In Brief LEARNING OBJECTIVE • The primary learning objective is to review the potential benefits and concerns regarding medicine ball training for kids and to describe program design considerations for developing safe, effective, and enjoyable fitness programs for school-aged youth. Resistance training with medicine balls can be a safe, effective, and enjoyable experience for school-age youth. Discover the value of medicine ball training and learn about the "Medicine Ball for All" youth program.

New and creative physical activity programs are needed to enhance the health and fitness of children and teenagers. With appropriate supervision and instruction, balloon training can offer observable health and fitness value to youth with and without disabilities.

This column outlines practical approaches for designing an effective speed training program for the high school athlete. It introduces concepts to assist the coach in implementing a safe training session along with our sprint training drill. The primary focus here is to have the coach take a closer look at his or her training. Methods and spark curiosity about preparation and recovery for 13- to 19-year-old developing athletes in all sports.

THIS COLUMN OUTLINES PRACTICAL APPROACHES FOR DESIGNING AN EFFECTIVE SPEED- TRAINING PROGRAM FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE. IT INTRODUCES CONCEPTS TO ASSIST THE COACH IN IMPLEMENTING A SAFE TRAINING SESSION ALONG WITH OUR SPRINT TRAINING DRILL. THE PRIMARY FOCUS HERE IS TO HAVE THE COACH TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT HIS OR HER TRAINING METHODS AND SPARK CURIOSITY ABOUT PREPARATION AND RECOVERY FOR 13- TO 19-YEAR-OLD DEVELOPING ATHLETES IN ALL SPORTS.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of medicine ball training on the fitness performance of high-school physical education students. Sixty-nine high-school students participated in a 6-week medicine training program during the first 10 to 15 minutes of each physical education class. A group of 49 students who participated in physical education lessons but not medicine ball training served as controls. Performance on the shuttle run, long jump, sit and reach flexibility, abdominal curl, medicine ball push-up, and medicine ball seated toss was assessed at baseline and post-training. Students who participated in the medicine ball training program made significantly greater gains on all fitness tests as compared to the control group. These data suggest that medicine ball training can enhance selected measures of speed, agility, power and muscular endurance when incorporated into a high school physical education class.?

Medicine ball training can be a safe, effective, and fun method of conditioning for physical education students.

Faigenbaum, Avery D. EdD, CSCS; Mediate, Patrick MA, CSCS; Rota, Dave Author Information