Long-Term Development
At Higher Tactics, we believe that development happens along a continuum of consistency and support. Outside of strength and conditioning but within sport, we fully support a model of Long-Term Athletic Development (LTAD) that guides athletes’ growth from foundational skill-building to peak performance.
It breaks down training into stages that align with athletes' physical and mental development. Early phases focus on general movement and strength, while later stages advance to sport-specific skills and competitive excellence. This approach helps reduce injury risk, fosters resilience, and builds a strong foundation for lifelong fitness. Parents and athletes can rely on LTAD to create balanced, sustainable paths to success in sports and overall health.
LTAD MODEL
Empowering Young Athletes: Why the “Train to Train” Phase Matters in Long-Term Athletic Development
As parents of aspiring athletes, it’s natural to want to see progress and success early on. However, real athletic excellence takes time, and that’s where Long-Term Athletic Development (LTAD) comes in.
Within this journey, the “Train to Train” stage (generally ages 12–16) is essential, focusing on building an athlete’s foundation for future success through balanced skill development and preparation.
The "Train to Train" phase emphasizes foundational athleticism rather than solely specializing in a sport. During this stage, young athletes develop key physical attributes like endurance, strength, and coordination while also focusing on technique and flexibility.
This balanced training not only builds a robust skill set but also helps protect young athletes from burnout and overuse injuries often seen in single-sport specialization.
Why Parents Should Embrace the “Train to Train” Stage
Building Athletic Versatility
Instead of narrowing focus too early, LTAD’s "Train to Train" stage provides a range of movement skills applicable to multiple sports, making kids more adaptable and resilient athletes. Speed and Agility drills like what Higher Tactics builds lends directly to this model. This diversity prevents overuse injuries common in sport-specific training and keeps young athletes engaged and excited about trying new activities. Novelty develops passion in this stage.
Focusing on Development, Not Results
In this phase, coaches prioritize technique, speed, effort, strength, and teachability over scores or rankings. The goal is to make training about progress rather than short-term wins. This mindset builds a strong foundation that positions young athletes to peak in their later years, when athletic performance and competition become more critical. Tangible and objectives measurements like performance testing and performance thresholds like what Higher Tactics’ assessments provide allow for a feedback loop that shows effort into a task or skill means progress and positive outcomes. Work ethics are what we ultimately want out of this stage.
Creating Lifelong Athletes
LTAD aims to foster lifelong fitness, not just short-term athletic success. Athletes who embrace the "Train to Train" philosophy learn habits that benefit them well into adulthood, emphasizing health, discipline, and a passion for sport and a discipline of development. The skills learned during this stage translate to a stronger, more motivated individual who can thrive in sports and life. This is why we are so passionate about what we do. Better athletes, citizens, parents, and contributors to the common good.
