About this episode

Ben discusses youth athlete development and strength training myths with expert Dr Ben Pullen.

In this episode, Ben speaks to youth athlete development expert Dr Ben Pullen, to smash the biggest myths holding young players back. He completely dismantles the classic misconception that strength training stunts a child’s growth, revealing that avoiding physical preparation actually leaves young athletes vulnerable to injuries during peak growth spurts. You will discover how 3G pitches and explosive changes of direction subject young joints to dangerous forces, frequently triggering painful overuse conditions like Osgood-Schlatter knee pain and Sever's disease. Listeners will walk away with an exact step-by-step blueprint packed with practical coaching tips and at-home drills. Dr Pullen shares how to run highly engaging chase games that naturally build explosive sprint speed, how to integrate 5-minute plyometric jumping and landing routines into team warm-ups, and how to use clever bodyweight challenges to safely build core strength without any gym equipment. Learn how just 30 to 60 minutes a week of these games-based exercises can unlock genuine acceleration and agility. Most importantly, this physical level-up directly boosts a child’s confidence, combatting the 70% youth…

People in this episode

Hosts: Ben Welch, Mike Clark

Guest: Dr Ben Pullen

Topics covered

• youth athlete development
• strength training
• injury prevention
• football coaching
• child growth
• sports dropout rate

Keywords

• strength training
• youth sports
• injuries
• Osgood-Schlatter
• Sever's disease
• plyometric exercises
• core strength
• football coaching

Sponsors

GoCardless

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Football DNA

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