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:
- Have your child face down on the floor resting on his forearms.
- Push up from the floor, raising up onto toes while resting on his elbows. Keep that back straight!
- Hold for 10. Drop.
- Proceed with 5 pushups.
- 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.
