STR
PWR
SKL
Spring – Summer 2026

Teen AthletePerformance
Program

A coach-led, app-supported training program built specifically for 15–17 year old male athletes.
Muscle. Strength. Athleticism.
Built the right way.

Explore the Program →

“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” — Vince Lombardi

The Philosophy

Functional muscle. Not just bigger — better.

There's a meaningful difference between building muscle for appearance and building muscle that makes you a more capable athlete. This program is built entirely around the latter.

Bodybuilding Muscle

Bodybuilding trains muscles in isolation — bicep curls, leg extensions, chest flyes. The goal is hypertrophy for its own sake: size and symmetry as the end product. The muscle looks strong. But it's trained to perform in a controlled, fixed range of motion, not in the unpredictable demands of sport.

For a developing teenager, an exclusively bodybuilding approach can create imbalances, limit mobility, and build a body that looks capable but doesn't move that way.

Functional Muscle

Functional training builds muscle through compound, multi-joint movements — squats, deadlifts, presses, pulls — that mirror how the body actually moves in sport and life. The result is muscle that's strong through a full range of motion and transferable to any athletic demand.

A teenager who builds this kind of strength doesn't just look like an athlete — he moves like one, performs like one, and stays healthier because his body is balanced and resilient.

This program uses both. Compound lifts form the foundation — squats, deadlifts, presses, rows. Accessory work fills in the gaps. CrossFit metcons build the engine. The result is an athlete who is bigger, stronger, faster, and more durable — not just one who looks the part.
The Program

Two goals. One integrated system.

Every session, every phase, every block is designed around two objectives that reinforce each other: building athletic muscle and developing genuine performance.

STR
Athletic Muscle

Structured hypertrophy training using double progression and periodized volume. Building the kind of muscle that makes you stronger and more durable — not just bigger.

PWR
Athletic Performance

Speed, power, conditioning, and work capacity developed through deliberate training. The kind of fitness that shows up in sport, not just the gym.

SKL
Skill Development

Progressive CrossFit skill work in gymnastics and barbell movements. Athletes earn complexity over time — building confidence and competency that lasts.

For Parents
What you need to know
  • Program is designed specifically for 15–17 year old development — not an adult program scaled down
  • Movement quality is always prioritized over load. Form breaks down, weight comes down. No exceptions.
  • Warm-up and cool-down are mandatory every session — injury prevention is built in, not optional
  • Planned deload weeks are built into every 4-week block — recovery is programmed, not accidental
  • The most impactful thing you can do at home: encourage 8–9 hours of sleep and make sure he's eating enough
For Athletes
What to expect
  • 4 days of serious strength and muscle work per week. Friday is a scored CrossFit metcon — competitive and posted on the board
  • The program is phased. Each block has a purpose. Trust the process — especially when it feels easy at the start
  • You'll learn barbell and gymnastics skills that most guys your age never get properly coached on
  • Everything is tracked in the app. PRs get celebrated. Progress is visible.
  • Show up, sleep like it's part of training (it is), check your ego on technique. That's the formula.
  • By late July you will be a different athlete. The work is the proof.

Consistency Is Key.

Performance is built through consistency. Every training variable — sets, reps, load, rest, periodization — only works if the athlete shows up to do the work. A perfectly written program delivers nothing to an athlete who misses sessions. Conversely, an athlete who shows up consistently, even on the days they don't feel like it, will always outperform a more talented athlete who doesn't. This is one of the most important lessons sport can teach a young person.

From a physiological standpoint, adaptation is cumulative. The body responds to repeated stress over time — not to occasional bursts of effort. Missing one session doesn't derail a program, but a pattern of inconsistency breaks the progressive overload that drives muscle growth, strength, and performance. Showing up is how you ask.

Beyond the physical, there is something deeply formative about learning to honor a commitment to yourself. Athletes who train consistently develop a relationship with discipline that has nothing to do with motivation — motivation fluctuates, discipline doesn't. A 15 or 16 year old who learns to show up when they don't feel like it is developing a skill that will serve them their entire lives. Beyond health and fitness, this is perhaps the greatest real long-term return on this program.

Each session runs approximately 60–90 minutes. Friday metcon days: 50–60 min. Five sessions per week. Show up for all of them.

Training Timeline

April 7 through late July.

16 weeks. 4 structured training blocks. Each block builds on the last — from movement quality through to power output.

