Why capturing data matters
Collecting useful metrics can help gauge the progress of youth athletes in their strength training programs.
I come from a business background where you cannot avoid hearing about key performance indicators or KPIs. When it comes to strength training, it can be valuable to capture and use data in your program. This idea comes from the “Foundations of Strength” training that I took from Driveline Baseball, where they introduce the concept of having athletes take regular assessments to gauge the progress of their program—for example, do they see an increase in strength or power?
The point of assessments is not about performing the tests better but about having a standardized way of observing progress over time. Some years ago, when participating in a fat burn challenge, I would watch trends in my body fat percentage data while ignoring typical variance when my numbers would rise and drop each time I measured. My primary goal was to see the trendline going downward as the weeks progressed. Seeing the downward trend was motivating because I could see that I was making progress.
KPIs for youth
The goal of strength training for youth athletes is to build foundational strength to improve overall speed and explosive and rotational power. The measurements you take should align with those goals.
Sprinting speed
For sprinting, you could run simple sprints like a 20-yard dash or a “flying 10” sprint. Running sprint assessments can be relatively easy if you have a clear, straightaway space.
Explosive power
For testing explosiveness, you can measure jumping ability, whether it is a vertical reach or horizontal, with a standing broad jump. Jumping horizontally is easy to measure as all you need is a measuring tape.
Rotational power
When gauging rotational power, it helps to use a medicine ball, using a twisting throw where you measure the speed or distance of the throw. Measuring speed would require a radar gun, so measuring throwing length would be more accessible but may take some time as the athlete learns how to throw the ball for optimal distance.
Keep your tests simple and consistent so they are easy to perform and measure accurately. The numbers can be helpful when you are training a child, but at the same time, seeing the numbers and progress can motivate youth athletes to help them see the value of training and further push themselves to continue improving.