Fitness in Youth: Recent Episodes
Daniel Young and James Fitzgerald
The Fitness in Youth podcast is dedicated to explore new ways to make youth fitness a priority, empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities today and to elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better.
James & Dan go beyond complaining and think creatively on repurposing underutilized sporting fields to create more engaging outdoor spaces for a physical practice.
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimize behaviors to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industr...
James and Dan review and dissect an article from The Cut which explores the rise hypervigilance among American parents and mental health issues in children and teenagers.
This state of of excessive alertness, heightened sensitivity, or intense watchfulness is being seen in playgrounds and can potentially limit a child's ability to develop physically, socially and emotionally.
They discuss the importance of unstructured/unsupervised play and independent mobility for children's well-being, as well debate the notion that parental intervention in children's autonomy may harm their emotional health in the long-term.
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimize behaviors to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industr...
James and Dan pick up where the previous episode left of by exploring how community led physical activity program's could be the answer to creating health and fitness autonomy for the next generation.
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimize behaviors to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industr...
This episode discusses the use of supplements in youth populations.
James and Dan debate where supplements may be a useful tool vs when they could be doing harm, how to navigate conversations around the use of supplements with your kids and give insight into some of the more commonly used supplements and their function.
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimize behaviors to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industr...
This episode explores the topic of body composition and how to navigate the challenges associated with pubertal changes, self perception and body image in youth.
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimize behaviors to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industr...
James and Dan discuss the role of early specialization in youth populations. This topic is typically referenced within a performance context , but the discussion explores how specialization is beginning to bleed into every aspect of youth development.
What are the pro's?
What are con's?
What to look out for?
And, Is there an optimal level of specialization?
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimize behaviors to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industr...
James and Dan explore a hypothetical scenario by having to articulate and decide on one policy change they believe would have the greatest positive impact on youth engagement in physical expression.
Would you choose the carrot or the stick?
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimize behaviors to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industr...
With the pace at which artificial intelligence is starting to integrate into everyday living, James and I discuss the utility and downside of AI as it relates to the health and fitness industry.
We dig into:
- How AI platforms give access to information
- Critically analyze the accuracy and relevance of that information
- Ideas on virtual reality, games and physical expression (you vs. the computer)
- AI in learning and behavior for young people
- Freedom vs security in AI
- Spying on kids vs. “watching over kids”
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimize behaviors to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industr...
In this episode we pick up where we left off to explore the power of narrative. We specifically look at the hero’s journey and how it can be used as a tool to showcase the mission and values we promote on the FIY podcast.
As covered in the previous episode, The Wonder School, which is a learner driven, Socratic based schooling systems, starts each day with a story (typically following a hero’s journey). This helps frame each day for the students to cultivate a love of learning, discovery what inspires them, find what they would sacrifice, help them overcome their fears, find their calling and change the world.
James and I want to take this framework and apply it to the FIY setting to discover some new tools that may create that call to action.
We’ll cover;
- What the hero’s journey is and unpack its framework
- Provide some examples that have stood the test of time
- James and I will come up with our that follow a more strict set of inclusion criteria (i.e, not sport or war stories)
- Discuss modern day heroes and why/why not they could be false idols
- Provide some resources/stories that could inspire and create that call to action today
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimize behaviors to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industr...
Welcome back to another season of the podcast!
In this first episode, James and I explore the principles and practices of The Wonder School, and how they might apply to physical education.
The Wonder School is a learner driven, Socratic based education system in Wichita, Kansas. One of the founders, Zach Lahn, recently featured on Episode 370 of the Jordan B. Peterson podcast and I highly recommend giving it a listen for better context of todays episode
We zoom in on,
- What is a learner driven school and what does it look like?
- How can you apply the same principles to a physical education curriculum?
- What might that look like practically?
As always, we'd love to hear your opinions or suggestions on potential topics for future episodes. Please email them through to dy.athletic@gmail.com
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimize behaviors to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industr...
This episode is a deep dive into the biological and physiological processes that occur during puberty. This is a topic which typically does not get prioritized enough and arguably is one most people don't have a fundamental understanding of.
Insight into the natural process of this development phase is key to ensure adolescents maximize their physical and cognitive potential. It also helps inform what may go inside a physical curriculum or practice that is synergistic to building resilient, autonomous adults.
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimize behaviors to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industr...
This episode picks up where it left off from Episode #16. We discuss implementation strategies of an LTD model of physical curriculum and how it relates to our four 'P's', (parents, policy makers, professionals and piers).
Topics covered;
- Implementation strategies
- How implementation changes based of age classifications
- Tools anyone can implement now
- How to set your kids up for future success
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimize behaviors to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industr...
Episode #16 serves as the inception of a long-term implementable plan to change the course of health and fitness for youth and adolescents.
