Skip The Weights Do The Plank Pushup

For your youth football athlete, depending upon his age, you may be hesitant to start a strength program using weights. Understandable, as there are risks involved with lifting weights at a young age (see this article on Strength Training by Children and Adolescents by the American Academy of Pediatrics).

What we’re going to do is focus on the core in a very simple yet effective exercise- the plank pushup.There’s no need for any weights, just determination and a little space!

We’ll do a combination exercise. The plank is a simple but highly effective exercise using your his body weight.  It will assist in building a strong core, including abdominals and back. The pushup is considered the ultimate chest workout.  Here’s what your athlete is going to do:

1. Have your child face down on the floor resting on his forearms.
2. Push up from the floor, raising up onto toes while resting on his elbows. Keep that back straight!
3. Hold for 10. Drop.
4. Proceed with 5 pushups.
5. Drop and start the plank once again.

At Youth Football Online we’re dedicated to getting better each day- a great diet, exercise routine and sufficient rest is essential to obtain success.