Strength exercises by age

Strength exercises for middle schoolers, ages 11 to 13

14 exercises a 11 to 13 year old can do at home or before practice, from SSTracker's athletic-development library, all with body weight. Each one starts at the age the app opens it.

Right for the age

  • At 11 to 13, the main strength shapes are learned with body weight, slow and clean: squat, hip hinge, split squat and a push-up from a bench. Add reps only when every rep looks the same.
  • Strength and jumping no more than two or three times a week, never on back-to-back days. Growth spurts start at this age, so cut the volume, not the fun.
  • No goblet squats or other weights at home: the goblet squat with a light dumbbell or kettlebell is in SSTracker for a coach to teach in person, from 13.

Strength

Each exercise with its steps, the coach's cue and the safety line. The age is the youngest the app opens it at.

Bodyweight Squat Pattern

From age 11 · 8 min · no equipment

Learn the body-weight squat with heels down, knees over toes and chest up. The base of lower-body strength.

  1. Feet shoulder-width, toes slightly out.
  2. Push hips back and bend the knees, keeping heels flat.
  3. Go as low as you can with a flat back, then stand up.
  4. Do 3 sets of 8 to 10, slowly.

Coaching point: Knees follow the toes.

Safety: Good form beats more reps: stop the set when your form slips. Muscles may feel tired; stop if a joint hurts.

Incline Push-Up Progression

From age 11 · 8 min · bench, step or sturdy table

Push-ups with hands on a bench, moving lower as you get stronger, until floor push-ups are clean.

  1. Place hands on a bench, body straight from head to heel.
  2. Lower your chest to the bench with elbows at about 45 degrees.
  3. Push back up without the hips sagging.
  4. Do 3 sets of 8; move to a lower surface when all are clean.

Coaching point: Body like a plank, elbows in.

Safety: Good form beats more reps: stop the set when your form slips. Muscles may feel tired; stop if a joint hurts.

Split Squat Basics

From age 11 · 8 min · no equipment

With one foot forward and one back, lower straight down and up. Builds single-leg strength and knee control.

  1. Step one foot forward into a long stance.
  2. Lower your back knee toward the ground, trunk tall.
  3. Keep the front knee over the middle of the foot.
  4. Push back up; do 2 sets of 8 each leg.

Coaching point: Straight down, straight up.

Safety: Good form beats more reps: stop the set when your form slips. Muscles may feel tired; stop if a joint hurts.

Stick Hip Hinge

From age 11 · 8 min · broomstick or dowel

Hold a stick along your back and learn to bend from the hips with a flat back. This is the shape of every safe lift from the floor.

  1. Hold a stick along your spine touching head, upper back and tailbone.
  2. Soften the knees and push your hips back.
  3. Keep all three touch points on the stick as you lean forward.
  4. Stand up by squeezing your hips forward; do 3 sets of 8.

Coaching point: Hips back, stick stays on.

Safety: Good form beats more reps: stop the set when your form slips. Muscles may feel tired; stop if a joint hurts.

Assisted Hamstring Lowers

From age 13 · 8 min · partner, mat

Kneel with a partner holding your ankles and lower forward slowly. One of the best moves to protect the backs of the legs.

  1. Kneel on a mat; a partner holds your ankles firmly.
  2. Keep a straight line from knees to head.
  3. Lower forward as slowly as you can, catching yourself with your hands.
  4. Push back up with your hands; do 2 sets of 4.

Coaching point: Slow and straight.

Safety: Only with a coach or trained adult watching. Light load only, never a maximal lift. Stop the set when form slips.

Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat

From age 13 · 12 min · bench or step

A split squat with the back foot on a bench. Strong single-leg work with your own body weight.

  1. Rest the top of your back foot on a knee-high bench.
  2. Lower straight down until the front thigh is about level.
  3. Keep the front knee tracking over the foot.
  4. Push up; do 3 sets of 6 each leg.

Coaching point: Front heel heavy.

Safety: Only with a coach or trained adult watching. Light load only, never a maximal lift. Stop the set when form slips.

Single-Leg Hinge Reach

From age 13 · 10 min · no equipment

Hinge forward on one leg while the other reaches back. Builds hamstring and hip strength plus balance.

  1. Stand on one leg with a soft knee.
  2. Hinge forward as the other leg reaches straight back, hips level.
  3. Reach down toward the shin, then return to standing.
  4. Do 3 sets of 6 each leg, slow and steady.

