Youth Fitness
B) Using Socially Accepted Language to Create Understanding – Why Long Term Approaches are Necessary
Most consumers (parents and coaches) are truly unaware of what quality athletic development training should look like. They have been conditioned through media and by our industry’s lack of foresight, to believe in the ‘one-and-gun’ style of "6-Week Programs to Increased Speed".
Having said that, trying to explain verbiage such as ‘Long-Term Athlete Development’ or ‘Developmental System’ won’t typically bridge an understanding to your prospects insofar as what makes the IYCA so unique and effective.
I have incurred great success by drawing parallels to some type of societal norm that layman already understand and are familiar with.
In the case of pediatric and adolescent clients, school represents your best case scenario.
When explaining the long-term approach to the IYCA Developmental Training System, your points should take on two separate but concentrated forms:
(i) The School/Academic System
Parents understand and accept the need for a long-term approach to academics and cognitive development. It is quite entrenched in our society as fact.
When discussing the importance and necessity of staying involved with your IYCA Program long-term, use language that builds an understanding using school as the backdrop –
"It’s the same reason why you couldn’t obtain a Bachelor’s Degree without finishing high school. Academic achievement is build upon progressive development – optimal sport performance is also"
"Your son couldn’t possibly complete Grade 2 in six weeks because succeeding in school is based on learning simple and basic skills, progressing them over time and then applying them to specific situations. That’s exactly what the IYCA training system is built on as well"
"Your daughter couldn’t possibly understand the complexity of Calculus in high school unless she learned how to do basic math in elementary school. Although there doesn’t appear to be a correlation because elementary school and high school seem so far apart, success in one depends on success in the other. The same is true for training and that’s why our program is long-term oriented. It’s common to think that all you have to do is put out some cones and have young athletes run through them quickly, but without learning proper body control and building the proper type of core strength, your daughter won’t ever be able to run as fast as possible or control the speed of a game"
(ii) The Martial Arts/Black Belt System
The IYCA youth fitness training system has been build around a martial arts concept.
One reason is due to the rather striking retention rates most martial arts schools generate. Parents and kids ‘buy into’ the concept of long-term in this arena because of the prized carrot offered at the end – a Black Belt.
Be sure when explaining the IYCA system to prospects that you incorporate language that bridges an understanding between earning a Black Belt in martial arts (and the technical requirements needed in doing so) and staying with your IYCA Program long term –
"Have you ever seen how amazing Black Belts are athletically and when they demonstrate their skills? That’s why we have a longer term approach with the IYCA – to built your daughter into a soccer/baseball (etc) player just like that"
– Brian
It can also contribute to the well being of all people who treat fitness as a crucial aspect in their life. There are various qualities of belts available in the market and they are sure to offer different levels of results.
Good stuff Brian!!!! Thanks for the information. G-
That is a great information on how educate the parent about fitness, So my question to you I have a problem on which age group should I focus on with the type of business that I am trying to start
Daniel Levitin in This is Your Brain on Music talks about the theory of 10,000 hours:
… ten thousand hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert — in anything. In study after study, of composers, basketball players, fiction writers, ice skaters, concert pianists, chess players, master criminals, and what have you, this number comes up again and again. Ten thousand hours is the equivalent to roughly three hours per day, or twenty hours per week, of practice over ten years. Of course, this doesn’t address why some people don’t seem to get anywhere when they practice, and why some people get more out of their practice sessions than others. But no one has yet found a case in which true world-class expertise was accomplished in less time. It seems that it takes the brain this long to assimilate all that it needs to know to achieve true mastery.
I’m a firm believer in Levtin’s 10,000 hour or 10 year rule. It makes a lot of sense. If you look at youth fitness threw a long term view point its clear to see the advantages.
1. if you do anything for 10,000 hours or 10 years I’m sure you will be highly efficient
2. fundamentally sound
3. becomes a part of your life
4. Athletic development can be for non-athletes
When I look at all these programs out there, it seems as though they are in it to make a fast buck. A week class here, a month there. Where is the investment in the kids? IYCA is on to something here. They want to train kids from start to finish, not because of the money but because they know its a marathon not a sprint.
Growth comes from consistency