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Unlocking Athletic Potential: The Power of Sport Performance Training for High School Athletes
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Unlocking Athletic Potential: The Power of Sport Performance Training for High School Athletes
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Unlocking Athletic Potential: The Power of Sport Performance Training for High School Athletes

High school represents a critical window for athletic development. During these formative years, young athletes are primed to make significant gains in speed, strength, and conditioning that will serve them throughout their athletic careers and beyond. At Athletic Lab, we understand that comprehensive sport performance training isn't just about improving game statistics—it's about building a foundation for lifelong fitness, injury prevention, and peak athletic achievement. Why High School Athletes Need Specialized Performance Training The teenage years mark a unique period of rapid physical development. Growth spurts, hormonal changes, and neurological maturation create an optimal environment for athletic adaptation. However, without proper guidance and structured training, young athletes may miss this crucial developmental window or, worse, develop movement patterns that increase injury risk. Traditional high school sports programs, while valuable for skill development and team building, often lack the comprehensive approach needed to maximize athletic potential. This is where dedicated sport performance training becomes invaluable, addressing the three pillars of athletic excellence: speed development, strength training, and conditioning. The Speed Advantage: More Than Just Running Fast Speed training extends far beyond simply running faster in a straight line. For high school athletes, comprehensive speed development encompasses: Acceleration and Deceleration Learning to efficiently accelerate from stationary positions and safely decelerate during direction changes is crucial for sports like basketball, soccer, and football. Proper acceleration mechanics can shave tenths of seconds off sprint times—the difference between making and missing a game-changing play. Agility and Change of Direction Multi-directional speed training improves an athlete's ability to cut, pivot, and react quickly to game situations. These skills translate directly to better defensive positioning, more effective offensive moves, and reduced injury risk during unpredictable game scenarios. Reaction Time and First Step [...]

By Athletic Lab|2025-08-29T19:15:22-04:00September 1st, 2025|Training Info|0 Comments

Fitness Strategies for Every Decade
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Fitness Strategies for Every Decade
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Fitness Strategies for Every Decade

Staying fit isn’t just about looking good—it’s about maintaining health, strength, and quality of life at every stage. As we age, our bodies and priorities change, and so should our fitness routines. Here’s an evidence-based guide to tailoring your training by decade to feel your best, perform well, and support healthy aging. Your 20s: Build the Habit, Push Your Limits During your 20s you should focus on establishing consistent routines and maximizing overall physical capacity. Early adulthood is your peak for muscle growth, bone density, and recovery. To do this develop strength with heavy, compound movements and build your cardio with intervals. Suggested Strategies Lift heavy with compound movements (deadlifts, squats, presses) to build a lean, strong physique. Cardio: HIIT, running, cycling—challenge your heart and lungs. Flexibility & Mobility: Yoga, dynamic stretching, and mobility drills prevent future aches. Sample different sports and activities to develop well-rounded fitness and avoid burnout. If you make exercise a non-negotiable habit in your 20s your body will thank you for decades! Your 30s: Maintain Muscle, Balance Life Physical capacity will begin to decline in your mid 20s if you aren't active. In your 30s and beyond, you need to actively counter gradual muscle loss, manage time, and prevent injury. Muscle mass starts to decline in the late 20s and early 30s, so the stakes rise for regular training. Suggested Strategies Strength train at least twice per week; focus on maintaining muscle and bone health. Cardio: 150min+ per week (moderate to vigorous). If you have a job or lifestyle that has you inactive much of the time get up and move about. Movement is medicine. Consider using wearable tech or apps to track progress and stay motivated. Tip: Consistency trumps [...]

By Athletic Lab|2025-08-13T13:35:43-04:00August 19th, 2025|News|0 Comments

Recovery Redefined: What Actually Works & Why by Jannis Oberbeil
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Recovery Redefined: What Actually Works & Why by Jannis Oberbeil
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Recovery Redefined: What Actually Works & Why by Jannis Oberbeil

[This is a guest post by Jannis Oberbeil. Jannis is an experienced coach from Germany currently taking part in the Athletic Lab Coaching Mentorship Program.] In recent years, the fitness and sports world has seen a boom in recovery strategies: Influencers plunge into freezing tubs. Wellness blogs swear by compression and foam rolling. And fitness apps buzz about heart rate variability and active recovery protocols. But with so many options available, it raises the question: Which recovery method actually works best? And are some methods more hype than help? In this article, we'll explore and compare some of the most popular recovery techniques, break down the science behind them, and help you decide which ones are worth integrating into your routine—based on evidence, practicality, and your specific training goals. Recovery in General Recovery Definition The term recovery is derived from the Latin word regeneratio, meaning "regeneration" or "renewal." In a medical context, it refers to the functional and structural restoration of damaged tissues or organs through the formation of new cells. This regenerative process can be either complete or partial, depending on the extent of the damage and the effectiveness of the recovery strategy applied (Antwerpes, 2022). In the realm of exercise and athletic performance, recovery is understood as the physiological and psychological response to fatigue. Fatigue itself can be defined as a reversible decline in performance capacity, which may affect both physical and mental domains. Generally, two forms of fatigue are distinguished: Acute Fatigue Acute fatigue arises immediately following intense physical activity. It typically lasts between one and three days and is considered a normal part of the training process. With appropriate recovery measures, the body usually returns to baseline—or even above it—relatively quickly [...]