Coaching point: Hips square, long line.

Safety: Only with a coach or trained adult watching. Light load only, never a maximal lift. Stop the set when form slips.

Jump, land and throw

Landing comes first: learn to land softly and freeze before jumping far or high. Keep the number of jumps low.

Broad Jump and Hold

From age 11 · 10 min · soft ground, tape measure (optional)

Jump forward as far as you can with control and hold the landing. Distance only counts if you stick it.

  1. Stand with toes at a line.
  2. Swing your arms back, then forward as you jump out.
  3. Land on both feet and hold for 2 seconds without stepping.
  4. Do 3 sets of 3 with full rest; note your best stuck jump.

Coaching point: Swing, jump, stick.

Safety: Land softly on grass or a mat, knees over toes, never caving in. Keep the number of jumps low. Stop if knees, shins or ankles hurt.

Light Ball Chest Throws

From age 11 · 10 min · light ball of 1 to 2 kg (2 to 4 lb), solid wall

Throw a light medicine ball from your chest into a wall with a step. Builds whole-body power safely.

  1. Stand 2 to 3 yards from a solid wall.
  2. Hold the ball at your chest, step forward and push it hard into the wall.
  3. Catch it on the rebound or let it drop.
  4. Do 3 sets of 6.

Coaching point: Step and push through the wall.

Safety: Throw only into clear space or a solid wall, with nobody in the way. Use a soft or light ball.

Snap-Down to Stick

From age 11 · 8 min · soft ground

Rise onto your toes with arms up, then snap down into a quick athletic landing. The safest way to learn to absorb force.

  1. Stand tall and rise onto your toes with arms high.
  2. Quickly drop your arms and hips into a quarter squat on flat feet.
  3. Hold the landing: knees over toes, chest up, for 2 seconds.
  4. Do 3 sets of 5.

Coaching point: Snap and stick, quiet feet.

Safety: Land softly on grass or a mat, knees over toes, never caving in. Keep the number of jumps low. Stop if knees, shins or ankles hurt.

Springy Ankle Pogo Series

From age 11 · 6 min · soft ground or mat

Small, quick, springy hops using stiff ankles. Builds the bounce in running and jumping.

  1. Stand tall with soft knees and arms relaxed.
  2. Hop on the balls of your feet with quick, small bounces.
  3. Keep the knees almost still; the ankles do the work.
  4. Do 3 sets of 10 hops with rest.

Coaching point: Hot ground, quick bounce.

Safety: Land softly on grass or a mat, knees over toes, never caving in. Keep the number of jumps low. Stop if knees, shins or ankles hurt.

Mini Hurdle Rebound Hops

From age 13 · 12 min · 4 to 6 low mini hurdles or rolled towels (15 cm)

Hop over a line of low hurdles with quick, springy contacts. Only once landings are solid.

  1. Set low hurdles about a stride apart.
  2. Hop over each one on two feet with quick, short contacts.
  3. Keep arms driving and the trunk tall.
  4. Do 4 runs through the line, with full rest. Keep total hops under 60 for the day.

Coaching point: Off the ground fast.

Safety: Land softly on grass or a mat, knees over toes, never caving in. Keep the number of jumps low. Stop if knees, shins or ankles hurt.

Rotational Wall Throws

From age 13 · 10 min · light ball of 1 to 3 kg (2 to 6 lb), solid wall

Turn and throw a light ball sideways into a wall. Trains power that starts in the legs and passes through the trunk.

  1. Stand side-on to a wall, 2 yards away.
  2. Hold the ball at your hip away from the wall.
  3. Turn your hips and throw the ball into the wall.
  4. Do 3 sets of 5 each side.

Coaching point: Hips turn, arms follow.

Safety: Throw only into clear space or a solid wall, with nobody in the way. Use a soft or light ball.

Side-to-Side Bound and Freeze

From age 13 · 10 min · soft ground

Push off one leg sideways and land on the other, holding the landing. Builds side-to-side power and knee control.

  1. Stand on your right leg.
  2. Push sideways and land on your left leg.
  3. Hold for 2 seconds: knee over toes, hips level.
  4. Bound back; do 3 sets of 4 each way.

Coaching point: Push wide, land still.

Safety: Land softly on grass or a mat, knees over toes, never caving in. Keep the number of jumps low. Stop if knees, shins or ankles hurt.

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