Most kids don’t need more reps in one sport — they need a bigger toolbox of movement skills. Running, jumping, balancing, throwing, and changing direction well are the raw materials every sport is built from, and drilling them outside the context of a single game is one of the most effective things a young athlete … [Read More…]
The backstroke flip turn is one of the trickiest skills in swimming to learn, mostly because you can’t see the wall coming. Instead of spotting the wall like you would in freestyle, you have to rely on the backstroke flags and a memorized stroke count to know exactly when to roll over and go. This … [Read More…]
Teen athletes chase gains in the weight room, on the field, and in practice — but the biggest performance lever is often the one nobody’s coaching: sleep. Between early school start times, late practices, homework, and phones, most young athletes are running a serious sleep deficit without realizing how much it’s costing them. This guide … [Read More…]
Walk onto any pool deck and you’ll spot two staples in nearly every swimmer’s mesh bag: a flat foam kickboard and a figure-eight pull buoy. They look simple, but each one trains a completely different half of your stroke — and using the wrong one for the wrong drill can waste a session or reinforce … [Read More…]
Most youth and high school tryouts now borrow the same format college and NFL scouts use: a 40-yard dash, a pro agility shuttle, a vertical jump, a broad jump, and sometimes a bench press or push-up test. Coaches use these numbers to sort a crowded field quickly, so a kid who’s never practiced the actual … [Read More…]
If your freestyle catch feels weak or your hand slips through the water without grabbing anything, the fist drill is one of the fastest ways to fix it. Swum by everyone from age-group swimmers to Masters and triathletes, it’s a staple in pool workouts precisely because it forces your body to find a better catch … [Read More…]
Your child just aged out of the beginner class, or a coach mentioned tryouts, and now you’re stuck deciding: keep paying for lessons, or sign up for swim team? The two aren’t interchangeable, and jumping into team before your child is ready can backfire into frustration and pool anxiety instead of confidence. This guide breaks … [Read More…]
Most youth sports injuries in fast-twitch, cutting, and jumping sports happen when a young athlete’s body isn’t properly prepared to move — tight hips, stiff ankles, and cold muscles are a recipe for strains and sprains. The fix doesn’t require a physical therapist or an hour of foam rolling. A short, consistent flexibility routine done … [Read More…]
A young player who shoots with a clean, repeatable form will keep getting better every season, while bad habits picked up early — like a low release or a sideways elbow — get harder to unwind the older a kid gets. The good news is that shooting form is teachable in small, specific steps rather … [Read More…]
Butterfly has a reputation as the stroke that empties your tank in under 25 yards, and for most amateurs that’s not because they lack strength — it’s because their arms, kick, and breath are all fighting each other instead of working on the same beat. This guide breaks down the timing that makes butterfly feel … [Read More…]
Not every teen athlete has access to a full weight room, and not every coach wants young lifters loading a barbell before they’ve mastered basic movement control. Resistance bands fill that gap: they’re cheap, portable, and let teens build real strength and joint stability without the intimidation factor of a squat rack. This guide walks … [Read More…]
If your backstroke zig-zags across the lane or feels like you’re dragging your arms through wet cement, the problem usually isn’t your kick or your catch — it’s that your body isn’t rotating. Backstroke is a side-to-side stroke, not a flat-on-your-back one, and swimmers who keep their hips and shoulders locked flat lose reach, power, … [Read More…]
If you’ve stood poolside during swim lessons and heard a coach shouting a beat out loud — “1-2-3-4” or “1-2-3, 1-2-3” — you’ve run into the world of kick counting. Coaches use terms like “4-count kick,” “4-beat kick,” and “6-beat kick” somewhat interchangeably, which is exactly why parents get confused about what their child is … [Read More…]
Ask a handful of speed and conditioning coaches what single drill gives young athletes the biggest return for the least equipment, and hill sprints come up again and again. They build explosive power, teach proper sprint mechanics, and condition the body for game speed — all while the incline naturally protects against overstriding and reduces … [Read More…]
A jump rope costs less than a pair of cleats, fits in a gym bag, and does more for a young athlete’s footwork than most flashy agility ladders ever will. Coaches in boxing, basketball, and soccer have relied on it for decades, yet it’s still often skipped over in youth programs in favor of cones … [Read More…]
Swimming fast isn’t built only in the water. Most competitive programs, from age-group clubs to college teams, pair pool work with a structured dryland routine. It builds the strength, power, and stability that carry over to faster starts, turns, and stroke mechanics. This guide covers what dryland training is, why it matters for swimmers, which … [Read More…]
Youth strikers who blast the ball as hard as they can are usually less dangerous than the ones who calmly place a shot into the corner. Accuracy beats power at every age level. A well-placed shot forces even a good goalkeeper into a difficult save, while a hard shot straight at the keeper is an … [Read More…]
Breaststroke is usually the last stroke kids master, and the kick is almost always the hardest part. Unlike freestyle or backstroke, the breaststroke kick asks a child’s ankles, knees, and hips to move in a sequence that feels backwards at first — bend, turn out, sweep around, then snap together and glide. This guide breaks … [Read More…]
Walking onto the pool deck cold is one of the fastest ways for a young swimmer to feel sluggish off the blocks. A short, structured warm-up wakes up the muscles, raises the heart rate, and gives kids a few quiet minutes to settle their nerves before the whistle blows. This guide covers the full picture: … [Read More…]
Every youth pitcher and position player wants more pop on their throws, but chasing velocity before building a durable foundation is how healthy arms turn into sore, inflamed ones. The good news is that the same habits that protect a young thrower’s shoulder and elbow are also what build real, lasting arm strength. This guide … [Read More…]
Free on the App Store and Google Play — or use it right in your browser.
menu
Next step blog
Socials
©2026 SportsSteps™