Find Answers To Commonly Asked Questions Here!
Can I participate in this program if I have no training experience?
Absolutely. In fact, a program such as ours is a great way to learn how to train safely and effectively before you begin to develop bad habits. By learning to work out the right way from Day 1, you can side-step all of the misinformation and 'gym talk' that causes so many young athletes to waste time and energy on less effective concepts.
What does a typcical training session cover?
A typical training session includes an hour of strength and power training for those over the age of 10. You will follow a personalized workout schedule based on your own unique needs and goals, so it would be imposible to summarize what you could be doing in any single session.
For those age 10 or under, a typical session involves a group training format that focuses on coordination, balance, bodyweight strength and power training with some games and competitions mixed in. These sessions take one hour.
Our Summer Program at Cushing Academy also includes an additional hour of speed development training. The summer program sessions last a total of 2 hours per day.
How many days per week should I train?
That depends on your goals, age, and training experience. Here are our suggested ranges for how many days per week to work out:
Age 7-10: One or two sessions per week
Age 11-14: Two to three sessions per week
Age 15-18: Three to four sessions per week
Age 19+: Four to five sessions per week
In-season for your main sport: Only for Age 11+, and they should limit their training to 1-2 days per week.
If you are looking for faster gains, and are truly committed to being consistent with your schedule, then you should aim for the higher end for your age range. If this is all new to you, or you are not sure whether you can regularly train, then aim for the lower end.
Is there a set schedule I need to follow in order to take part in the program?
For our Cushing Summer Program, we only ask that you schedule each workout at least one day in advance of coming in (it is possible the session you request may be full, so it is recommended you schedule the session as early as you can).
You can spread out your sessions evenly over the season, or come in more often during some weeks while taking others off. This tends to happen a lot in the summer, as kids have plenty of sport camps and family vacations in their schedules. We try our best to accommodate the hectic lives of today's families, particularly for those with kids who play sports!
For all future programs, any scheduling format changes will be provided to you upon enrollment.
Is my child old enough to begin a formal training program?
Generally speaking, if your child is old enough to follow coaching instruction and is willing to put in some effort, they will do very well in our program. Athletes as young as 7 years old have been successful working with us in the past.
Keep in mind our training sessions for younger athletes emphasize coordination, movement, bodyweight strength, and plenty of fun. They will be moving and engaged as often as possible, to match the best interests of their developing attention spans.
Do younger athletes lift weights?
Most of the workouts we design in our Youth Program involve body weight strength, although we do add some light dumbbell and medicine ball exercises at the middle school level. They will also be taught Olympic lifting technique, and may use light weight when their technique shows they are ready for it.
Many studies have shown that light weight training, applied correctly, between the ages of 10-14 stimulates bone growth, strengthens tendons and ligaments, and builds a structural foundation in their bodies that limits the potential for future injuries. They keys are to do so in moderation, and to use perfect technique.
How do I find out if there is space available for a specific program?
The best way to check in on the availability of any particular Power Source program is to go to the appropriate web page for updates on whether a program is still being offered.
Sometimes programs fill up pretty quickly, and due to space and staff limitations we are unable to go past our pre-determined limit of participants. To be notified when new programs become available, it is recommended you subscribe to our e-mail alert list by filling out the form at the top of the page.
How do you challenge those who want to work at a really high level?
On the strength training side, everyone in our program receives a personalized workout that best fits their specific needs. An athlete who needs a challenging workout is going to get one that is consistent with their test-based needs, and their personal goals.
In our game speed clinic series, we have different levels for our programs. The higher level clinics are designed specifically for those who need an advanced challenge. That is why we make our introductory clinics mandatory before being allowed to participate in the tougher ones - these clinics are meant to be for higher-level athletes to push each other to new levels of achievement.
Do you offer sport-specific programs?
90% of all strength and speed skills are NOT sport-specific, they apply to pretty much every sport. Many leading strength & conditioning experts now believe that focusing too much on sport-specific strength training is actually counterproductive, and interferes with the development of general athleticism and coordination while increasing your potential for chronic injury.
That said, to help parents and coaches understand what we can do for athletes in each sport, we do have a sport-specific training information section on our site you may want to check out.
Can teams train together through Power Source?
Yes. All of our speed and conditioning programs are designed for teams (or for a particular school/organization), but we can also make arrangements for groups of athletes to train together at our facility. If this is something you are interested in, get in touch with us by phone or e-mail and we can work together to find a way to help develop your team.
How are individualized programs created?
We take everyone ages 11+ through a very comprehensive testing session before any season they work with us, and use that as the primary tool for program design. For those who come in needing to improve at one particular sport and/or position, we take that into account as well when designing their workout.
And if an athlete comes in with an injury history we need to work around, or if their training is part of a later stage of rehabilitation from injury, we have plenty of experience in taking these special factors into account when creating the best workout plan for that person, as well.
How do you train to develop more speed?
There is a lot of science behind how we approach long-term speed development. You'll get a better sense of this by checking our our game speed development clinic page.
The brief answer to this question is that, first and foremost, we put a heavy emphasis on repeating proper movement mechanics until they become automatic. Then, we emphasize strength training without major increases in muscle mass to increase explosive power potential, which directly translates over to increased speed.
What makes Power Source different from other training programs in the area?
To get a better sense of what makes us unique, I encourage you to read through our mission statement and values.
In addition, Power Source has developed a training atmosphere that simply must be experienced to be fully appreciated. Once you spend time around our program you will quickly discover that kids are treated the right way, but they are still constantly challenged. We do not scream and yell at them to produce, rather our emphasis is on teaching them to push themselves while maintaining a positive environment.
We are also very fortunate to be located on the Cushing Academy campus during the summer months, which offers us exclusive use of the weight room, basketball court, and turf field during the morning hours. Few programs can offer such a great location and environment for kids to train in.
Can't find an answer to your question here? Contact us with your specific question and we'll get back to you ASAP.