It's a reimagining of the long standing LTAD model, that attached youth sports with health. It an be argued that while sports play a role in youth development, the model still pushes younger generations towards sport specialization, and away from truly learning broad health and fitness characteristics, that can be utilized for life.
This episode will break down;
- What is LTD
- Who is LTD for (Age classifications)
- LTD Focus Areas
- How can LTD be implemented
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimize behaviors to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industr...
In this episode, James and Dan discuss this idea around 'The Coaches Oath'.
An idea birthed from Jame's LearnRx class titled 'Youth Physical Activity' where he distilled his knowledge and experience down to five key first principles for anyone wanting to have an impact on young people falling in love with movement.
These five principles are;
- Teach to learn
- Disciplined Role Model
- A Family Thing
- Do it Because They Can
- Make it Memorable
James and Dan zoom in on each principle to refine language and challenge ideas associated for each, in order to yield the greatest net positive impact. The principles should serve to guide intentions & behavior's for anyone working with youth and adolescents in fitness.
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimize behaviors to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industr...
James and I unpack the debate staged on Bari Weiss's podcast Honesty, about the over prescription of the now popularized weight loss drug, Ozempic.
- Listen Here
The drug has been prescribed to children as young at 12 years of age, despite the lack of any longitudinal research into the side effects.
In addition, we un pack the message this send's to the younger generations and how it informs their prioritization of physical activity and health.
We also discuss some markers of when the prescription of this type of drug should be considered vs not.
We'd love to hear your thoughts so please leave a comment or reach out.
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimize behaviors to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industr...
After a short break, we're back with the first episode of the year.
We kick off 2023 with a review of a powerful essay written by Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff titled "The Teen Mental Illness Epidemic Began Around 2012" .The article reveals alarming new statistics on the rise of mental illness in younger generations and how we can no longer afford to accept the long accepted null hypotheses that this is business as usual.
James and I break down the problem, identify some of the leading causes and discuss how physical expression and activity is an essential step in moving towards a solution.
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimize behaviors to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industr...
Today we come under the umbrella of what could be classified as an environmental factor and zoom in on how sociocultural norms impact the why, what and how of engaging in physical activity for adolescents.
Specifically we
- Define social and cultural influence (sociocultural)
- Discuss sociocultural influences differ between genders
- Differentiate the gender based experience and how that can frame a narrative around physical activity
- Explore some ripple effects this narrative may have (participation rates, injury rates, resource allocation etc)
- Suggest some practical tools to help shift that narrative or overcome some obstacles preventing kids developing a consistent physical practice
This episode is not to define a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way of doing things, nor to develop a prescriptive practice. It is to provide information, in context, so that parents, policy makers and professionals can increase awareness and sensitivity to enable maximum positive impact on the populations of kids they work with
Referenced Study:
- Toward Cultural Praxis and Cultural Sensitivity: Strategies for Self-Reflexive Sport Psychology Practice
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimise behaviors to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industry as a whole, for the better.
A seemly trending topic at the moment, James and I zoom in on why the importance of sleep is amplified for young, developing bodies and minds.
In this episode we cover;
- The role of sleep and its influence over the brain and body
- The effects of sleep (positive and negatives)
- Practical tool you can use to optimize sleep for your child
In addition, for those interested in a deeper dive on practical tools on improving sleep, LISTEN HERE for a detailed podcast by Dr Andrew Huberman.
As always, we would love to know your thoughts on this topic so please comment or get in touch.
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimise behaviours to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industry as a whole, for the better.
In this episode, James and I discuss seasonality and how it influences physical activity levels for youth and adolescents.
Specifically, we go into detail on,
- Geographical location & climate's influence on physical activity levels
- Circadian rhythm and its biological effects
- Practical tools to overcome obstacles created by seasonality
As always, we would love to know your thoughts on this topic so please comment or get in touch.
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimise behaviours to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industry as a whole, for the better.
In this episode, James and Dan discuss what may be considered a controversial topic and that is the role of sport inside a schools physical education curriculum.
Specifically, this episode looks at.
- Defining competitive sports and their true intention
- Where sport fits inside a school’s curriculum for physical education
- Considerations of parents, professionals and policy makers when incorporating competitive sports inside a physical education setting?
We would love to know your thoughts on this topic so please comment or get in touch.
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimise behaviours to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industry as a whole, for the better.
This episode picks up from the previous episode on schools curriculum for physical education. James and Dan re-imagine new scaffolding to a physical education curriculum that supports kids becoming active for life relative to the different stages of development.
