Long Term Athletic Development (LTAD)
Why this program exists
At Kaizen Kinetics, we emphasize the importance of Movement Education. Before speed, before power, before sport-specific skill, there must be movement competence. That’s where true athletic development starts.
Most youth sports programs skip this step entirely. Children are placed into competitive environments before they’ve learned how to understand their physical capabilities.
The result is a high rate of overuse injuries, frustration, early dropout, and a growing disinterest in physical activity by the time adolescence arrives. We address this problem by starting at the root: movement literacy.
Movement literacy is the ability to move with control, confidence, and coordination across a range of physical tasks. It forms the base for all sport-specific development and long-term health. Without it, children may perform well temporarily, but lack the foundation needed to grow, adapt, and stay healthy. Our approach uses a structured long-term athletic development (LTAD) model to progressively build these skills—year by year, phase by phase.
The Framework
Long term athletic development
01
Foundation - ages 3-6
We begin with balance, coordination, and basic locomotor skills. Kids learn to crawl, hop, balance, roll, and catch in an exploratory, play-based environment. Every activity is intentional, building the foundations of body awareness and posture through movement. At this age, success is measured not by task completion but by confidence in movement and the ability to control the body in space.
02
Exploration - ages 7-9
This phase builds on the foundational years by introducing agility, rhythm, and reactive movement. Kids begin to link movements together and respond to external cues, learning how to jump and land properly, move laterally, and adjust quickly. We use fun, controlled challenges to teach direction change, coordination under speed, and decision-making through movement. It’s about learning to move well before moving fast.
03
Building - ages 10-12
Now that the basics are in place, we start introducing more structured strength and speed development. Kids are taught how to produce and absorb force safely. Bodyweight strength, sled marches, medicine ball throws, and sprint drills are used to build power and postural control. Emphasis is placed on mechanics and movement efficiency—setting the stage for safe, productive training as bodies grow and mature.
03
Performance - ages 13-14
This is the transitional phase into higher-intensity sport. Training includes structured resistance, sprint conditioning, and advanced agility. Athletes learn how to manage effort and recovery, refine mechanics under speed, and prepare for sport-specific practice loads. This stage bridges movement competency with performance readiness—helping young athletes handle the demands of sport with durability and confidence.