Youth Training, Why Kid’s Aren’t Mini Adults | The FIT Facility
As a parent, you want the best for your child; that’s why you’re reading this article. Whether that means helping them get faster for sports, building their confidence, or simply giving them a healthy, active lifestyle.
So when it comes to training, it’s natural to look for a program that promises results.
But here’s the hard truth: not all training and trainers are created equal, especially when it comes to training kids.
One of the most common mistakes in youth fitness is treating children like miniature adults.
Coaches put them through adult-style workouts, lifting weights (with a focus on intensity) too early, or focusing on "grind" over growth. The intentions might be good, but the long-term effects can be anything but.
At FIT, we train children, teenagers, and adults but we don’t train them the same way. And that’s exactly why we see better results. Here’s what every parent needs to know before enrolling their child in a program.
Children aren’t mini adults, they have different metabolic capacity, thermoregulation, musculoskeletal System and respiratory systems.
METABOLIC CAPACITY: Children rely more on aerobic metabolism and fat oxidation than adults and have a lower capacity for high-intensity anaerobic work. They recover faster from high-intensity exercise and accumulate less lactate than adults.
THERMOREGULATION: Children are less efficient at regulating their core temperature during exercise, making them more susceptible to overheating, especially in warm environments.
MUSCULOSKETAL SYSTEM: Children's bones are still growing, and their growth plates are more vulnerable to injury from repetitive stress. Their muscle strength and power are lower than adults, and their strength gains are primarily due to neuromuscular adaptations rather than muscle hypertrophy.
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM: Children have a greater relative anatomical dead space (the volume of airways where no gas exchange occurs), leading to a less efficient breathing pattern compared to adults. Their ventilation is greater at any given exercise intensity, possibly to compensate for the greater relative dead space
From a cognitive development standpoint children differ from adults in the following ways: Maturation, skill development, cognitive/psychologically and psychosocial factors.
MATURATION: Children are undergoing continuous growth and development, which can affect their training response and recovery. It's important to consider their biological age (maturation) rather than just chronological age when designing training programs
SKILL: Younger children benefit from a focus on developing fundamental movement skills and physical literacy through play and participation in various sports. As they mature, training can become more sport-specific and focused on skill refinement.
COGNITIVE/PYSHCOLOGICALLY: Children's cognitive and psychological development also impacts their training. Younger children have a shorter attention span and are less able to understand complex training instructions. It's crucial to provide a fun and engaging environment to foster a positive attitude toward exercise.
PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS: Children and adolescents may also experience greater stress and pressure to succeed in sports. This can contribute to an increased risk of burnout, overuse injuries, and overtraining.
Hopefully this context will provide further framework as we go on.
Children Learn Differently And Need to Be Coached Differently
So with all that in mind, at ages ~9 to 12, your child is developing motor skills, coordination, and confidence. They need a program that teaches movement first, not one that tries to load up a barbell before they’ve mastered how to move their own body. Look for a coach who uses cues your child can understand, makes training FUN and engaging, and celebrates effort, not just outcomes. This age is where movement patterns are formed for life. A solid foundation here gives your child a massive advantage later.
Most of everything they do will look ugly and probably be wrong (and that’s ok). This is often their first exposure to said exercise/drill and they’re still learning.
IF YOU AS A PARENT ARE GIVING THEM TOO MUCH INFORMATION, YOU ARE INHIBITING THEIR LEARNING PROCESS :)
So give them some grace and let them learn.
Additionally, if you’re reading this and the coach let’s you stay in the gym while they are training, this is likely stressful for your athlete, if you’re trying to coach them from the “sidelines” it IS stressful to the athlete and rude to the coach. So be mindful of the training process for your athlete and their own ability to learn new skills.
Long Term Athletic Development
Dr. Istvan Balyi developed framework for viewing training and it is as followed:
1. FUNdamental Stage (ages 5-10)
2. Training to Train Stage (ages 10-14 for males/9-13 for females)
3. Training to Compete Stage (ages 14-18 for males/13-16 for females)
4. Training to Win Stage (ages 18-plus for males/16-plus for females)
FUNdamental Stage
The FUNdamental Stage should be well-structured and fun. The focus isn’t on structured training or sport-specific skills but on helping kids develop a broad foundation of fundamental movement patterns: running, jumping, throwing, catching, kicking, skipping, balancing, and more. This is where coordination, agility, and basic athletic skills are formed, and they’re best developed through play, exploration, and engaging activities that keep kids active and smiling.