Specifically, this episode covers;
- Revised physical education curriculum structure for ages 3-8, 8-12, 12-16
- Brainstorming principles, ideas and practical applications of lifestyle hygiene
- Introduce concepts of prioritisation and progression of skill acquisition
- How to apply this demarcation of learning (parents, policy makers & professionals)
- When is specialisation appropriate
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimise behaviours to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industry as a whole, for the better.
After a quick summer break, James and Dan pick up where they left off.
This episode takes a deeper dive inside school curriculum, specifically physical education and expands on the following three areas;
- How applicable are the current course materials inside of school based physical education curriculum in today’s climate?
- Why the current north star of increasing students heart rates and burning more calories is leading to an inactive society.
- The role of enhanced motor skill competence (skilfulness), perceived competence, and personalised knowledge in promoting physical activity for life.
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimise behaviours to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industry as a whole, for the better.
What is belief?
Where does it come from?
How can you seed belief in other?
In this episode James and Dan explore the current beliefs inside the health and fitness industry and how those beliefs are preventing the youth from being active for life.
Fitness can't be used just as a tool to improve athletic performance or a fix to a bad lifestyle. It must be a daily practice done for you, because has positive effects that ripple into every part of your life.
James and Dan explore the concept of belief as well as some helpful strategies that parents, policy makers and professionals can use to help seed belief in their, kids, students or institutions.
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimise behaviours to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industry as a whole, for the better.
In this episode, James and Dan identify the key investments they believe would most positively impact youth engagement in fitness.
Episode #4 was an overview of the 8 investment identified by ISPAH (International Society for Physical Activity & Health) to reduce physical inactivity.
At the conclusion of the episode, Dan set himself the task the see if he could refine the list to just three and connect these new investments to the goal of making fitness a daily practice for youth.
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimise behaviours to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industry as a whole, for the better.
In this episode Dan & James go through and breakdown the eight investments as outlined by ISPAH (International Society for Physical Activity & Health) to reduce physical inactivity and connect these to how it impacts fitness in youth.
ISPAH's target is to reduce physical inactivity by 10%, by 2025, & 15% by 2030, with the eight investment areas being targeted as strategies to reduce physical inactivity, "that work".
For those interested, see below for links to both the PDF and Audio book copy of the document;
- PDF Link
- Audio Link
The eight identified investment areas are;
- Whole of School Programs
- Active Transport
- Active Urban Design
- Health Care
- Public Education, including Mass Media
- Sport & Recreation for all
- Workplaces
- Community Wide Programs
We share our insights and it will be our short term mission to write a revised version based on what we believe will have greater impact in making fitness a voluntary, daily practice for youth.
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimise behaviours to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industry as a whole, for the better.
In episode #3, James and Dan zoom into the environmental barriers preventing youth engagement in fitness & assess where & how kids are spending their time in;
- The home
- The playground
- The gym
Based on the beacon of making fitness a daily practice, they look at how these current environments do not align to success and some hard truths needed to be addressed if there is going to be forward movement in the right direction.
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimise behaviours to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industry as a whole, for the better.
In episode #2, hosts Dan Young & James Fitzgerald dissect three questions influencing youth fitness;
- how current north star for policy makers has led to the de-prioritisation of fitness as a daily practice
- how the rise of the performance and rehabilitation model inside physical education is taught by professionals, parents or "bigs" & what message it sends to the "littles"
- what strategies we can implement to shift that north star back to an intention where it may have true, sustainable impact
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimise behaviours to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industry as a whole, for the better.
In the first episode of the Fitness in Youth podcast, hosts Dan Young and James Fitzgerald zoom in on three major obstacles preventing youth engagement in fitness today;
- Environment
- Education
- Intention
They reflect on their on their earliest memories of encountering physical challenges, playing sport and participating in organised or structured fitness, attempt to define what Fitness in Youth is and looks like, as well as give practical tools for parents, policy makers and professionals to help their communities today.
The mission of the Fitness in Youth podcast is to;
- Explore new ways to help make youth fitness a priority, fun, and for them
- Empower parents, policy makers and professionals with the tools to help their communities, today
- Elevate the intentions of the health & fitness industry, for the better (long-term)
About the hosts:
- James Fitzgerald - OPEX Fitness
- James FitzGerald is the founder of OPEX (Formerly OPT) and The International Center for Fitness. When not coaching, he’s a full time husband, father and fitness athlete. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nutritional and lifestyle balancing techniques and training of other coaches has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a higher order.
- Dan Young - YOUNGTraining
- Formerly a professional water polo player, Dan found an insatiable thirst for knowledge on how he could align and optimise behaviours to improve his performance as an athlete. This lead him to make the transition from athlete to coach and pay forward the knowledge and tools he acquired working under some of the industries best. His passion is working with the youth, to give them the tools to navigate their health long term and in so doing, change the landscape of the fitness industry as a whole, for the better.