Team USA world champion defender Megan Douty (Maryland 2015) and U.S. hopeful midfielder Myles Jones (Duke 2016), who are featured in our November edition of US Lacrosse Magazine, train at the highest level as they aim for the gold standard. But it’s important to remember they didn’t start out as elite lifters. Young athletes hoping to follow in their footsteps should exercise in a manner suitable for their age and development stage.

Jason Clement, the vice president of operations for BlueStreak Sports Training in Stamford, Conn., a hotbed for lacrosse, trains male and female lacrosse athletes from ages 9 to 18 and older, including former North Carolina draw specialist Sammy Jo Tracy (Fox Lane) and 2016 Duke graduate Case Matheis (Darien). His company’s slogan is “train with a purpose,” so as each athlete progresses from elementary school to professional lacrosse, their workouts progress as well.

Clement simplifies each of Douty’s and Jones’ exercises to an appropriate comparison for kids ages 9-12. 

BOYS' EXERCISES

Jones’ Workout: Core Twists
Youth Version: Side Plank Rotate and Reach

Works On: Core, hips, glutes, shoulders
Helps With: Lateral strength, shot strength, upper body control, change of direction
Reps: 3 sets of 12 reps each side for beginners, 3x/week

How To:

1. Place your lacrosse stick about a foot behind you.

2. Lay on the ground sideways and lift your hips off the ground, only supporting yourself with your forearm and side of your foot.

3. With your top hand, rotate and reach under your body and touch your lacrosse stick.

4. Return to the side plank position with top hand reaching towards the sky.

Form and Technique:

1. During the side plank, maintain a straight line through your chin, belly button and heels.

2. Start square to a wall and finish in the same position.

3. Rotate your chest toward the ground and reach under your armpit towards your stick.

4. Touch the lacrosse stick and return to your starting position without your hips dropping throughout the movement.

Jones’ Workout: Power Snatch
Youth Version: Bench Jump to Drop

Works On: Lower body power, quads, glutes, calves, hamstrings
Helps With: Explosive power, stronger dodges, controlled deceleration, injury prevention
Reps: 4 sets of 6 jumps

How To:

1. Find a bench between knee and waist height.

2. Jump onto the bench as fast as you can.

3. Jump off the bench and land into a deep squat position.

4. Once you mastered the landing, add a vertical jump as high as you can.

Form and Technique:

1. Jump and land with feet shoulder width apart. Do not let your knees cave in.

2. Be sure to generate and absorb the force with your hips, not your knees. Keep hips slightly behind head and shoulders.

3. Jump and land in an athletic position that you would feel comfortable running out of.

Jones’ Workout: Pull-Ups
Youth Version: Inverted Row

Works On: Upper back (rhomboids, rear deltoids), forearms, biceps, lats (latissimus dorsi), erector spinea, rectus abdominus.
Helps With: Posture, injury prevention, upper body strength for contact
Reps: 3 sets of 12-15 reps

How To:

1. Find a bar, like the parallel bars at park, or something you hang underneath.

2. Hold the bar with your hands and walk your feet under until your body is below 45 degrees.

3. Pull yourself up to the bar until your chest touches.

4. Control yourself on the way down.

Form and Technique:

1. Keep your elbows at 90 degrees with your palms facing your feet

2. Keep your butt and lower back off the ground during the exercise.

3. Keep your mid-section as straight as you can. Maintain core engagement. Don’t go too far and overextend your lower back.

4. Once you hit the bar with your chest, control and slowly lower yourself down.

Progression of Exercise:

1. Beginner: Bent legs, feet flat on the ground

2. Medium: Legs straight out

3. Advanced: Legs straight and elevated on box

GIRLS' EXERCISES

Douty’s Workout: Advanced Burpees
Youth Version: Mountain Climbers into Tuck Jumps

Works On: Full body (upper, lower, core)
Helps With: Injury prevention, speed development, explosion
Reps: 3 sets of 20 reps with 10 mountain climbers on each leg and 10 tuck jumps. Repeat twice for 1 set.

How To:

1. Get into a push up position. Alternate each leg and drive your knees to your chest, keeping them in line with your shoulders.

2. Keep your mid-section as straight as possible without letting your hips and stomach drop towards the ground.

3. Once you completed the mountain climbers, get into a standing position and jump as high as you can, and while in the air, tuck both knees to your chest, like you’re doing a cannon ball in the pool.  Do not let your knees touch or cave in at your highest position and when you land.

4. Absorb the landing with your hips, not your knees.

Form and Technique:

1. Mountain Climber: Strict push up position. Keep your head as still as you can while driving your knees to your shoulders.

2. Focus on the path of your knees staying in a straight line.

3. Tuck Jumps: Jump as high as you can and drive your knees to your chest.

4. Land in an athletic position, being very conscious of where your knees pointed as you land and jump. Your knee cap should be pointed directly in front of you at 12 o’clock.

Douty’s Workout: Battle Ropes
Youth Version: Tall Plank with Hand Patterns

Works On: Core, shoulders
Helps With: Upper body strength, endurance, posture, triple threat position
Reps: 3 sets of 20-second reps for beginner

How To:

1. Find a box, step or a sturdy edge that is about six inches off the ground.

2. Get in front of it in a push up position.

3. Keep your lower body as still as possible feet shoulder width apart.

4. Alternating hands, take one hand and put it on the box and then the other hand, and then return both hands to the starting position.

5. Don’t let your hips fall towards the ground.

Form and Technique:

1. Engage your abs the entire time to help control your lower body and keep your lower back safe.

2. Stay straight through the mid-section the entire time.

3. Keep arms straight and your body still throughout the sets.

4. Box should be about 6-12 inches in front of you.

Douty’s Workout: Front Squat
Youth Version: Goblet Squat

Works On: Quads, glutes, abs
Helps With: Efficient movement patterns, injury prevention, change of direction, acceleration, explosiveness
Reps: 3 sets of 12 reps for beginner

How To:

1. Find a weighted object 6-12 pounds, like a rock, medicine ball, dumbbell or your cat.

2. Hold the object close to your body, against your chest and under your chin.

3. Feet shoulder width apart. Keep your heels down.

4. Sit your hips backwards and keep your knees stacked over your feet.

5. Keep your spine as straight as possible and get as low as you can. If your heels come up or you round your back, you’ve gone too far.

Form and Technique:

1. Starting position should be tall and balanced. Keep your feet hip to shoulder distance apart.

2. Start the movement by pushing your hips backward to create a slight tilt forward with your upper body and a little bend at the knees.

3. Once your hips are behind your shoulders, bend at the hips and knees until the crease of your hips are in line or below your knees.

4. Push up with your legs through your entire foot until you return to your tall, starting position.