By Athletic Lab|2025-07-19T16:14:34-04:00July 21st, 2025|Training Info|0 Comments

The Importance of Neurocognitive Tasks in Day to Day Sport Practice by Kat Perille
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The Importance of Neurocognitive Tasks in Day to Day Sport Practice by Kat Perille
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The Importance of Neurocognitive Tasks in Day to Day Sport Practice by Kat Perille

[This is a guest blog by Katherine Perille. Kat holds an MS in Kinesiology with a concentration in biomechanics. She is completing a Sports Science Mentorship at Athletic Lab.] Current training programs and sport practices focus solely on skill development and neuromuscular training; however, there is something to be said about adding neurocognitive tasks to day-to-day sport practice. According to Dr. Michele LaBotz, the goal of neuromuscular training is to improve muscular strength and connections, increase awareness of an individual’s technique and the ways in which their bodies move [1]. Neuromuscular training is also all about improving performance while lowering injury risk. All ages and all levels can benefit from neuromuscular training where agility, balance, and speed are emphasized [1]; however, there is another element that can be added that can be beneficial for athlete’s performance and injury reduction rates: neurocognitive training. During game-like conditions, an athlete does not have the time or mental capacity to focus strictly on performing a run-to-cut maneuver. Their attention is on what is going on around them and less on what is happening to them. There is little to no ability to ensure proper running and cutting movement. If you were to think about a soccer game… you have the ball and there is an oncoming defender. You need to make the decision of whether you are going to cut around the defender or pass the ball. During this time, you may be getting verbal cues from your teammates telling you where to go and/or where to pass the ball. You are thinking about everything around you except the proper way to perform a safe and efficient run-to-cut maneuver. The integration of neuromuscular and neurocognitive training can better prepare [...]

By Athletic Lab|2025-02-19T14:47:38-05:00June 26th, 2024|Training Info|0 Comments

The Efficacy of Drop Sets in Facilitating Muscle Adaptations by Chinwendu Achonu
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The Efficacy of Drop Sets in Facilitating Muscle Adaptations by Chinwendu Achonu
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The Efficacy of Drop Sets in Facilitating Muscle Adaptations by Chinwendu Achonu

[Chinwendu Achonu is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is majoring in Exercise and Sport Science with a concentration as a Fitness professional, and minoring in Food Studies. She is taking part in the Athletic Lab Coaching Mentorship program.] Drop sets, a polyonymous resistance training technique also known by the names strip sets, burnouts, running the rack, and even the more antiquated multi-poundage system, first arrived on the fitness scene in 1947—introduced in an edition of Body Culture magazine by then editor Henry Atkins (Bryant, 2019). Following their introduction, drop sets were most markedly popularized in the 1980s by former bodybuilders Joe Weider and Arnold Schwarzenegger in their respective bodybuilding guides: Bodybuilding, the Weider Approach and Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding (Bryant, 2019). Drop setting was a novel approach to hypertrophy training at the time. It rivals the benefits of supersets in time efficiency and holds its own against rest-pause sets in extending time under tension and muscle fatigue. Introduction to Drop Sets So, what exactly is a drop set? The bare bones of a drop set includes four components: 1) completing at least two total weighted sets of an exercise, 2) repping to failure within sets (with failure being defined as an inability to complete the full range of motion of an exercise), 3) a successive decrease in load or weight from one set to the next, and 4) no rest in between sets—save for the time it takes to change the load of course (Costa et al. 2021). There can be some variation within the defined components of a drop set. For instance, lowering load from set to set does not have to be restricted to lowering weight. [...]

By Athletic Lab|2022-02-14T18:10:49-05:00February 15th, 2022|Training Info|0 Comments

Training for Longevity by Ansley Bucknam
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Training for Longevity by Ansley Bucknam
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Training for Longevity by Ansley Bucknam

[This is a guest post by Ansley Bucknam. Ansley is a senior at Meredith College, currently working towards her bachelor's degree in food science and human nutrition. Ansley grew up in Charleston, SC playing soccer and is now on the track and field team at Meredith College. She has a background in Crossfit and Olympic Weightlifting and is currently participating in the Athletic Lab Internship Program. Ansley hopes to pursue physical therapy school following the completion of her undergraduate degree.] When we talk about longevity, we are not just speaking on the quantity of life, but also on the quality. Longevity encompasses our ability to move functionally throughout our lifetime. Ideally, we would want to be 80 years old and still doing triathlons and hitting PR s. At the very least, we want to maintain our independence in seemingly elementary tasks like carrying groceries, getting on and off the toilet, and playing with our kids/grandkids. Below, we have highlighted some training principles that aid in longevity: 1. Strength Training There are many benefits to strength training at all stages of life. As we age, the development and maintenance of muscle mass becomes even more important in counteracting illness, maintaining bone density, preventing falls, decreasing the rate of neuromuscular and balance deterioration, and improving overall wellbeing. It is very important, both for coaches and the individual working out, to understand specific goals when it comes to strength training. Strength training for muscular adaptation involves appropriately surpassing your baseline tolerance so that strength gains can be evoked. However, when strength training for longevity, it is important not to surpass physical or psychological tolerances (Bergeron 2020). While younger athletes training for peak performance require a push past these [...]

