Faster – Higher - Stronger!
The famous Olympic motto is ‘Citius - Altius - Fortius’ which means, Faster – Higher – Stronger! All of the athletes that will be participating in this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo have emersed themselves in this motto and mindset for years. This has enabled them to achieve the opportunity to represent their country and to take part in the greatest sporting show on earth.
It takes hard work, practice, and discipline to develop as an athlete, as every athlete wants to reach their potential and to compete at the highest level. But remember, that every athlete also started from somewhere, frequently from a young age. This doesn’t mean that they started their sport early, it normally means that they got involved and participated in a wide range of activities and sports – multi-activity-sport development.
Through engaging in a multi-activity and sport development, this will drive a range of fitness and skill adaptations – leading young athletes to run faster, jump higher, and both physically and mentally stronger!
As a young athlete it is important to try different activities, as this will help with skill development. Generally, activities fall into categories, like resistance training, plyometrics, balance drills, sprint relays, and specific-sport skills. All of these activities will lead to improvements in body-strength, balance, coordination, jump-ability, and faster sprints.
Try resistance training activities. These types of activities range from bodyweight movements to activities that require kettlebells and medicine balls. Resistance training is generally performed with slow movements. This is great, as it can help youth athletes to focus on their body control and posture. As the young athletes develop their strength and body-control, they will naturally increase their speed, which is associated with developing their overall power.
Good examples include - prisoner squats, lunges, backward lunges. These activities can be further challenged by adding a medicine ball.
Plyometric type activities are dynamic and fun. These activities are slightly different than resistance training, as plyometric drills tend to be more hopping, skipping, and jumping actions. Plyometrics are used in many games, like hopscotch, where you can practice both your hops and coordination skills.
Sprinting is also dynamic and fun. Plus, remember that sprinting is also a skill, and to improve at a skill you need to practice. You can practice your sprints in many ways, including -
- Practice sprints at different distances – 10 metres, 15 metres, 20 metres.
- Start your sprint from a static position or flying start.
- Relays – race your friends.
- Time your sprints.
Remember that sprinting is fatiguing, and you need to give yourself a full rest before trying to sprint again. By allowing a full rest before your next sprint, this keeps your skill level and effort high, which will improve your overall speed.
The Total Sport App provides a range of activities to develop strength, body-control, balance, and coordination.
Improve Fitness and Develop Sports Skills
The Total Sport App allows children to access fun and exciting activities that will help improve fitness, skills and confidence.
- Develop fundamental movement skills, such as agility, balance and coordination
- Learn new skills, and activities, like dance and yoga
