MoPro
TrainersEye · The Growing Athlete · Ages 10–16
Growing Athlete O
Trainer's Eye
Phase 4 · Land, cut and jump · Session O

Tired legs.
Same technique.
That is the test.

Landing and cutting get worse as you tire, and that is exactly when injuries happen. So some of this is done deliberately tired.

  • Osession
  • P4Land
  • 12:00on the clock
  • — donecompleted

Recovery is training

The adaptation happens between sessions, not during them. Rest days are when you actually get better.

Early specialisation costs

Young athletes who play one sport all year round have higher rates of overuse injury and drop out of sport earlier than those who play several.

Pain is not damage

Pain is an alarm, not a measure of harm. Bone-point pain in a growing athlete is a load message, not a warning of permanent injury.

Three couplets · two rounds · twelve minutes · available all season

A

Work first

Shuttle runs + squat jumps
A1

Shuttle runs

60 s · steps to beat

Run five steps out, touch the floor, run back — count the shuttles in the minute.

Easier walk the shuttles  ·  Harder faster

R1R2—
A2

Squat jumps — continuous

15 reps · ×2

Fifteen continuous jumps, landing quietly every time even as the legs tire.

Easier fewer reps  ·  Harder higher

R1R2
B

Then land

Landing under fatigue + hop and stick tired
B1

Landing under fatigue

60 s · slow reps

Straight after the running: drop into the landing shape and freeze — is it still quiet?

Easier rest first  ·  Harder less rest

R1R2—
B2

Hop and stick — tired

8/side · ×2

Hop and stick each side while tired; if the knee dives inward, stop the set.

Easier two-foot landing  ·  Harder further

R1R2
C

Then hold

Plank after work + single-leg balance tired
C1

Plank after work

60 s · seconds held

Plank immediately after the running — count the seconds before the hips drop.

Easier on the knees  ·  Harder longer

R1R2—
C2

Single-leg balance — tired

8 × 10 s · ×2

Balance on each leg at the end of the session; note how much harder it is than fresh.

Easier fingertip on a wall  ·  Harder eyes closed

R1R2

The clock

Round 1settle in — 70%, perfect tracking
0:00A1 → A2
2:00B1 → B2
4:00C1 → C2
Round 2own it — beat Round 1 by quality
6:00A1 → A2
8:00B1 → B2
10:00C1 → C2

Each couplet: 60 s scored → the loading set → 10 s to move on. Done at 12:00.

How to run it

  1. Landing is a skill. Quiet landings with the knee over the middle toes are what this phase builds.
  2. Programmes that combine landing, balance and strength cut injury rates in youth sport substantially. This is that work.
  3. A knee that dives inwards on landing is a repetition that did not count. Slow down and rebuild it.
  4. Never add speed to a pattern you cannot yet do slowly.

Tick it off

MovementRound 1Round 2Best
A1Shuttle runssteps in 60 s —
A2Squat jumps — continuous15 reps
B1Landing under fatigueslow reps in 60 s —
B2Hop and stick — tired8/side
C1Plank after workseconds held —
C2Single-leg balance — tired8 × 10 s
Session time
StreakDay —
Client / Patient
Coach / Clinician signature
Date
TE-12-GROWINGAT-O