GPP: The Foundation of Youth Performance
November 24, 2025
By Coach Collen McLain
6 min to read
Kinesis Integrated is a personalized strength training app for endurance athletes. Trusted by Olympians and elite athletes, our app helps you build strength, prevent injuries, and hit new PRs.
If you search the internet for “best ways to train a youth ______ athlete,” you’ll likely find a hyper-specialized program designed to mimic the demands of that specific sport. More often than not, these programs are simply a collection of drills a coach once saw a professional athlete perform, usually taken completely out of context. The thought process tends to be: If a pro does this and excels at their sport, then having my child do the same drills early will put them light years ahead.
What this mindset misses is context. Professional athletes are already 99.9% optimized for their sport. They are searching for that final 0.1% to separate the elite from world-class. They have already mastered the foundational movement skills that youth athletes have yet to develop.
Most young athletes lack even basic movement competency. What they need long before sport-specific training, is a broad base of general movement literacy. Early specialization in a developing body increases the risk of both overuse and acute injuries. Repeating the same limited set of movement patterns on an unprepared athlete dramatically heightens that risk.
This is where General Physical Preparation (GPP) becomes essential. GPP is the training foundation for every athlete, but it is particularly crucial for youth and novice athletes. In fact, quality strength and movement training for young athletes should look almost identical across sports, including endurance sports. Our speciality at Kinesis Integrated.
This article outlines the core components every youth athlete’s physical training program should include.
Movement Competency Before Adding Load
The first priority with youth athletes is building a broad library of movement skills. Start with fundamental movement patterns:
Lower Body: Squat and hinge
Upper Body: Horizontal/vertical pressing and pulling
Core: Rotation, flexion/extension, lateral bending, and the “anti” variations (anti-rotation, anti-flexion/extension, anti-lateral bending)
Prioritize competency over load. Once an athlete masters a movement pattern, progress it by changing the variation, not by rushing to add heavy weight. For example, once a youth athlete demonstrates solid technique in a deadlift, progress them to a single-leg deadlift.
Weights can certainly be used early, as long as they do not compromise movement quality. If form breaks down to accommodate the load, the load is wrong.
Below are examples of each key pattern category.
Lower Body Patterns
Squat Variations
Double-Leg: Goblet Squat, Front Squat, Back Squat
Single-Leg: Walking Lunge, Lateral Lunge, Bulgarian Split Squat
Hinge Variations
Double-Leg: Romanian Deadlift, Glute Bridge, GHD Back/Glute Extension
Single-Leg: Single-Leg RDL, Single-Leg Glute Bridge
Miscellaneous Lower Body
Storks, Copenhagen Planks, Bent- and Straight-Leg Calf Raises, Star Side Planks, Sled Push/Pull Variations
Upper Body Patterns
Horizontal Press
Bench Press, Cable Press, Push-Ups
Horizontal Pull
Row Variations (single- and double-arm)
Vertical Press
Dumbbell/Kettlebell Overhead Press in varied stances (kneeling, split stance, even stance, seated), Handstand Progressions
Vertical Pull
Pull-Ups, Chin-Ups, Band-Assisted Variations
Miscellaneous Upper Body
Crawling Variations
Core Training
Rotation
Cable Chops, Med Ball Rotational Throws, Russian Twist Variations
Anti-Rotation
Pallof Press, Bird Dog Row
Flexion/Extension
Hanging Knee Raises, Crunches, Supermans, GHD Back Extensions
Anti-Flexion/Extension
Planks, Dead Bug Variations
Lateral Bending
Side Plank Hip Dips, Med Ball Rainbow Slams, Weighted Side Bends
Anti-Lateral Bending
Suitcase Carries, Farmer’s Carries, Offset Carries
Plyometrics for Youth Athletes
Plyometrics are an extremely beneficial tool for young athletes. Begin with extensive variations, lower-intensity, higher-volume movements to develop coordination and rhythm. As athletes become competent, gradually progress to intensive plyometrics.
