In general, all athletes, male and female, improve their performance through training programs focused on speed, strength, and power.
For too long, female athletes have followed training programs designed for football players and other male athletes with little thought to the unique needs of the female athlete.
Here are three unique needs to consider when training female athletes:
1. Non-Contact Injury Risk
The primary goal of a high school strength and conditioning program should focus on injury prevention. Because of anatomical and biomechanical differences in the knee and hip joints, female athletes are at a higher risk for a non-contact knee injury, such as an ACL tear.
Because of this, a female strength and conditioning program should focus on movements that prevent injuries and place less stress on the joints.
2. Education
The number of female athletes at the high school and collegiate levels have steadily risen over the past several years. However, when it comes to strength training. Many female athletes still fear that weight training will make them too bulky.
To reframe such stigmas, young athletes need proper education and good coaching. Now is the time to learn good habits that athletes can then take with them into collegiate athletics and beyond.
3. Mental Strength
Young women can build confidence and self-esteem through sport, and this includes the weight room. Developing positive habits like goal-setting, discipline, and teamwork lead to improvements in an individual’s mental strength and health.
Ultimately, the mental skills that athletes acquire through sport will carry over into everyday life.
At Pinnacle Performance and Fitness in Corpus Christi, we created the Female Athlete Speed and Strength Training (F.A.S.S.T) program specifically for female athletes. We provide effective and efficient performance coaching to improve performance and get results.
If you have a daughter who is a competitive athlete, contact us to learn more about how to get started.