#110 - Why Strength & Conditioning is critical for developing footballers
Channel: High Performance Content for AFL Staff & Athletes
Date: 2024-04-07

Highlights from the episode: 

00:00 Teach fundamental movement patterns
01:05 Teach them how to sprint and the importance of stiffness
02:04 How to develop their skills, movement competency
03:00 Things to avoid and steer away from
03:45 Do Regular strength testing

Strength and conditioning for young footballers emphasize mastering fundamental movement patterns without load initially, including squats, hinges, lunges, presses, and pulls, to develop body weight control and foundational stability.

Progression from double-leg exercises to single-leg exercises is key, starting with simple bodyweight exercises and gradually introducing load to enhance movement competency and overload muscles appropriately, exemplifying a progression from box squats to single-leg split squats.

On-field training focuses on sprinting techniques, teaching athletes upright front-side mechanics, minimizing overstriding, ensuring efficient foot-ground contact, and promoting ankle stiffness to improve running efficiency and reduce energy loss.

Incorporation of gymnastics and Olympic weightlifting can significantly benefit neuromuscular development and movement competency, offering diverse challenges to the athletes' stability, plyometric ability, and strength, while cautioning against high-volume training programs for those with low training experience.

Regular strength testing and a training diary are recommended to track progress in key lifts and overall movement competency, avoiding high-intensity training like one-rep maxes for athletes under 16 and focusing on progressive overload and technique improvement.

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