This document outlines a training program design lecture for youth athletes. It discusses key principles and variables to consider for different age groups, including chronological and biological age as well as training age. The lecture teaches an athletic development model that focuses first on fundamental movement skills and motor control exercises before progressing to more complex exercises and sport-specific training. Sample training sessions are provided that follow this progression from bodyweight exercises to loaded movements while focusing on technical competency at each level.

1. PROGRAM
DESDIGN FOR
YOUTH ATHLETES
LECTURE SESSION

2. LEARNING
OUTCOMES
Outline fundamental program
variables when designing Strength &
Conditioning sessions for young
athletes
Identify appropriate exercise selection
choices for youth athlete development
Understand how to program design
effectively using EPI's system

3. PROGRAM DESIGN
FUNDAMENTALS
UNDERSTAND THE KEY PRINCIPLES AND
VARIABLES FOR THE YOUTH ATHLETE

4. How old is the
young athlete?
CHRONOLOGICAL
AGE Have they gone through
a growth spurt? ie peak
height velocity (PHV).
BIOLOGICAL AGE
Has the young
athlete performed
any training to
date?
TRAINING AGE
Look at demands
of the sport.
NEEDS ANALYSIS
KEY PRINCIPLES & VARIABLES
How often can
they train?
TRAINING
FREQUENCY
AMSC vs general
physical qualities.
ESTABLISH
STARTING POINT
Level 1 to Level 3
exercises.
AMSC
PROGRESSION
Increased RFD vs
increased GRF.
GENERAL PHYSICAL
QUALITIES

5. REP MAX CONTINUUM
Baechle & Earle (2000)

6. Appropriate Rep Range
For Motor Control?

7. EXERCISE SELECTION
ESTABLISH STARTING POINT...

8. EPI BODYWEIGHT
TO BARBELL
METHOD
DEVELOPING THE
FUNDAMENTALS

9. YOUTH ATHLETE
PERFORMANCE PYRAMID
(YAPP)
Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) &
Athletic Motor Skill Competency (AMSC)
General Physical
Qualities
Sport
Specific
Qualities
Flexibility, Mobility, Stability &
Motor Control
Strength, Power,
Speed, Agility & ESD
Sport
demands,
skills & tactics

10. FMS: ANIMAL
MOVEMENTS

11. ANIMAL MOVEMENTS
Seal
Dolphin
Scorpion
Chamelon
Reaching Crab
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Bear Crawls
7. Gorilla Walks
8. Horse Walks
9. Duck Walks
10. Bunny Hops

12. FMS: SHAPES

13. SHAPES
Arch
Hollow
Pike
Seated Pike
Seated Tuck
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Frontal Support
7. Side Support
8. Shoulder Stand
9. Supermans
10. Bridge

14. AMSC:
PLYOMETRICS
(LEVEL 1-3)
Athletic Motor
Skill
Competencies
(AMSC)
Lower
Body
Bilateral
Upper
Body
Pushing
Upper
Body
Pulling
Lower
Body
Unilateral
Trunk &
Core
Training
Jump,
Landing &
Rebounding
Speed
&
Agility
Throwing,
Catching &
Striking
Lloyd & Oliver (2014)

15. JUMP
Counter Movement Jump (L1)
Standing Long Jump (L2)
Tuck Jump (L3)
Hurdle Jump (L3)
VERTICAL & HORIZONTAL:
1.
2.
3.
4.

16. LANDING
Reach & Drop (L1)
Box Jump - Jump To (L2)
Box Jump - Jump From (L3)
LANDING MECHANICS:
1.
2.
3.

17. REBOUNDING
Rebound CMJ(L1)
Pogos (L2)
Rebound Horizontal Jumps (L3)
Rebound Tuck Jumps (L3)
VERTICAL & HORIZONTAL:
1.
2.
3.
4.

18. AMSC: LOWER
BODY (LEVEL 1-3)
Athletic Motor
Skill
Competencies
(AMSC)
Lower
Body
Bilateral
Upper
Body
Pushing
Upper
Body
Pulling
Lower
Body
Unilateral
Trunk &
Core
Training
Jump,
Landing &
Rebounding
Speed
&
Agility
Throwing,
Catching &
Striking
Lloyd & Oliver (2014)

19. LOWER BODY BILATERAL
Air Squat (L1)
Goblet Squat (L1)
Back Squat (L2)
Overhead Squat (L3)
SQUAT PATTERN:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Kneeling Hip Hinge (L1)
Wall Good Mornings (L2)
Good Mornings (L3)
HINGE PATTERN:
1.
2.
3.

20. LOWER BODY UNILATERAL
Bottom Up Split Leg
Squat (L1)
Overhead Lunge (L2)
Dynamic Lunge (L3)
LUNGE:
1.
2.
3.
SL Hip Lifts (L1)
Arabesque (L2)
SL RDL's (L3)
POSTERIOR CHAIN:
1.
2.
3.

21. LOWER BODY UNILATERAL
Bulgarian Split Squat (L1)
Skater Squat (L2)
Pistol Squat (L3)
SINGLE LEG:
1.
2.
3.

22. AMSC: UPPER
BODY (LEVEL 1-3)
Athletic Motor
Skill
Competencies
(AMSC)
Lower
Body
Bilateral
Upper
Body
Pushing
Upper
Body
Pulling
Lower
Body
Unilateral
Trunk &
Core
Training
Jump,
Landing &
Rebounding
Speed
&
Agility
Throwing,
Catching &
Striking
Lloyd & Oliver (2014)

23. UPPER BODY PUSH
Kneeling Push-ups (L1)
Foam Roller Push-ups (L2)
Push-ups (L3)
Box Pike Press (L3)
HORIZONTAL & VERTICAL:
1.
2.
3.
4.

