Ask any child or young adult who is involved with sports what they like most about their involvement, and you are bound to get a plethora of different responses. This could be looked at as kids just being kids, living life in a simple and beautiful manner while not realizing what exactly they should be enjoying. In reality this is a reflection of the beauty that sports has to offer and how it can impact our youth’s way of living and molding into a better person.
Notice how I did not say better athlete. That comes with time and the randomness to which certain kids will feel drawn to athletic activities while others find their passion in separate hobbies. You will notice that the longer the athlete is involved in competitive sports, the more hunger they create to get the upper-hand in competition. This is where individualized training comes in to play. This is the point where the athlete is willing to work harder and more frequently forms the idea that the knowledge of a professional expert could possibly push them to the next level. Whether it be a faster mile time, more size and explosiveness, or even training to better balance skills for sports such as wrestling and gymnastics. The day a young athlete realizes the benefits of this, they are hooked. While working with a professional personal trainer offers numerous benefits, there are three critical elements a fitness professional can provide that are critical to a young student-athlete’s success: education, motivation and accountability.
Professional fitness trainers have devoted themselves to understanding the human body and its movement. Trainers constantly have to educate themselves on the latest and most efficient exercise technique, program design, behavior modification and nutrition. Not only do they have to know these things, but they have to be able to implement them into their personal lifestyle in order to ensure their client’s success. After a thorough assessment, a trainer has the ability to design an exercise program and assist you with a nutrition plan specifically related to your health and fitness goals. Being a young student-athlete not too long ago, I was that kid who thought coaches were just making athletes do things to do them with no real purpose behind them. Fast forward 10+ years and I would have given anything and everything to truly understand what specific training exercises and programs could actually transform me into a better athlete.
Professional fitness trainers are able to help young athletes determine why there health and fitness goals are so important to them. They are then able to provide them with the necessary support to keep them motivated and on track. As a professional trainer we have to be able to relate to our clients on an individual basis. This is important, especially with the younger student-athletes. They have to truly buy in to everything the trainer is trying to get across.
Lastly, it is the trainer’s job to hold the young athlete accountable to the goals to which they have set out to achieve. By keeping them accountable – especially early on in their program – their workouts and healthy eating habits will become a more consistent part of their life. This type of consistency over time will lead to accelerated results.
No matter age, gender, or experience every person who attempts to live a healthy and fit lifestyle eventually learns that in order to succeed they have to attack their goals one day at a time. The ability to be present in that specific moment is the difference maker is unlocking the true potential both mentally and physically.
If you look only at what is, you might never attain what could be.