Universal Training 

Why Strength Programs for High School Athletes Don’t Need to Be Sport-Specific 💬

Have you ever noticed that strength programs for different sports tend to look... pretty similar? Whether it's basketball, track, volleyball, or something else, most athletes are doing variations of squats, deadlifts, lunges, presses, sprints, and jumps.

That’s because the main goals are the same:
💪 Build strength
⚡ Develop speed and explosiveness
🛡️ Reduce the risk of injuries
📈 Support long-term athletic development

At the high school level, athletes are still growing, maturing, and learning how to move efficiently. Because of this, they don’t need ultra-specific training tailored to just one sport—they need smart, well-rounded programming that builds athleticism across the board.

A good general strength and conditioning program gives athletes the tools they need to succeed in any sport—and helps them stay healthy while doing it.

📂 Strength Program Examples – Google Drive

This folder includes real-world strength training examples from pro-level athletes in basketball, track & field, and volleyball. You’ll notice a lot of overlap in the core lifts and movement patterns—even at the highest level. A strong foundation works across all sports.

Resources & Further Reading

🔗 High School Strength Training Doesn’t Need to Be Sport-Specific – SimpliFaster

This article breaks down why general strength training is more beneficial than sport-specific programming for high schoolers. It emphasizes movement quality, injury prevention, and the long-term benefits of developing broad athletic skills early on.
👉 Read it here: https://simplifaster.com/articles/high-school-strength-training-not-sport-specific/

🔗 Do High School Athletes Need Sport-Specific Training? – Training & Conditioning Magazine

This piece discusses the risks of early specialization and argues that multi-sport athletes with general strength training backgrounds are often more resilient and successful in the long run.
👉 Read it here: https://training-conditioning.com/article/do-high-school-athletes-need-sport-specific-training/

🔗 NSCA Long-Term Athlete Development Model (LTAD)

The NSCA’s LTAD framework provides a roadmap for training youth athletes from early stages through to elite levels. It strongly supports general training during the developmental years and gradually increasing specificity later on.
👉 Learn more: https://www.nsca.com/education/long-term-athlete-development/