24. UPPER BODY PULL
Band Standing Rows (L1)
Band Pulldowns (L2)
Horizontal Rows (L3)
Chin / Pull Ups (L3)
HORIZONTAL & VERTICAL:
1.
2.
3.
4.

25. AMSC: TRUNK &
CORE
CONDITIONING
(LEVEL 1-3)
Athletic Motor
Skill
Competencies
(AMSC)
Lower
Body
Bilateral
Upper
Body
Pushing
Upper
Body
Pulling
Lower
Body
Unilateral
Trunk &
Core
Training
Jump,
Landing &
Rebounding
Speed
&
Agility
Throwing,
Catching &
Striking
Lloyd & Oliver (2014)

26. TRUNK
Deadbug (L1)
V-Up (L2)
Pallof Press (L3)
TRUNK:
1.
2.
3.

27. CORE CONDITIONING
Front Plank (L1)
Front Plank With Leg
Raise (L2)
Front Plank With Leg &
Opposite Arm Raise
(L3)
FRONT PLANK:
1.
2.
3.
Side Plank (L1)
Side Plank With
Band Pull (L2)
Side Plank With Leg
& Arm Raise (L3)
SIDE PLANK:
1.
2.
3.

28. AMSC: SPEED &
AGILITY
(LEVEL 1-3)
Athletic Motor
Skill
Competencies
(AMSC)
Lower
Body
Bilateral
Upper
Body
Pushing
Upper
Body
Pulling
Lower
Body
Unilateral
Trunk &
Core
Training
Jump,
Landing &
Rebounding
Speed
&
Agility
Throwing,
Catching &
Striking
Lloyd & Oliver (2014)

29. SPEED
Wall March (L1)
Wall Drive - One Tap
(L2)
Wall Drive - Two Tap
(L3)
ACCELERATION:
1.
2.
3.
A March (L1)
A Skip (L2)
A Run (L3)
MAX VELOCITY:
1.
2.
3.

30. AGILITY
Deceleration (L1)
Backpedal (L2)
Lateral Movement (L3)
CHANGE OF DIRECTION:
1.
2.
3.

31. SAMPLE SESSIONS
FOLLOW A SYSTEM & KEEP IT SIMPLE!

32. SESSION DESIGN
Warm-up: FMS Animal Movements & Shapes
Plyometrics
Lower Body Bilateral
Lower Body Unilateral
Upper Body Push
Upper Body Pull
Trunk & Core Conditioning
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

33. EXERCISE SETS REPS REST
LEVEL 1 YOUTH ATHLETE
Seal
Bear Crawls
Arch
Hollow
Warm-Up
10
10
10
10
1
1
1
1
Countermovement Jump (CMJ)
Goblet Squat
Bottom Up Split Squat
SL Hip Lift
Kneeling Push-Ups
Band Standing Rows
EXERCISE SETS REPS REST
Session
Trunk &
Core
Deadbug
Side Plank
3
3
3
3
3
3
5
10
10
10
10
10
3
3
10
30sec
60sec
60sec
60sec
60sec
60sec
60sec
60sec
60sec

34. EXERCISE SETS REPS REST
LEVEL 2 YOUTH ATHLETE
Dolphin
Horse Walks
Pike
Shoulder Stand
Warm-Up
10
10
10
10
1
1
1
1
Standing Long Jump (SLJ)
Stick Back Squat
Overhead Lunge
Arabesque
Foam Roller Push-Ups
Band Pulldowns
EXERCISE SETS REPS REST
Session
Trunk &
Core
V-Ups
Side Plank with Band Pull
3
3
3
3
3
3
5
10
10
10
10
10
3
3
10
10
60sec
60sec
60sec
60sec
60sec
60sec
60sec
60sec

35. EXERCISE SETS REPS REST
LEVEL 3 YOUTH ATHLETE
Chamelon
Duck Walks
Seated Pike
Bridge
Warm-Up
10
10
10
10
1
1
1
1
Hurdle Jump
Overhead Squat
Dynamic Lunge
Single Leg RDL's
Push-Ups
Horizontal Rows
EXERCISE SETS REPS REST
Session
Trunk &
Core
Pallof Press
Side Plank with Leg & Arm Raise
3
3
3
3
3
3
5
10
10
10
10
10
3
3
10
10
60sec
60sec
60sec
60sec
60sec
60sec
60sec
60sec

36. GROUP TASK
FMS & AMSC
SESSION DESIGN
Warm-up movements
Session exercises
Trunk & core conditioning
Group 1: Create a Level 1
session
Group 2: Create a Level 2
session
Group 3: Create a Level 3
session
Consider the following:

37. SUMMARY
Physical preparation does not have to look like the sport, it's
important your athletic development is sport relevant rather than
sport-specific.
Initial focus is on building a broad range of motor skills before
progressing to loaded exercises (ie EPI bodyweight to barbell
method)
Prioritise technical competency on each exercise before
progressing to next level

38. #keepitsimple
OUR MOTTO

39. Catch Us Online
FACEBOOK
@epicertification
INSTAGRAM
@epicertification
www.epicertification.com