Essentials of Youth Fitness

Essentials of Youth Fitness is an evidence informed, practical guide for  fitness and strength and conditioning professionals working with  younger clientele. Backed by the American College of Sports Medicine  (ACSM) and coauthored by three leading authorities in pediatric exercise  science, this cutting-edge book reflects current research. It is built  around the modern understanding that youth are not simply smaller  versions of adults but are instead a special population with their own  specific needs.

This is a must-have resource for professionals  working with young clients. Readers will learn the scientific theories  behind youth training as well as how to apply them to help design  effective programs that maximize creativity, engagement, and fun.

This  seminal resource is broken into three parts to systematically bridge  the gap between science and practice. Part I lays the groundwork for  understanding fundamental concepts of pediatric exercise science,  including physiology, growth and maturation, long-term athletic  development, and pedagogical strategies.

Part II is devoted to  the assessment of youth fitness and development of fitness components,  including motor skill, strength and power, speed and agility, and  aerobic and anaerobic fitness, and it features a chapter on designing  integrative training programs. This practical section will demonstrate  the impact of factors specific to youth on fitness, and it will teach  readers how to design programs to meet the needs of youth of varying  abilities and different stages of development. Sample training sessions  with accompanying exercise photos within each chapter offer clear visual  guidelines for implementing exercises correctly.

Part III delves  into modern-day topics specific to the youth population, including  participation in organized sports and injury concerns; overweight and  obese youth; those diagnosed with clinical conditions such as diabetes,  asthma, and physical and mental disabilities; and the role of nutrition  in healthy lifestyle habits.

Learning aids throughout the text  enhance comprehension and enable practitioners to quickly locate  important information. Chapter objectives and key terms reinforce  learning, while Teaching Tip boxes contextualize important themes and Do  You Know? boxes illustrate practical application of the content.
Combining  the science of pediatric exercise with the practice of designing youth  fitness programs, Essentials of Youth Fitness provides professionals  with the information necessary to create a safe, effective exercise  experience that sparks an ongoing interest in active play, exercise, and  sports participation.