TIMES ARE CHANGING
In the past decade, we’ve seen an explosion of support for women’s sports. Female athletes are filling stadiums, breaking records and building brands, and they receive more support for their physical health, performance and wellbeing than previous generations did.
And yet, we still have work to do — especially for female high school and middle school athletes who don’t always get the attention, support or resources that their male counterparts do.
Take strength and conditioning training.
In many schools and team environments, male athletes still do more strength and conditioning work than their female counterparts. Research has found that fewer than 10% of high school female athletes are required to strength train for their sport, compared to 50% of male athletes. Another study found that male athletes were more likely to participate in strength training year round and do more training sessions per week than their female counterparts.
You can blame persisting stereotypes, outdated thinking or a lack of time and resources. Whatever the reason, the outcome is clear: young female athletes aren’t introduced to strength training early enough or often enough.
And that means they’re missing a crucial component that can help them find success and longevity in their sport — it can also be the thing that helps youth athletes perform better and stand out.
Supporting a Stronger, More Resilient Female Athlete
At Strong for Sport, we help female athletes get stronger, build confidence and improve their performance.
Through personalized strength and conditioning programs, we work on mobility, strength training, plyometrics and functional core exercises that help athletes reach their goals and prepare their body for the undeniable stress of their sport (or sports).
In our encouraging, growth-focused environment, we invite our athletes to be loud, sweat hard and take up space so they can discover just how much they’re capable of.
WHY IT MATTERS
Athletes who dedicate time and energy to strength and conditioning see big results. Movement feels smoother. Competition feels easier. Recovery happens faster. And everything they do in the gym translates to improvement on the court, track or field.
A solid strength and conditioning program can help youth athletes:
Improve Strength: Progressive strength training programs force an athlete’s muscles to adapt to external demands, increasing their strength and allowing them to hit harder and compete better against tough competition.
Build a More Resilient Body: Muscles are shock absorbers and provide joint stability, which means well-trained muscles can help correct muscle imbalances and support injury prevention.
Increase Speed, Power + Agility: Conditioning and power development work can help athletes move faster and better — through all planes of motion — and keep up with fast teammates and competition.
Beyond those big wins, female athletes who strength train also learn how to take up space, get comfortable being uncomfortable and build unshakeable confidence that literally changes their game.
Meet Ashley
Ashley Gartland grew up in the Pacific Northwest and has been an athlete her entire life. She played soccer, tennis, softball and basketball and was on her high school track and cross country teams. She got into strength training in high school and continues to focus on it today.
As a certified personal trainer and the founder of Strong for Sport, Ashley helps female athletes get stronger, faster and more resilient and prepare for the stress of their sport. She also trains adult women who want to get in shape, age well and build strength for life.
In her spare time, Ashley enjoys coaching her daughters' basketball teams, and spectating at their many sports.