6 things your 12-year-old athlete must do to become a successful pro-athlete
So, this is my very first blog post and I decided to write about something that is very dear to me. Middle School Athletes & how not to burn them out.
I’ve been in the health & fitness profession for 6 years, and one of the most alarming things I have seen is this: 10-12-year-old kids being aggressively pushed into sport & pressurized to perform with minimal sleep and inadequate nutrition.
Here are some recommendations for what is really important:
- QUALITY > QUANTITY
Just because your neighbor decided to make his 10-year-old slog through 6 hours of tennis practice every day doesn’t mean he is going to play the Wimbledon at 18. On the contrary, the kid will either be injured, burnt out or simply not be interested in the sport by then if he continues that way. Quality over Quantity cannot be emphasized enough for this population.
- Your kid needs to have FUN!
If he/she is not enjoying the sport that they are playing, then there is no way she is going to be able to put in the number of hours it takes to be a pro athlete!
- Sport Generalization before Sport Specialization
Exposure to a variety of sports will help them grow physically, cognitively and socially in a positive environment. Kids should be encouraged to participate in 2-3 different sports until the age of 13/14. This will help them in developing strong foundational skills (running, jumping, throwing, catching, climbing, crawling, kicking, etc) and other soft skills (teamwork, sportsman spirit, leadership etc.) that are needed in order to be athletic & succeed in their chosen sport.
- Tournaments, Rest & Recovery
Teenagers should get 1-2 days of rest per week and not exceed 16-18 hours of practice/ training in a week. If they are 10-12 years old, chances are that they are going through a growth spurt or are about to go through one. I cannot emphasize enough on the importance of taking things SLOOOOWWWWLLYYY in this phase. Their bodies are adapting to a whole lot of new’s with their growing bones and lengthening tissues and the last thing they need is the added stress of tournaments & performance pressure.
- Sleep is their BEST friend
It has been reported that pre-teens need to get a minimum of 9 hours of sleep for optimal cognitive & physical development. If they are running on an empty tank of sleep, chances are that they are not only NOT performing at an optimal level, but they are also at a higher risk of injury and burnout.
- Wholesome nutritive diet & Hydration
This is the time when nutrition makes a big impact! Are they eating whole-some foods that are minimally processed? Are they getting in all the macro-nutrients (Carbs, proteins & fats) in adequate amounts? Are they drinking enough water & electrolytes through the day to replenish what they have lost?
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