At FIT, we embrace this stage through our youth classes designed to build athletic potential in a way that feels like play. We introduce efficient movement patterns, age-appropriate agility drills, and reactive games that develop coordination, rhythm, and body awareness; all within a fun, encouraging environment.
Our goal isn’t to push young kids into hard training but to help them fall in love with movement while giving them the tools they’ll need as they grow. By focusing on movement quality and variety, not early specialization, we help set the stage for lifelong athletic development.
Training to Train Stage
The Train to Train stage is all about building the foundation for long-term athletic success. This phase focuses on developing the athlete’s physical engine rather than chasing immediate performance outcomes. Structured training begins to take shape, emphasizing movement efficiency, strength development, aerobic capacity, and the introduction of core training habits like proper warm-ups, cool-downs, recovery, and nutrition. It’s also a critical window for teaching athletes how to train, laying the groundwork for discipline, consistency, and body awareness.
Rather than early specialization or a focus on winning, this stage should prioritize quality movement and general athleticism. At FIT, we approach this phase with a coaching-first mindset, using our proven system to teach athletes how to move well in all planes of motion, develop foundational strength, and build the habits they need to train smart for life. Our programming introduces structured progressions, reactive speed work, and multiplanar strength development, all while keeping the environment fun, engaging, and rooted in long-term growth. Athletes who go through this stage with intention and guidance are far better prepared to handle the demands of high-level training and competition later on.
Training to Compete Stage
The Training to Compete stage is where athletes begin to shift from building the engine to learning how to use it, this phase emphasizes refining sport-specific skills, developing advanced physical qualities, and preparing athletes to perform consistently under competitive conditions. Training becomes more intense, more specialized, and more tactical. Athletes in this stage should already have a strong foundation from earlier phases, now it’s about applying that foundation in a focused, performance-driven setting.
At FIT, we approach this stage by taking everything an athlete has built: movement quality, strength, coordination, and work ethic and channeling it toward performance. Our programming becomes more individualized, addressing the specific demands of an athlete’s sport, position, and goals. We focus heavily on multidirectional speed, reactive agility, and multiplanar power development, while also reinforcing strength and capacity to sustain high outputs over time. Tactical awareness, mental preparation, and recovery strategies become a key part of the conversation. Whether it’s getting ready for varsity, recruiting, or the next level, this stage is about preparing to compete with confidence, and we make sure our athletes are ready.
Training to Win Stage
The Training to Win stage is the pinnacle of athlete development, focusing on preparing athletes to perform at the highest levels of competition. Typically occurring after the age of 18, this phase is for athletes who are competing at elite levels, whether in college, professional sports, or other high-performance arenas. At this stage, the focus is on optimizing performance, fine-tuning sport-specific skills, and refining physical capacities to give athletes the edge they need to win. Training becomes highly specialized, with tailored programs designed to maximize strengths, address weaknesses, and prepare the athlete to consistently perform at their best when it counts most.
At FIT, we work with athletes in the Training to Win stage by offering individualized, sport-specific programs designed to push the limits of what their body can do. We prioritize peak performance, integrating advanced strength training, power development, and sport-specific conditioning. Mental preparation and competition strategies play a huge role, as athletes learn to manage stress, stay focused, and peak at the right times. Recovery protocols are just as important as training sessions, ensuring athletes stay in optimal physical condition throughout their competitive seasons. This stage is about winning (cash money) not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.
Our goal at FIT is to help athletes not only perform but thrive when everything is on the line.
Investing In The Future
Hopefully by now we’ve built some framework on how and why we’d choose to train young athletes the way we do and how to spot a great training (age appropriate) program for young athletes. By incorporating the principles of the Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model into training we can best ensures that your child’s fitness journey is structured around their unique needs at every stage of growth. By focusing on proper movement patterns, building confidence, and progressively increasing intensity based on their developmental readiness, we set them up for lasting success, not just in sports, but in life.
At FIT, we believe in training smarter, and we’re committed to giving your child the foundation they need to thrive, now and in the future.
Ready to give your child the edge they deserve?
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation or trial session by clicking here and see firsthand how our training approach can make a difference.