Movement Competency Checklist for Young Athletes

Kids don't move nearly as much as they used to. These days, time spent couch surfing far exceeds time spent running, jumping, climbing, and monkeying around the playground. As a result, kids nowadays don't move nearly as well as they used to, either. The good news is that with great coaching, the damage can be undone. The bad news? The real-world outcomes are all too often quite the opposite.

 

Photo courtesy: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/children_shealth/9475493/The-couch-potato-children-who-cannot-throw-or-catch.html

The typical trajectory goes something like this. Due to an early childhood devoid of movement, Kid lacks balance, coordination, flexibility, and relative strength. Suddenly, around age 6, Kid gets thrown into competitive sports. By age 8, Kid is training year-round in one sport. By age 12, Kid has a nagging overuse injury. And by 16, Kid's burnt out and back to couch surfing, laying the groundwork for even more movement dysfunction, as well as a sedentary adult life.

It's up to youth sports coaches to reverse this trend -- to reinstate movement fundamentals and set our youngsters up for success. Unfortunately, however, many coaches unknowingly contribute to the problem. With a "go, go, go!" mentality, they overemphasize conditioning and severely neglect movement.

Take, for example, the peewee football coach who has his 8- and 9-year-olds doing high volume burpees before a grueling two-hour team practice. The last thing these kids need is more conditioning, let alone this flailing variety that whips their spines into rapid flexion and hyperextension.

Now, burpees themselves are not the enemy. In fact, they are a terrific full-body exercise -- but only at the tail end of a progression that begins with the essentials of squatting and planking and builds to pushing, pulling, lunging, and jumping.

Details of the three-phase "Movement Competency Checklist for Young Athletes" follow. Each phase includes between one and three bodyweight-only movements. Listed under each movement are the qualities assessed, the technical requirements, the performance standard, and ways to address deficiencies. Move onto the next phase only after all of the standards of the previous phase have been met.

Movement Competency Checklist for Young Athletes

Phase 1 – Static

☐ Plank

Photo courtesy: http://www.intheloop.com.sg/fire-up-the-plank/

Movement Qualities Assessed: Static core stability

Technical Requirements: Straight line from head to toe; abs, glutes, and quads all engaged

Performance Standard: 30-second hold

If Deficient: Widen feet

☐ Overhead Deep Squat Hold

Photo courtesy: http://www.ericcressey.com/tag/correcting-bad-posture/page/2

Movement Qualities Assessed: Ankle, hip, and overhead mobility

Technical Requirements: Weight on heels; crease of hips below knee level; upright torso; neutral foot, knee, and spine

Performance Standard: 30-second hold

If Deficient: Unload; elevate heels (see post on correcting the squat)

Phase 2 – Dynamic

☐ Push-up

Photo courtesy: http://www.bobgarontraining.com/synergy-kettlebell-pushup-challenge

Movement Qualities Assessed: Dynamic core stability; scapular control

Technical Requirements: Straight line from head to toe; protraction/retraction of shoulder blades; upper arms parallel to floor at bottom

Performance Standard: 10 reps

If Deficient: Place box under chest

☐ Inverted Row

Photo courtesy: http://www.thetrendytrainer.com/2013/01/trx-not-just-workshop.html

Movement Qualities Assessed: Dynamic core stability; scapular control

Technical Requirements: Straight line from head to toe; protraction/retraction of shoulder blades

Performance Standard: 10 reps at 45-degree angle

If Deficient: Cut angle

☐ Walking Lunge

Photo courtesy: http://rowfit.typepad.com/rowfitchicago/2010/03/

Movement Qualities Assessed: Left/right symmetry; balance; hip mobility; force absorption

Technical Requirements: Upright torso; neutral foot and knee; vertical shin

Performance Standard: 10 per side

If Deficient: Split squat

Phase 3 – Elastic

☐ Squat Jump

Photo courtesy: http://centennialfitness.ca/week-4-fitness-challenge/

Movement Qualities Assessed: Countermovement generation; rapid triple extension; force absorption

Technical Requirements: Neutral foot and knee; soft landings, minimal time between repeated jumps

Initial Goal: 6 reps, without significant drop-off in height

If Deficient: 12-inch box jumps (which are actually lower impact)

Neither Young Nor Athletic

It's never too late to improve movement. Although the checklist is presented for the young athlete, it actually applies equally well to all ages, stages, and vocations. The overweight college student, the 30-something desk jockey, the 40-year-old soccer mom, and beyond will all benefit from following the exact same progression. Better posture, suppler joints, and increased energy are just a few of the benefits that will emerge as the boxes get checked.