3 Reasons Why Youth Athletic Dryland Training is A Joke!

Harsh? I know. But a reality none the less.

This one will be straight to the point, it is dedicated to the parents out there who simply assume that their kids’ best interest is taken into consideration when paying a hefty amount for these summer or winter skills/dryland programs. So get ready, I’m about to ruffle some feathers, and I welcome your input, so let’s just rip the band-aid.

If this pisses a few people off, then maybe it’s time you improve your programs.

First off, let’s talk about what Dryland Training is supposed to be.

Dryland training is usually a strength and conditioning program that is mated to a skills program for a specific sports discipline. 

This of course should follow a certain paradigm, skills in the morning and dryland in the afternoon (sometimes vice versa, depending on the skills being trained). Dryland should have a plan in place dictated by the strength and conditioning coach and in collaboration with the skills coach so that an excellent service can be executed.

Sounds simple right? This is the part my wife will say coaches will come to hate me when our boys start to play sports and are invited to skills camps…

Reason #1 - What Is Your Dryland Program?

I’ve run a few Dryland camps in my day, and you know what? I’ve never been asked what I will be doing with the kids, NEVER!

I’ve never been told what skills are being run on the ice or field that day. I’ve only twice met the coach in charge.

Finally, I stopped competing with some Joe Blow in the parents' crowd who runs a Bootcamp or the skills coach who decides that it’s better to sacrifice knowledge and safety than pay the right person for the job by running a ridiculous session themselves.

When my boys start to play, I’ll be the one saying NOPE, my kid will not be joining the dryland session unless they show me the day's curriculum. And yes, I will be watching.

As a parent, I want to know the following:

• What is the movement preparation going to be?
• What skills session did they come from and what will the dryland focus on today?
• How are you mitigating the injured children, and what are you introducing as injury prevention?
• What is the overall focus of Dryland for the week?
• What are you teaching in regard to recovery methods?
• What will they be coming away with in regards to bettering themselves in their sport aside a t-shirt and water bottle?
• WHY IS THERE BURPEES, WALL SITS, AND SIT_UPS IN YOUR PROGRAM!?!?!?

I get it, you charge $400 or more for a week of training skills/dryland per child, and one of the team moms suggests that her Canfit-pro or AFLCA (weekend certifications) gives her the authority to train my boys and she makes maybe $25-40 a team session. Or worse the skills coach gets off the ice, gets changed fast, and speeds out to a field to run gassers on a hill. 

Now is he gassing them because if it looks like they worked hard which in turn will impress the parents? I’m not…

Show me a legitimate program for the week, what you will be focusing on, what you will be doing to complement a skills session, how much time will be allotted per session, and finally what will my boys be walking away with that they can take for future practice. Hey, I’m a trainer, and if I learn from a session then I’m truly impressed with the service and willing to pay for it. 

I could care less about the t-shirt and water bottle.

Reason #2 - Gassers, Burpees, Sit-Ups, and Push-Ups Till You Puke!

What Cracker Jack box did you find your kinesiology degree in?!

Aggressive, I know. But please understand that this means there is no method to their madness. You are paying a hefty sum and some of you sadly by past experience are wondering why your child experienced an injury either on the ice or on the field?

Here is a simple example; I had a group that came from a power skating session that particular morning as that was the focus for the day. When they got off the ice I spent the first half-hour working on myofascial release as well as mobility drills and stretch. I slowly transitioned them into short sprint technique and some change of direction training to potentiate the skills taught. The recovery times in between sets was roughly 2-4 minutes. I finished with a recovery cool down, stretches and I’ll see you tomorrow!

Also, this changed from age group to age group since I was told that day I was getting 2 new younger groups, oops, their bad! Either way, it was a few simple modifications, change in teaching style and we had a great day.

Here is what I saw the other guy do last year at a session in my vicinity. Please beware the following story may have horrendous training tactics not suitable for smart audiences.

CHAOS! Lot’s and lot’s of screaming, so read in very loud voices!

• Guys, let's lineup for sprint races! 2 laps to the wall!
• When you finish I want 25 push-ups, 25 sit-ups, 25 burpees, and finish with 1-minute wall sits!!!!
• We’re going to do this 4 times, if you have to puke I have the garbage can in that corner!!!

Yes, this is where I say, “I shit you not.” That is what was screamed by a sports coach who ran over to run the dryland!

Those poor boys I’m guessing were roughly 14 years old, and I felt disgusted by what I saw. If that coach was educated, and I’m not saying he was or wasn’t, but if he was, shame on you!

