When you think about your child going into youth sports, you may be excited but a little hesitant. Injuries are common in sports, no matter the age of the person.
One way to combat youth athletics injuries is to ensure that the athletic program uses specifically youths’ equipment. We will highlight some of the best sports training equipment for youth athletes, whether you’re training at home or in an organized sport.
Areas of Training for Youth Sports
When it comes to athletes, they have to train different functions to become the best athlete. This is even true for children, possibly more so as children can get injured easier than adults. According to Stanford Children’s Health, children between the ages of 5 and 14 make up 40% of all sports-related injuries.
Areas that children often train in before going into sports are:
Athletic Business notes that many children are being trained similarly to adults, and that’s a problem. Therefore, they have helped break down the types of training a youth athlete needs.
Best Equipment for Youth Athletic Training
These pieces of equipment are commonly used with youth because they individually train different areas rather than teach multiple regions at once. The types of equipment used are effective because children need to understand each part of their athletic training to use it fully.
Best Training Equipment and Five Brands To Consider
Some of the best brands to use with youth athletes are:
- J/FIT Medicine Ball
- SKLZ Hurdles
- Yes4All Agility Ladder
- BenRan Jump Rope
- SKLZ Agility Cones
J/Fit Soft Wall Ball: Best Medicine Ball
- FUNCTIONAL TRAINING: Not intended for slamming exercise, this extremely versatile, premium JFIT Soft Wall Ball can be used for multiple workout goals, with use in strength training and plyometric exercises, burpees, crunches, and beyond
- DURABLE CONSTRUCTION: Premium heavy-duty vinyl coated shell, has been laser cut, double stitched, and hand stuffed to maintain balance and keep shape, while featuring a non-slip grip making it easy to hold during your sweat session
- MULTI-PURPOSE TOOL: Use this quality wall ball for more than just your workout by stretching and rolling out tight and sore muscle fibers using your weight and gravity against the surface area of the ball to release tension
- IMPROVE ENDURANCE: Excellent for men and women looking to increase core strength, improve stabilization, and muscle density, press through your next wall squat while maintaining a steady grip during your exercise routine
- PERFECT SIZE: All sizes have a 14” diameter, except the 4LB ball which has a 9” diameter, allowing you to add variety and challenge yourself with our premium wall balls that are balance tested, with even weight distribution
The J/FIT Soft Wall Ball is a versatile piece of gym equipment used for strength exercises. It’s a very mobile piece of equipment and helps stretching and rolling muscles that are tight and sore. The construction is durable, laser-cut stitched soft shell covering. It was hand-stuffed and weighed carefully to allow it to keep its weight and shape while in use. It comes in ten different values and is not intended for slamming exercises.
Pros:
- 14” in size, larger than the typical medicine ball.
- Ten different weights.
- Cushioned design rather than rubber.
Cons:
- No handle for easy grasping.
- The lowest weight is 6-pounds.
- The highest weight is 30-pounds.
SKLZ Hurdles: Best Hurdles for Youth Training
- EXPLOSIVE SPEED AND AGILITY. Generate power with these agility, and plyometric training hurdles. Bring your athletic performance to the next level as you build strength and explosive speed with the SKLZ 6X Hurdles.
- INSTANT BOUNCE BACK. These hurdles have innovative back bounce construction, and maintain their shape, even after being used by the toughest athletes. Each hurdle offers a highly durable base with a low profile look for cleats of all sizes.
- ULTRA DURABLE. The SKLZ 6X Hurdles are ultra-durable with a superior, one-piece twist design. At 6” high, they help to develop quick feet so you can output maximum power and footwork no matter your sport.
- SET OF SIX (6) BREAKS DOWN SMALL. These lightweight, and low profile hurdles stand sturdy during practice, but break down small. They come in a convenient carrying bag, making the drills that much easier to set up and break down.
- INVEST IN YOUR TRAINING. SKLZ is dedicated to helping athletes of all levels reach their goals. No matter your sport–baseball, soccer, football, or basketball–the SKLZ 6X Hurdles will help you reach peak performance around the field, court, or pitch.
Hurdles such as SKLZ Hurdles help an athlete to learn to generate speed. They have an instant bounce back, meaning they will retain their shape no matter what they’re used for, and they work with cleats of all sizes. These hurdles have a one-piece twist design, standing at six inches high, to further develop footwork.