By Athletic Lab|2020-10-17T13:02:31-04:00October 17th, 2020|Training Info|0 Comments

Post-Quarantine Training by Craig Kleinberg
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Post-Quarantine Training by Craig Kleinberg
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Post-Quarantine Training by Craig Kleinberg

[Craig Kleinberg is a Performance Coach at Athletic Lab where we regularly integrate Velocity Based Training] We can see the light at the end of the tunnel. There is still some uncertainty, but athletics are beginning to come out of pandemic hibernation. Here in North Carolina, professional and collegiate athletes have begun training, the NBA just released a plan to resume activities, and several European soccer leagues have been active for a few weeks. Eventually, youth and high school sports will begin to open back up as well. When training is finally able to resume as "normal," our instincts will be to dive right back into where we were pre-pandemic, but it is important to approach our preparation with thoughtfulness. This article may be geared toward return to sport, but the principles still apply to the general fitness enthusiast as well. What type of impact could we expect to see after this period of interrupted training? Many of us have been doing something, but we haven't had the access to the full gym experience for two months now. It only takes approximately four weeks to observe a 4-14% drop in aerobic capacity (5). While we might be able maintain strength for 2-3 weeks, after eight weeks, there could be a 7-8% loss in strength (6). Additionally, Kubo and colleagues found that after an eight-week detraining period, tendon stiffness returned back to pre-training levels (3). Basically, we will not be able to sprint as fast, jump as high, or run as far. Hopefully, training and preparation hasn't completely halted, but to some extent, it has been disrupted. How athletes, and the regular gym member approach return to training has the potential make an outstanding season or [...]

By Athletic Lab|2020-06-11T17:43:43-04:00June 11th, 2020|Training Info|0 Comments

5 Reasons you should be Flywheel Training [Infographic] by Kyle O’Toole
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5 Reasons you should be Flywheel Training [Infographic] by Kyle O’Toole
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5 Reasons you should be Flywheel Training [Infographic] by Kyle O’Toole

By Athletic Lab|2019-01-03T10:25:17-05:00January 4th, 2019|Training Info|0 Comments

The Importance of Youth Exercise by Kyle O’Toole
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The Importance of Youth Exercise by Kyle O’Toole
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The Importance of Youth Exercise by Kyle O’Toole

[This is a guest post by Kyle O'Toole is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with National Strength and Conditioning Association and a Corrective Exercise Specialist and Certified Personal Trainer with National Academy of Sports Medicine. Kyle recently completed the Athletic Development Mentorship at Athletic Lab and you can reach him on Instagram @beyourownbest4life.] There has been a growing interest in youth fitness programs and the training of younger athletes has become more common in the past few years. Along with this growing interest has come an abundance of new perspectives on how to best work with children. Although researchers have looked at the safety and effectiveness of youth exercise programs there is still plenty of misinformation, and many parents are left wondering what is safe for their child.To complicate things, obesity in children is the worst it has ever been in our country. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, between the years 1999 and 2000, child and adolescent (ages 2-19) obesity was at 13.9%. In 2015 and 2016 that number rose to 18.5% and now obesity affects more than 13.7 million children and adolescents in the US. What's worse is that the prevalence of obesity in children increases as they get older. Childhood obesity is 13.9% from ages 2 thru 5, 18.4% from ages 6 thru 11, and 20.6% from ages 12 thru 19 (Hales, Carroll, Fryar, & Ogden, 2017). There has never been a greater need for access to the correct information that will safely shift health markers, for your child, in the right direction. Here are the things you need to know about exercise and youth. Early Sport Specialization Although it currently has no standardized definition in literature, early [...]

By Athletic Lab|2018-11-27T23:49:22-05:00November 30th, 2018|Training Info|0 Comments

Complex Training Simplified by Kyle O’Toole
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Complex Training Simplified by Kyle O’Toole
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Complex Training Simplified by Kyle O’Toole

By Athletic Lab|2018-11-28T11:32:06-05:00November 29th, 2018|Training Info|0 Comments

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Sport Science and Coaching Education

Unlocking Athletic Potential: The Power of Sport Performance Training for High School Athletes

Fitness Strategies for Every Decade

Recovery Redefined: What Actually Works & Why by Jannis Oberbeil

The Importance of Neurocognitive Tasks in Day to Day Sport Practice by Kat Perille

The Efficacy of Drop Sets in Facilitating Muscle Adaptations by Chinwendu Achonu

Training for Longevity by Ansley Bucknam

Post-Quarantine Training by Craig Kleinberg

5 Reasons you should be Flywheel Training [Infographic] by Kyle O’Toole

The Importance of Youth Exercise by Kyle O’Toole

Complex Training Simplified by Kyle O’Toole

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