Reason #3 - No Collaboration! 

The final reason why I think Dryland Training is dreadfully failing is that there is no collaboration between the skills coach and the S&C coach. 

Dryland is looked at as the garnish on the plate to sell to parents. An interesting word in passing conversation,” Hey Susan, is your son doing the Dryland session too?” 

When it should be the meat or the potatoes and a high consideration for the money you are spending on your child’s camp.

When I first started my new career in training, I was given an incredible opportunity at the first facility I worked at, I was put to work with a very popular soccer coach. My respect for this man stems from the fact that he consistently needed me to know their skills schedule, their game schedule, their tournament schedule, and the road to nationals where they placed third that year in the U-18 age group. 

I had to have training down to a science, which in reality is what we all have to do anyway, but he made me a better trainer consistently because of his need to constantly communicate to me what was happening with the team. 

“Hey Franco, they're a little tired today from the tournament, Their moving really well, They’ve become a very fast team, etc.”

That year I was also invited by a fellow S&C coach to intern for him personally at Hockey Canada, where he consistently taught me to be aware of teams on an individual basis. Testing will account for separating these kids into groups to better work on weaknesses such as, conditioning, power, speed, strength.

This information is then transferred back to coaches that want to know how their teams are doing.

The most successful skills/dryland programs in Canada, like in the States, are the ones you are willing to pay for, it’s that simple. 

In my humble opinion, if your child is 14 years of age and wants to look towards playing a sport in college, he has to decide what that sport is and what he needs to do to get to his promised land.

Collaboration is one of the most important pieces that are missing today, and it needs to be addressed so that the director of the program isn’t turning a blind eye to ridiculous training tactics. It is an irresponsible business practice.

In Summary - The FIX

I get it though, there’s a team camaraderie that comes from training together. Then it is your responsibility as a parent to challenge these clubs or coaches and demand real dryland programs, with real S&C coaches that have the knowledge to challenge your kids intelligently without hurting them. 

First off, if your kids are in little tikes soccer, hockey, lacrosse, baseball, etc. Then they don’t need dryland. After 12 years of age, I would start introducing them into as much mobility as I can. I would start teaching them how to use a foam roller, I would even teach them how to actually run. Yes, people, you’d be impressed by how many of your children can’t actually sprint and not look like a puppy with new legs. 

When you show up at my door and tell me some idiot told you your 13 year old needs to get faster, and you’re wondering if I do all that quickness stuff. I’m going to adopt them and take them away from you! They can’t be faster if they're not stronger, it’s actually simple physics. 

You want to save Dryland training for camps and such? Here are three simple fixes:

• Set a plan for the camp moving forward understanding the skills program to complement it with a proper dryland program.
• Never hire a moron, surround yourself with knowledgeable people that will bring value to your camp, to your business, and recognition for your input towards the youth sports community
• Collaborate with everyone that has something to do with a skills camp or year-round season off ice/field training. This is the foundation of success for your camp, your team, and your community.

I know that there were moments of slight aggression in this particular blog, I can’t apologize for who I am. But trust me when I tell you, I’m just saying what a lot of my colleagues have said or thought. Every aspect of our craft and business demands evolution, and it is a disservice to your kids for companies out there to just scrape the surface for a quick buck. I will leave these coaches out there with a word of advice, you better hope my boys don’t end up on your team, because when a camp pops up, you’re going to get a lot of questions and I will demand a lot of information on your so-called “Dryland Training.”

Stay healthy my friends…

Coach, Franco

P.S. If in these still very interesting times, you find yourself lost when it comes to you or your young athletes' training and are wondering what you can do to solve this issue. Here are a couple of ways I know I can help!

1. Online Coaching - Try a month of online coaching for $1. No strings attached. After a phone assessment to see if we’re a good fit for each other, the equipment you have, or need, I can get you started on a 4-week program that you will do on your own in the comfort of your own home. All exercises come hyperlinked with short videos for your viewing education, and weekly chats or texts in regards to your program progress. If this is something that fits with your day and time then just write ‘Online’ in the subject line.
2. Virtual Training - For those that are fans of personal training and are missing the gym, I am positive I can help. It’s even better now, your time slot is not one that you have to hurry to anymore. Book your time and your session starts straight away! You will still receive a program with hyperlinked videos for days you can’t make it and for your own viewing education. If this interests you, please put ‘Virtual’ in the subject line.