BLK 1
Apr 7 – Apr 28
Anatomical Adaptation
Movement quality, joint prep, habit formation. 12–15 rep ranges, 60–70% intensity.
4 WKS
BLK 2
May 5 – May 26
Hypertrophy
Muscle building focus. 8–12 rep ranges, 70–80% intensity. Double progression model.
4 WKS
BLK 3
Jun 2 – Jun 23
Strength
Force production. 4–6 rep ranges, 80–90% intensity. Heavier compound lifts, longer rest.
4 WKS
BLK 4
Jun 30 – Jul 21
Power & Athletic Performance
Speed-strength, Olympic derivatives, jumps, sprint work. Final benchmarks Week 16.
4 WKS
Sample Week

What a full training week looks like.

Monday through Friday. Two lower body days, two upper body days, and a scored CrossFit metcon. Sample shown from Block 2 (Hypertrophy).

Monday
Lower Body A
Quad Dominant
Block 2 · 8–12 Reps
  • Back Squat — 4×8–10 @ RPE 8
  • Romanian Deadlift — 3×10–12
  • Bulgarian Split Squat — 3×10–12 ea
  • Heel-Elevated Goblet Squat — 3×12–15
  • GHD Hamstring Curl — 3×12–15
  • Dead Bug — 3×10 ea
Rest: 90s–2min compounds · 60s accessories
Tuesday
Upper Body A
Heavy Push / Pull
Block 2 · 8–12 Reps
  • Bench Press — 4×8–10 @ RPE 8
  • Weighted Pull-Up — 4×6–8
  • DB Incline Press — 3×10–12
  • Barbell Bent-Over Row — 3×10–12
  • Lateral Raise — 3×12–15
  • Face Pull — 3×15–20
Rest: 2min compounds · 45–60s isolation
Wednesday
Lower Body B
Hip & Posterior Chain
Block 2 · 8–12 Reps
  • Trap Bar Deadlift — 4×5–6 @ RPE 8–9
  • Barbell Hip Thrust — 3×10–12
  • Reverse Lunge (DB) — 3×10–12 ea
  • Nordic Curl — 3×6–8
  • Spanish Squat (band) — 3×12–15
  • Copenhagen Plank — 3×20s ea
Rest: 90s–2min compounds · 60s accessories
Thursday
Upper Body B
Volume, Shoulder-Friendly
Block 2 · 10–15 Reps
  • DB Overhead Press — 3×10–12
  • Ring Row — 3×12–15
  • DB Chest Fly — 3×12–15
  • Hammer Curl — 3×12–15
  • Overhead Tricep Extension — 3×12–15
  • Band Pull-Apart — 3×20
Lighter load · Prep shoulders for Friday metcon
Friday
Metcon Day
Skill + Conditioning
Scored · Posted on Board
  • Warm-Up (8 min)
  • Row, air squats, jump rope
  • Skill (15 min)
  • Box jumps, kipping swing, DU attempts
  • Metcon — 5 Rds For Time
  • 200m Run + 10 Box Jumps (24")
  • 10 Ring Rows + 10 Push-Ups
Target: Sub 16 min · Score recorded in app
Saturday & Sunday — Full rest. Sleep, eat, recover. This is where growth happens. The training is the stimulus; recovery is the adaptation.
Measuring Progress

Pre & post benchmarks.

Every athlete is assessed at Week 1 and retested at Week 16. This isn't about where you start — it's about the distance traveled.

Strength Benchmarks
Lift
Back Squat (1RM)
Trap Bar Deadlift (1RM)
Bench Press (1RM)
Strict Pull-Up (max reps)
Overhead Press (1RM)
Vertical Jump
Conditioning Retests
WorkoutFormat
Baseline A3 Rds: 500m Row + 20 Air Squats + 10 Push-Ups
Baseline BAMRAP 10: Bike + Sit-Ups + Box Step-Ups
Baseline C5 Rds: 200m Run + Ring Rows + KB Swings + Burpees
Skill Progression System

Every skill is rated on a 3-level scale at pre and post assessment. Progress through the levels — not reaching Level 3 — is the goal.

Level 1 — Entry
  • Dead hang pull-up × 1–3
  • Scapular pull-ups × 5
  • Hollow body hold × 20s
  • Box jump 24"
  • PVC hang power clean
  • Jump rope singles × 50 unbroken
  • Wall-facing handstand hold × 10s
Level 2 — Developing
  • Pull-up × 5–7 strict
  • Kipping swing × 10
  • Hollow body hold × 45s
  • Box jump 30"
  • Hang power clean 65 lb
  • Singles × 100 + 5 double unders
  • Handstand hold × 20s + 1–3 strict HSPU
Level 3 — Proficient
  • Pull-up × 10+ unbroken
  • Kipping pull-up × 15+
  • Toes-to-bar × 10
  • Box jump 36"
  • Power clean 95+ lb
  • Double unders × 25+ unbroken
  • Strict HSPU × 5 or kipping HSPU × 3
Glossary

Terms worth knowing.

