Expert: Bob Anagnostou - 10/10/2006

Question
Regarding 11 year old girls, what kind of conditioning drills would you recommend?  Would this include weight training?

Answer
Dear John,
Thanks for your question.

First of all, i have to say that weight training is strictly forbidden at this early time. Just to let you know, weight training, especially involving upper body, must not be performed before the age of 14 at least. Regarding girls, that would be some time later because simply girls' body cannot stand this kind of training. Their muscle groups tend to be much more vulnerable and weak than boys ones. They are just not made for this kind of exercise that is one of the most strenuous and hard to perform.

I would recommend resistance band workouts for muscle strengthening and some simple cardio workouts for cardio conditioning.

This top "workout center" address has 10 great drills for beginners. http://exercise.about.com/cs/exerciseworkouts/l/blresistanceban.htm
There is a step-by-step instruction and a pic to perform the drill correctly. Do one set of 8-12 repetitions of each exercise with no weight 2-3 times a week, with at least one day of rest between workout. Remember that recovery of muscles requires 48 hours and replenshment of glygogen(carbohydrates),as well as some protein extra intake. So after training, it would be the best if there was a juice or a banana and the white part of an egg consumed. This is proved evidence.

CARDIO
Running and jogging will help you. Here's a half hour program. We will use the RPE(percived exertion scale) to determine how hard you will be working.
Level 1: I'm watching TV and eating bon bons
Level 2: I'm comfortable and could maintain this pace all day long
Level 3: I'm still comfortable, but am breathing a bit harder
Level 4: I'm sweating a little, but feel good and can carry on a conversation effortlessly
Level 5: I'm just above comfortable, am sweating more and can still talk easily
Level 6: I can still talk, but am slightly breathless
Level 7: I can still talk, but I don't really want to. I'm sweating like a pig
Level 8: I can grunt in response to your questions and can only keep this pace for a short time period
Level 9: I am probably going to die
Level 10: I am dead
You will probably keep off levels 9 and 10 ^^... OK now on to the program.
5 Minutes:  RPE 3-4: Warm Up with a jumping rope
2 minutes:  RPE of 5: Increase speed and/or incline from warm-up to slightly higher than comfortable pace
2 minutes:  RPE from 5-6:  Slightly increase the incline (try to find a place like a hill or sth).
2 minutes:  RPE from 6-5: Decrease incline but keep up on the current pace.
1 minute:   RPE: 8  Increase speed to fast walk or run
2 minutes: RPE: 5 Decrease speed to recover back to a medium intensity
2 minutes: RPE: 5-7:  Increase incline
2 minutes: RPE 7-5:  Decrease incline
1 minute:  RPE 8:  Increase incline to 5-10% or sprint on incline 0%, work as hard as you can (don't kill yourself!)
2 minutes: RPE 5:  Decrease incline to 0% and lower pace to recover back to medium intensity
5 minutes:  RPE 3:  Cool down by walking at a comfortable pace
Total Workout Time:  26  minutes
If it's hard for you to find a place with incline, just try to simply alternate speed walking, running for 1 minutes with 2 minutes of slow walking to recover. RPE will help you to keep up with the correct pace.

This is it.
Remember to keep them off weight training for at least 2 years further. Resistance band is doing the same job, with
a decreased possibility of injury.

Sicerely Yours,
Coach B.Anagnostou