Pros:
- Durable and able to maintain its original shape.
- Lightweight when carried; only 2lbs.
- 6” in height, which is useful for most training sessions.
Cons:
- May break if stepped on from the side, as the side does not support the same flexibility.
- Some may want taller hurdles, and in that case, this isn’t the right hurdle set for you.
Yes4All Agility Ladder: Best Ladders for Youth Training
- A PERFECT GIFT FOR ALL AGES AND LEVELS: This agility ladder set makes an excellent gift for your family and friends. Suitable agility ladder for kids, adults, athletes, coaches, sport and fitness lovers.
- HEAVY DUTY AGILITY LADDER: Constructed of nylon agility speed ladder with durable plastic rungs for agility training and workout ladder.
- FULLY ADJUSTABLE 8, 12 AND 20 RUNG DESIGN: Our agility ladders has space between rungs that is adjustable up to 15″ inch with nylon straps for different levels, skill sets and exercises. This is a perfect sports ladder which suitable to meet all your workout demands.
- INCLUDE A CARRY BAG: You can easily stash these agility ladder in carry bag to train anytime and anywhere that you want. Our agility training equipment are great for kids, athletes, and beneficial for older adults to workout, maintain balance and mobility.
- BETTER ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE: Perfect agility ladder speed training equipment which are suitable for soccer training, football, basketball, hockey, lacrosse, tennis, badminton, etc. to increase acceleration, foot strength, and speed, balance and body control.
Yes4All Agility Ladder is a heavy-duty ladder made of nylon and plastic. It’s fully adjustable and can have up to 20 rungs, with a 15-inch adjustment between rungs if needed. It’s crafted for use among all skillsets for a ton of uses. It’s best used to help acceleration, leg strength, core skills, balance, rhythm, and body control.
Pros:
- Fully adjustable to fit an 8, 12, or 20 rung design.
- 15-inch maximum in-between rungs.
- Ladders can be pieced together to create a more extended ladder for longer sessions.
Cons:
- These are not ladders meant for climbing; they are agility ladders with soft rungs, meant to lay in the grass.
- There are no loops to secure the ladder in place, and it does not come with stakes.
Save for having to find a way to secure the ladder in place, the ladder is good quality and does the job. They can be laid down on any surface and adjusted to fit any child and any goal.
This is great when working with children because children need to have goals that suit their needs, not the demands of the sport they are playing. The ladder is such a versatile tool that you can easily make up your training.
SKLZ Agility Cones: Best Training Cones for Youth Training
- Multiple high-visibility colors for marking training areas
- 2-inches tall
- Durable, will not break when stepped on
- Includes 20 cones – 5 each: yellow, black, white, orange
- Carry rack for easy transport and storage
SKLZ Agility Cones come in packs of 20, are 2-inches tall, durable, and are high visibility. They’re used in various exercises and help improves acceleration, decelerate, change direction with precision, and help create control over one’s body.
Pros:
- Highly visible due to bright colors.
- Durable and should keep their shape, even if stepped on.
- Comes with a carrying rack.
Cons:
- Might be too small for some, as the discs stand at 2” tall.
- The black color of some of the cones may not be visible against all backgrounds.
BenRan Jump Rope: Best Jump Rope for Youth Training
- IT’S A TOP RATED SPEED ROPE – Effective in building endurance, stamina and reflexes. Jump rope outlines a number of highly effective workout techniques that will supercharge your training.
BenRan Jump Rope is an adjustable jump rope that’s best used to build endurance, stamina, reflexes, and agility. It is made with a quality metal cord coated in PVC coating with metal bearings to never stick. It’s built for heavy-duty use and has an adjustable length—up to 9 feet. The handles are made for comfort, and it comes with a satisfaction guarantee.
Pros:
- It can be adjusted to be 9 feet long if desired.
- It is made with a durable 3M PVC coating to withstand most terrain.
- Comfortable handles.
Cons:
- The rope’s weight is too light to be used for cardio in some instances.
- May not come with enough length for certain rope tricks.
Final Thoughts
Children have different needs than adults, even though they share many of the same injuries that adults can get while training for sports. It is possible to accommodate and train children while also lessening their chance of injury and optimize their chance of becoming successful athletes.