severe, possibly life-threatening issues.

Bottom line – athletes and coaches have a direct responsibility to remain hydrated to promote safety and optimal performance.

See also: Importance of Sleep for Youth Football Athletes

GET BETTER EVERY DAY!

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Empty Calories – vs – Full Calories 

First, let’s look at calories, which are defined as single units of energy and the body’s method of turning food into energy.

An empty calorie, is just what the name implies, an empty (nutrient lacking) calorie. This is any food that contains lots of calories, but little to no nutritional benefit. Examples would be soda, potato chips, candy, and fast food. A standard candy bar will have high sugar content/ high calories, but no health benefit. Weight gain and disease result from eating too many empty calories.

A full calorie, will typically be associated with healthy proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Examples would include greens, beans, and fruits. Youth football kids exert large levels of energy and therefore need full calories for optimal football play.

Cut out the following offseason junk foods, and replace with the healthier alternatives. You will keep your athletes satisfied and prepared to play their best. Keep in mind, eating the wrong foods does not provide the proper nutrients (FUEL) for a growing youth football athlete. If you’re bringing junk foods into your home, limit or completely avoid purchasing these foods.

Candy bars and other sweets – substitute with ripe bananas. At 100 calories per fruit, bananas represent a great nutrition packed snack food. A ripe banana is at its sweetest point, and it contains fiber to give the ‘full’ feeling. This will provide the necessary fuel and energy boost your child needs to perform his best on the football field. 

Fast food hamburger/ hotdogs – substitute with homemade grilled sandwiches (featured portobello mushrooms with spinach and red peppers. Vegetable calories are favorable full calories. 

Soda (sugared, sugar free and diet versions) – substitute with seltzer water with squeezed lime, lemon or other citrus fruits.

Sugary cereal or bacon/eggs substitute with oatmeal with fresh fruits. Top with Flax seeds, for added nutrients, and maple syrup. Oatmeal is football fuel! 

(See Also) Youth Football Nutrition 

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Importance of Sleep for Youth Football Athletes

With millions of us deficient regarding our sleep patterns, it’s clear that we need more, better sleep.  Most of us actually need more sleep than we’re getting.  Surveys conducted by the American Psychological Association between 1999 and 2004 showed that over 70 different sleep disorders were represented in more than 40 million Americans and up to 60% of us report at least a few nights per week of sleep issues.  Possibly even more concerning, according to the American Psychological Association, 69 percent of children have experienced one or more sleep problems a few nights a week. Wonder why a kid is lost in space during practice?

Although we all have differing needs for amounts of sleep, the general rule is us humans are built for about 16 hours of conscious thought and approximately eight hours of sleep at night.  Some of us report that six hours of sleep is all we need, and that could be correct, but others state a need for up to ten hours according to the American Psychological Association. Children, up to about age 17-18, should receive closer to 9 hours for proper physical development and cognitive function.

During sleep muscle cells repair, muscles grow, growth hormone is produced, and protein synthesis occurs. Without these occurrences, our bodies will not be able to grow or repair itself as needed. Additionally, skipping sleep can drastically lower testosterone levels in as little as ONE WEEK. This lower testosterone is directly linked to lower energy, concentration problems, higher levels of fatigue and a decrease in strength. In a study by the University of Chicago Medical Center, 10 healthy men age 18-23 were deprived of sleep for one week and their tests showed a drop of 10-15% in testosterone. And we all know what testosterone does for us.

GETTING A PROPER AMOUNT OF SLEEP IS AS IMPORTANT AS ANY WORKOUT YOU CAN IMAGINE

The real question may be, how can us coaches apply these lessons to our lives, as well.

GET BETTER EVERY DAY!

(See Also)  Coaching with a Positive Attitude

The post Importance of Sleep for Youth Football Athletes appeared first on Youth Football Online.

1.  Fitness training keeps kids in routine and assists in the development of discipline. In order to reach desired goals, one must keep a strict routine. Just because they are not in cleats doesn’t mean they can be out on the streets.

2.  Physical training presents small challenges to overcome. If a child is presented with a task to perform pushups, 3 sets of 10 repetitions, each rep translates to a challenge to overcome.   Each set performed equals a successful mission.  Defeating obstacles will become second nature as long as your kid is consistent.

3. Kids have stressful lives with academic performance and other school commitments, after school activities including football and other sports – physical fitness is an ultimate stress reliever.

4. To be dominant in football requires consistent training. We learn from our talented group of  YFO All-stars the importance of consistency. Our group dominates the headlines of their local (and in some instances national) media outlets because they work harder then everyone else year-round.

5. Sedentary offseason lifestyle begets laziness.

6. Obesity is a nationwide epidemic. With the constant pressure to be unhealthy from the media, flashing images of cheeseburgers and other unhealthy food choices, as a parent it is  importance to counteract that message.

7. It’s not about working hard for part of the year and playing video games the rest. Video games are fun but in moderation. Don’t let your child be the kid that is up at 4 am playing ‘Call of Duty’.

8. A solid workout will help your kid sleep better. Sleep is important because it is the point where the body restores. Improved memory, learning and immune function are just a few benefits of proper sleep.

9. Fitness keeps kids away from their iPhones, iPads and other smart devices. Need I say more?

10. It’s a continuation of a structured environment. Football provides a controlled environment each day during the season. You’ll want to keep this into the offseason.

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