Arete Health’s Long-Term Athletic Development Program
At Arete Health, we believe athletic potential isn’t discovered—it’s developed. Our Long-Term Athletic Development (LTAD) program is a scientifically grounded, multidisciplinary pathway that guides individuals from early movement discovery to lifelong performance. Designed for athletes of all sports, levels, and ages, this program weaves together the critical elements of human performance—strength and power, stamina and conditioning, speed and agility, mobility and stability, psychology, nutrition, movement skills, and tactical education—into a progressive and personalized training experience. Each phase is built to align with developmental milestones, ensuring that athletes not only perform better and manage injury risk but also move better, think sharper, and recover smarter. Whether you’re nurturing foundational movement in a child, preparing a teen to compete, or supporting an adult’s pursuit of lifelong fitness, our LTAD program provides the tools, coaching, and environment to transform potential into performance—and performance into purpose.
Athlete Roadmap: What to Expect
Ages 3-6 DISCOVERY
This foundational phase sparks joy, curiosity, and creativity through movement. Young athletes explore balance, coordination, and spatial awareness in playful, pressure-free environments. Strength, flexibility, and posture are developed through imaginative games, while early psychological and social skills—like following directions and expressing effort—are gently introduced. Emphasis is placed on safe exploration over structure, encouraging children to build a love of movement that serves as the bedrock of future athletic development.
Ages 7-9FUNdamentals I
The FUNdamentals 1 phase establishes the ABCs of athleticism: Agility, Balance, Coordination, and Speed. Kids develop general movement skills with an emphasis on variety, fun, and engagement. Short-burst stamina, playful strength, and light mobility work are woven into games and drills that feel like play but build real ability. Athletes are introduced to body awareness, basic rules of sport, and early training habits without performance pressure, reinforcing a positive association with physical challenge.
Ages 10-11 Fundamentals II
Here, athletes begin refining their movement vocabulary. FUNdamentals 2 introduces more structured drills while keeping the atmosphere energetic and enjoyable. Power and speed are encouraged through games and skill-based competitions, while agility and reaction time become sharper. Nutrition and basic recovery strategies are taught in simple, age-appropriate ways, alongside early lessons in mental focus and teamwork. Young athletes begin to understand how training influences performance without losing the joy of sport.
Ages 12-13Learn to Train
This phase marks a critical window of accelerated learning. Athletes are introduced to foundational strength and conditioning, speed mechanics, and technical skill refinement. Mobility, stability, and flexibility are taught with purpose, and nutrition is aligned with fueling growth and performance. Sport-specific drills gain sophistication, while psychological tools—like goal-setting, focus, and resilience—are embedded in training. Tactical schooling begins, teaching athletes how to think and adapt within competitive scenarios.
Ages 14 Train to Train
At this phase, athletes embrace training as a craft. Emphasis shifts toward developing work capacity, strength, stamina, and movement efficiency. Structured resistance training begins, alongside progressive conditioning and recovery methods. Agility and sport-specific skill development intensify, and performance nutrition becomes a key focus. Athletes learn to train with intent, manage stress, and take accountability. Education around tactical decision-making, technical skills, and mindset resilience builds a robust foundation for future competition.
Age 15Learn to Compete
High school athletes enter the competitive stage with the tools to excel. Learn to Compete trains athletes to transition from training-focused to performance-focused work. Intensity increases across strength, speed, and stamina domains, while mobility and recovery become non-negotiable. Technical and tactical schooling deepens, and psychological conditioning is embedded into performance routines. Athletes begin tracking metrics, refining habits, and managing pre- and post-competition strategies like professionals, maximizing player availability and consequently exposure for coaching sessions and skills development
Age 16 Train to Compete
Here, athletes specialize further. Programs are personalized to position, sport, and goals, with advanced periodization in strength, power, and conditioning. Athletes sharpen technical precision, reactive agility, and decision-making under pressure. Mobility and structure-stability routines address individual needs. Mental toughness, leadership, and resilience are actively cultivated, while nutrition and recovery plans are sport-specific. This phase simulates the demands of high-level competition to prepare athletes for peak performance.
Ages 17-18Train to Win
Train to Win elevates preparation to mastery. This high-performance phase centers around maximizing competitive output, reducing injury risk, and optimizing every aspect of the athlete’s life. Sport-specific conditioning, advanced strength training, and personalized mobility protocols are matched with high-level psychological, tactical, and strategic schooling. Athletes are supported with precision nutrition, recovery science, and performance coaching. The goal: help them rise to the moment and win with intention, grace, and control.
Professional 18+ Excel
At this elite level, athletes are treated like professionals. Programming adapts to the rigors of college training and competition schedules. Everything becomes precision-based—from periodized strength plans and individualized nutrition to sport-specific movement patterns and recovery protocols. Athletes learn to self-manage, self-monitor, and self-advocate, gaining mastery over their body and mind. The Excel phase aims to prolong athletic careers, prevent burnout, and deliver excellence both on and off the field.
Ages 18+Fit for Life
This phase transitions competitive athletes into lifelong movers. Fit for Life emphasizes sustainability, vitality, and performance longevity. The formula remains—strength, mobility, stamina, psychology, and nourishment—but the goals shift toward function, injury prevention, and lifestyle integration. Adults receive personalized plans that reflect their lifestyle, passions, and physical needs. Whether they’re training for a marathon or playing with their kids, athletes in this phase stay active, strong, and engaged for the long game.