[INTEGRATE]

If you've got kids at home who want to give racing a shot, here are some great resources for you!

1) Check for any local racing clubs near you that have a Juniors program.

2) Take a look at the National Interscholastic Cycling Association to see if there is a team in your area. There have been quite a few riders who started with NICA and ended up at the World Cup U23 level in Europe.

3) For specific training advice, I'd definitely recommend talking to the cross country running coach at their school. Even though its running, the training principles are essentially the same for where a beginner would be.

4) If you don't mind helping them fund raise, you can always look into your local Team In Training chapter and sign them up for one of their cycling seasons.

While your Jr racer isn't eligible to send in questions to me directly, I am always more than happy to answer any from their parents!

[Hazy]

Funny you should mention this. My wife and I were just looking at having our 7 year old joining what seems to be a very successful junior cycling club in Louisville Ky.

I am unsure as of yet what I would even ask but very much appreciate that I can have your ear when I do!

[INTEGRATE]

Originally Posted by Hazy

Funny you should mention this. My wife and I were just looking at having our 7 year old joining what seems to be a very successful junior cycling club in Louisville Ky.

I am unsure as of yet what I would even ask but very much appreciate that I can have your ear when I do!

Fun, just have fun. You want your son/daughter to fall in love with cycling. Take them to a few races and see if the like it. They usually have kids races at a lot of crits, might be a good start.

[Hazy]

Ok Integrate,
My son's first practice is in the books and the coach recommended jumping rope for building tendon and ligament strength as well as agility training.

Any other suggestions? Need more info just ask.!

Please and thank you!

[INTEGRATE]

Originally Posted by Hazy

Ok Integrate,
My son's first practice is in the books and the coach recommended jumping rope for building tendon and ligament strength as well as agility training.

Any other suggestions? Need more info just ask.!

Please and thank you!

Hmmm, should be tolerated by his body, assuming he can get in and out of a chair correctly. Try this:
Have home stand in front of you.
Put your hands on his shoulders.
Push down with both hands for :05 secs.
Ask him where he feels the force of your push.
If he DOESN'T feel it in his feet or you feel him collapse in the low back, he's not ready to jump rope.

[bikertank]

INTEGRATE, your last response is exactly why I would be hesitant to refer my son (in my case grandson) to any coach of any sport - they are often lack knowledge in so many areas - little things like is he READY to jump rope are important - many coaches have kids doing the same things that high school and college athletes do with no knowledge of bone maturity rates etc. Have you had good luck with CC coaches or is it the lesser of evils in terms of training??

[INTEGRATE]

Tank,

I've found the endurance sports coaches the most "interesting" in terms of what they deem to be core workouts. In their defense, they've got 25-40 athletes to keep track of so they have to apply a blanket approach to their training.

Really, the best way is to get some time with a trainer to keep your grandson on track. That way his individual needs can be addressed.

[INTEGRATE]

Funny you should chime in. The other day I had a conversation with a client if it was better to do nothing in terms of exercise, or do at least something and do it wrong.

I voted do nothing rather than do something wrong and get hurt. Enough cannot be said about moving correctly. Especially from the neural movement pattern perspective. I think that's what most people haven't been exposed to.

[Hazy]

Originally Posted by INTEGRATE

Hmmm, should be tolerated by his body, assuming he can get in and out of a chair correctly. Try this:
Have home stand in front of you.
Put your hands on his shoulders.
Push down with both hands for :05 secs.
Ask him where he feels the force of your push.
If he DOESN'T feel it in his feet or you feel him collapse in the low back, he's not ready to jump rope.

Well @ 7 I don't think he fully understood well enough what I was asking him, or maybe I just didn't know how to ask the question so I just went with how strong he felt when I pressed down.

He is a very active and athletically inclined kid but sometimes lacks a drive to push so I need to watch how I do this so as not to burn him out but not let him feel like he can just "coast by" as well.

[INTEGRATE]

At age 7, play should be priority 1, make it fun. Race him to stop signs, mail boxes, etc and see how he likes it.

Maybe get a few of his friends and do "let's see who can get there first" kind of thing and see how that goes too.