A quick reference for parents and athletes who are new to structured strength and conditioning.

Periodization

The practice of deliberately structuring training into phases over time — each with a different focus, intensity, and volume. Periodized programs build logically: first preparing the body, then building muscle, then developing strength, then expressing power. It's why elite athletes improve consistently and avoid plateaus.

Hypertrophy

The scientific term for muscle growth. Hypertrophy occurs when muscle fibers are stressed through training and repair and grow back slightly larger during recovery. It requires sufficient training volume, progressive overload, adequate protein, and — critically for teenagers — enough sleep.

RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion)

A 1–10 scale describing how hard a set feels. RPE 8 = challenging but 2 reps still possible. RPE 10 = absolute maximum. Using RPE instead of fixed percentages allows the program to auto-regulate based on how the athlete feels each day — especially important for developing athletes whose recovery varies week to week.

1RM (One Rep Max)

The maximum weight an athlete can lift for a single repetition. In this program, 1RM is almost always calculated rather than tested directly — an athlete lifts a challenging weight for 3–5 reps and a formula estimates their max. Safe, and still gives a meaningful number to track over time.

Deload

A planned week of reduced training volume and intensity at the end of each block. Not a rest week — athletes still train, but lighter. The purpose is to allow accumulated fatigue to dissipate so the body can fully absorb the training from the previous weeks. Athletes almost always feel stronger after a deload.

Metcon (Metabolic Conditioning)

A high-intensity workout designed to challenge the cardiovascular and energy systems, combining multiple movements performed for time or rounds. In this program, metcons are the Friday session — scored, competitive, and posted on the board. They develop work capacity and mental toughness that strength training alone cannot.

Hypertrophy vs. Strength Training vs. Functional Fitness

Three distinct training approaches — each with a different goal, rep range, and outcome. This program uses all three, sequenced deliberately across blocks.

Hypertrophy Strength Training Functional Fitness
Goal Build muscle size Maximize force output Work capacity & athleticism
Rep Range 8–12 reps 1–6 reps Varies — often high rep or timed
Load Moderate (70–80%) Heavy (80–95%) Light to moderate
Rest 60–90 seconds 2–5 minutes Minimal — intensity is the point
Result More muscle mass More force & power Better conditioning & movement
In This Program Blocks 1 & 2 Block 3 Friday + Block 4
Compound vs. Isolation Exercises

Compound exercises involve multiple joints and muscle groups — squats, deadlifts, bench press, pull-ups, rows. They build functional strength and form the foundation of every session in this program.

Isolation exercises target a single muscle group — curls, lateral raises, flyes. They have their place filling gaps, but should never be the foundation of a young athlete's training. In this program: accessories, not anchors.

The Coach

I've played competitive sports my whole life.

From competing across multiple team sports through high school and college, sport has shaped a great deal about how I think, move, and show up in the world. Today, my arena is functional fitness and competitive CrossFit — and I've earned my place in it, ranking in the top 1% worldwide in the CrossFit Open for my age group multiple times and placing highly across a number of well-regarded global competitions.

But the experience that has shaped my coaching most wasn't a podium finish — it was a serious shoulder injury requiring surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff, labrum, and bicep, followed by the long, humbling road of recovery and rehabilitation. Going through that process gave me a deep, firsthand understanding of what it takes to rebuild the body correctly, the importance of patience and progressive training, and what it truly means to come back stronger.

I am excited to coach teenage male athletes because I genuinely love this age group. At 15–17, young men are at one of the most exciting windows of athletic development in their lives — motivated, competitive, and capable of making real progress when guided well.

“Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t.” — Jerry Rice

My program is built around two goals: building athletic muscle and developing genuine performance. I use structured, periodized training — the same methodology trusted by elite coaches worldwide — adapted specifically for developing athletes. Every session has a purpose. Every phase builds on the last. Every athlete learns to train with intention, not just effort.

What most young athletes are missing is a coach who meets them where they are, builds their confidence through proper movement, and gives them a framework that serves them for decades, not just a season.

Whether your son is chasing his first pull-up or his first podium, I want to help him get there — safely, progressively, and with the kind of coaching that sticks with him long after our sessions end.