The goal of plyometrics is minimizing ground contact time. This can be trained through:
Hops and pogo variations
Multi-directional jumps
Single- and double-leg variations
As athletes progress, introduce more intensive options such as:
Bounding
Triple jumps
Repeat broad jumps
Sprinting
These exercises improve elasticity, coordination, and power, all vital qualities for endurance athletes.
Key Takeaways
Avoid early specialization. Young athletes need movement variety, not hyper-specific drills.
Build a large movement base first. Competency precedes load, complexity, and intensity.
Keep it fun. Strength training doesn’t need to be monotonous. Creativity keeps kids engaged and accelerates learning.
When youth athletes develop strong, versatile movement skills through GPP, they establish the foundation needed for long-term endurance performance, and long-term athletic success.
Looking for Youth Training in Boulder, Colorado?
At Kinesis Integrated, we specialize in building durable, high-performing youth athletes through smart, progressive GPP. Our programs help Boulder’s young endurance athletes develop strength, resilience, and lifelong movement skills. Check out our youth training here: Kinesis Youth Athletic Development Program
FAQ: Youth Endurance Training & GPP in Boulder, Colorado
What is GPP and why is it important for youth endurance athletes in Boulder?
General Physical Preparation (GPP) is the foundation of athletic development. For youth endurance athletes in Boulder, who often run, bike, hike, and compete year-round, GPP builds strength, movement competency, and durability to prevent overuse injuries common in repetitive endurance sports.
At what age should kids start strength training at Kinesis Integrated?
Youth can safely begin structured strength and movement training around ages 8–9, as long as the focus is on technique, coordination, and age-appropriate progressions. At Kinesis Integrated, our Boulder-based youth programs prioritize movement quality over load, ensuring safe development at every age.
Does GPP help prevent running injuries in young athletes?
Absolutely. Most youth running injuries come from poor movement patterns, weak stabilizing muscles, and excessive repetitive volume. GPP strengthens the hips, core, and lower body, reducing the risk of shin splints, knee pain, Achilles issues, and stress injuries common among Boulder youth runners.
Should youth endurance athletes specialize in one sport?
Early specialization increases injury risk and limits long-term athletic potential. Boulder’s young athletes benefit far more from multi-sport participation and a strong GPP foundation, which develops overall coordination, strength, and athleticism that transfers to any endurance discipline.
How does strength training benefit young endurance athletes?
Strength training improves running economy, cycling power, posture, and efficiency. For Boulder youth training at altitude, these qualities are essential. GPP-based strength work helps kids move better, maintain form longer, and reduce fatigue during training and competition.
Is strength training safe for kids?
Yes, when supervised and programmed correctly. At Kinesis Integrated, we use movement-focused, technique-driven progressions that align with the safest industry standards. Research consistently shows that properly coached strength training improves safety for youth athletes by reducing injury risk.
Do endurance athletes really need upper-body and core training?
Yes. Proper endurance form requires upper-body strength, posture control, and a stable core. These qualities help Boulder youth athletes maintain efficient breathing, powerful strides, and stable cycling form, especially on long climbs or uneven terrain.
How often should youth endurance athletes do GPP training?
Most young athletes benefit from 2–3 GPP sessions per week, depending on their sport load and season. At Kinesis Integrated, we balance Boulder’s demanding endurance culture with appropriate volume and recovery for growing athletes.
Does Kinesis Integrated offer youth programs specifically for runners, cyclists, and triathletes?
Yes. We tailor training to the needs of Boulder’s endurance-focused youth athletes. Whether a young athlete runs cross-country, competes in triathlon, or cycles competitively, our programming builds the strength and movement foundation they need to perform and stay healthy.
How do I get started with youth athlete training at Kinesis Integrated in Boulder, CO?
You can contact us directly to schedule a consultation or youth assessment. We’ll evaluate movement quality, mobility, coordination, and strength to design the right GPP-based program for your young athlete.
At Kinesis, we help endurance athletes stay healthy and perform year-round. Whether you’re training for Boston, UTMB, or your local 10K, our strength plans plug into your routine and make you stronger where it counts.
Our app auto-builds a race-specific plan in minutes so you climb harder, descend cleaner, and finish fresher. Start for free here.
