Get ready to shift your mindset on developing young athletes. Mark McLaughlin, founder of Performance Training Center, distills over 19 years of expertise in training Olympians to middle schoolers into simple but powerful tactics. This conversation tackles the keys to long-term athletic development that most coaches miss.

Learn:

• Why unstructured free play before puberty builds capacity and durability
• When to introduce formal training programs
• How to dose age-appropriate intensity
• The #1 easiest physical quality to progress in adolescence
• Why calf strength sets the foundation for more power
• How to structure reactive, high-velocity training with limited space

Mark has trained over 700 competitors—from NFL stars to enthusiastic beginners—to unlock their potential while staying healthy. This guide to nurturing lifelong athleticism without burnout is packed with insights that get results.

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Quotable moments:

"Strength honestly is the easiest quality to improve with the young athletes." - Mark McLaughlin

ABOUT THE BLUEPRINT PODCAST:

The BluePrint Podcast is for busy professionals and Household CEOs who care deeply about their families, career, and health. Host Dr. Erik Korem distills cutting edge-science, leadership, and life skills into simple tactics optimized for your busy lifestyle and goals.   Dr. Korem interviews scientists, coaches, elite athletes, entrepreneurs, entertainers, and exceptional people to discuss science and practical skills you can implement to become the most healthy, resilient, and impactful version of yourself.

On a mission to equip people to pursue audacious goals, thrive in uncertainty, and live a healthy and fulfilled life, Dr. Erik Korem is a High-Performance pioneer. He introduced sports science and athlete-tracking technologies to collegiate and professional (NFL) football over a decade ago. He has worked with the National Football League, Power-5 NCAA programs, gold-medal Olympians, Nike, and the United States Department of Defense.

Erik is an expert in sleep and stress resilience. He is the Founder and CEO of AIM7, a health and fitness app that unlocks the power of wearables by providing you with daily personalized recommendations to enhance your mind, body, and recovery.

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