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Trip Report: Training the Prepubescent

An in-depth look at a unique seminar for coaches and personal trainers

A weight training seminar on why kids need to strength train? Barbells and dumbbells and squats – oh, my! Let’s face it: Today’s kids are less fit than ever before, and it’s a huge challenge to get them away from their snack foods, iphones and computers, and into the training room. That’s why Charles Poliquin’s “Training the Prepubescent” seminar is critical for today’s trainers and coaches. They need the best information available on safe ways to give young athletes a head start in developing physical superiority, regardless of sport, and non-athletes a better quality of life.

On January 11-12, 2010, Coach Poliquin held his first-ever seminar devoted exclusively to coaching prepubescent athletes. Much of the content had never been seen before in any format. Part of our Special Consideration Training Series, this course is open only to coaches who have attained at least a PICP Level I certification, as it builds upon the information and skills learned in that program. And as with all of these special events, the January seminar was sold out and had an international flair with coaches from across the globe.

In today’s economy, personal trainers and strength coaches must think carefully about what client markets they will target. Due to the limitations of the American physical system and to other factors Charles discussed throughout the seminar, the prepubescent market today is one of the most profitable and secure. In addition, trainers are not just limited to working with athletes – the issue of childhood obesity has become so serious that many parents are seeking the help of personal trainers who know how to get results with young people.

To ensure that the attendees would master the new material, Charles spent the first hour of the seminar reviewing the science of how to classify strength qualities and science, and the art of determining the basic loading parameters such as sets, reps, tempo and rest intervals.

Then it was time for the real work, beginning with a question: “What tempo should be used with prepubescents – fast or slow?” Charles says the answer is both, and it is influenced by the age of the athlete and the type of athlete being trained. In wrestling, for example, Charles says that due to the high amount of isometric contractions necessary during mat work, eccentric training protocols should be emphasized. After this lecture, it was time for the attendees to “walk the walk” with a workout in the weightroom at the Poliquin Strength Institute.

Because the first core lecture focused on eccentric and concentric contractions, Charles was inspired to put participants through a simple workout that included tempo prescriptions that emphasized both types of contractions. A simple workout, yes – easy, no. Although all the coaches and trainers in attendance were in great shape, most of them had a glazed look in their eyes about half way through what was affectionately nicknamed “the chin-ups from hell.”

After a lunch break in which those who had any physical energy left were encouraged to use the weightroom, it was back to the classroom with a potpourri of topics: motor learning principles were introduced, and facts about designing and teaching workouts that addressed the most important qualities needed by young athletes. Charles then shared research about how aerobic training can hinder the development of strength, speed and power throughout an athlete’s entire career. The discussion that took place during the question-and-answer periods was particularly valuable, as participants learned how to adapt the information to their specific conditions.

Incidentally, throughout the day the legal concerns of working with young athletes were examined. Among the subjects covered: the value of assumption-of-risk forms, practical ways to minimize the risks of being involved in litigations, and what to do when facing potential legal issues to keep you out of the courtroom.

The first lectures on Day 2 discussed how to determine the most appropriate exercises for prepubescents. For this, Charles presented a seven-level classification of exercises and showed how to select the most appropriate exercises for the age and specific sports of the athlete. Plyometrics, strongman training, and the so-called SAQ (speed-agility-quickness) tools and workout protocols were examined. Also included was an in-depth discussion of short and long-term periodization methods.

Next was an important lecture about nutrition for young athletes, including a segment about how to work with parents and difficult clients. Charles has a novel but very effective approach to getting children to eat well, which he outlined step by step. Charles shared the latest research on how specific nutrients can help resolve not just physical problems common among young athletes but also behavioral problems. Considerable time was devoted at this point to innovative approaches for resolving the ever-increasing problem of childhood obesity. As a bonus, Charles provided valuable resources that participants can use to keep abreast of ongoing breakthroughs in this field.

Then it was back to the gym for a hands-on session on how to address postural problems that are common in the world of addictive television watching and video games (and on this subject, Charles shared fascinating research about the effects of computers on young people’s minds). Participants were then shown specific exercises and training protocols for key muscles involved in postural problems, and during the hands-on workout session that followed many attendees were surprised at how difficult using just 1-kilo weights could be!

Finally, it was back to the classroom for a review of the two-day and to address remaining questions. As mentioned before, much of the material Charles presented had never been available in any format – in fact, Charles prefaced many of his answers with, “Here is a secret that I’ve never shared in any seminar….” These tips are always a highlight of these seminars, as Charles is known for always being on the leading edge of not just physical and athletic fitness training but also functional medicine.

“Training the Prepubescent” was another successful seminar that Charles will undoubtedly present again soon, as there is a great need to provide trainers with knowledge and skills to help get today’s young athletes fit and healthy.