GPP for Youth & High School Athletes: Why Mastering the Basics Builds Stronger, Faster, More Durable Athletes - Lewis Physical Therapy & Sports Rehabilitation

The biggest mistake I see with today’s youth and high school athletes?
They skip the basics.

Kids jump straight into heavy barbell work, high-intensity plyometrics, or “sport-specific” drills they saw online — yet many of them can’t perform a proper push-up, hinge, goblet squat, or controlled landing.

This is where GPP (General Physical Preparedness) becomes essential.

GPP is the foundational stage of athletic development that builds:

• Work capacity

• Movement quality

• Coordination & proprioception

• Joint control

• Basic strength

• Durability

Without this foundation, every advanced layer — power, speed, strength, mechanics — becomes unstable.

🎥 Watch the Full GPP Breakdown on YouTube

▶️ Watch the Full Breakdown Here:

🏋️‍♂️ WHAT GPP ACTUALLY IS

General Physical Preparedness is the “movement education” phase of training.
It teaches athletes how to move before the training intensity ever increases.

Core qualities developed in GPP include:

• Body awareness

• Motor control

• Consistency in basic patterns

• Fundamental strength

• Work capacity

GPP ensures that when athletes do eventually lift heavier, sprint faster, or jump higher… they have the structure to support it.

📌 THE GPP MOVEMENT MENU

Here are just several of the foundational movements that form the backbone of the phase:

Upper Body

• Push-ups

• One-arm DB/KB presses

• Horizontal rows

Lower Body

• Goblet squats

• KB sumo deadlifts

• KB hinges / swings

Plyometrics & Capacity

• Extensive plyometrics

• Jump rope

• Low-volume speed work

• Circuits

• Tempo runs

All simple. All repeatable. All essential.

⏱️ HOW LONG SHOULD ATHLETES STAY HERE?

It varies:

Rehab Setting: For an athlete with a proper training age

4–8 weeks of consistent GPP is typical.

Newer or Underdeveloped Athletes:

Months. Sometimes a full year.

The goal isn’t getting through this phase as quickly as possible — it’s mastery.

⚠️ THE BIGGEST MISTAKE PARENTS & COACHES MAKE

They chase “sport-specific” drills too early.

Remember:
ALL weight room training is general. The sport is the specific part.

And if an athlete cannot:

• Work through a quality goblet squat

• Push-up without sagging

• Land with control

• Hinge without rounding
  …they’re not ready for max strength or power work.

Skipping GPP leads to plateaus, overuse injuries, and poor development.

🏆 WHEN TO ADVANCE TO STRENGTH & POWER

Once an athlete shows:
✔️ Movement that looks the same every rep
✔️ Control under moderate fatigue
✔️ Clean positions and tempo
✔️ Enough capacity to sustain circuits
✔️ Quality landings and decelerations

…then we layer heavier strength, more robust plyometrics, and speed development.

Until then?
Master the basics.

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