One of the biggest mistakes I see in youth fitness is worrying about how much weight before mastering how to move. Strength doesn’t start with heavy weights. It starts with control. 👉 Can a child squat with balance? 👉 Can they hinge, push, pull, and rotate with purpose? 👉 Can they control their own body before trying to control external weight? If the foundation isn’t solid, the roof doesn’t matter. Heavier weight without movement mastery just builds instability—not strength. At Stronger Together, we teach: ✔️ Movement before load ✔️ Control before intensity ✔️ Skill before ego Because when kids learn how to move well first, strength comes faster, safer, and lasts a lifetime. 🎥 Watch the video and you’ll see why we focus on building the foundation first. #PhysicalLiteracy #MovementFirst #FoundationBeforeLoad #YouthStrengthTraining #StrongerTogetherHomeschoolAcademy #BuildStrongKids #TeachMovementNotEgo

Research is clear: movement is how kids learn. Before a child can master academics, sports, or complex skills, they must first learn how to control their body. ✔️ Kids learn movement through exploration and repetition ✔️ Safety is built through body awareness, not restriction ✔️ Skill develops when kids are taught how to move, not just what to do True physical literacy focuses on: • Balance before load • Coordination before speed • Control before intensity • Confidence before performance When we teach kids how to move well, we also teach them how to: • Reduce injury risk • Self-correct and adapt • Build confidence in new environments • Learn faster—physically and cognitively Movement isn’t just exercise. Movement is education. At the root of it all, every jump, squat, crawl, and balance challenge is a learning opportunity that wires the brain and strengthens the body at the same time. At the end of the day… Kids who move better don’t just perform better—they learn better. #PhysicalLiteracy #MovementIsLearning #YouthDevelopment #BodyControl #StrongerTogetherHomeschoolAcademy #SkillBasedTraining

Foundational Balance & Stability Drill For At HOME Skill Development ⸻ 🔍 What Is This Drill? The Single-Leg Balance Hold asks a child to stand on one foot for as long as possible without losing balance. It looks simple—but it is one of the most powerful indicators of physical literacy, neurological development, and injury resilience in kids. Balance is not just a “fitness skill.” It is a life skill. ⸻ 🎯 Purpose of the Drill This drill develops: • Balance & Stability – Control of the body over a single base of support • Core Strength – Automatic engagement of trunk stabilizers • Joint Control – Foot, ankle, knee, and hip alignment • Proprioception – Body awareness in space • Neurological Development – Brain-to-body communication • Injury Prevention – Especially ankle, knee, and hip injuries 💡 Why it matters: Almost every movement in sports and life—running, jumping, stopping, climbing stairs—happens on one leg at a time. ⸻ 🧠 How to Perform the Drill 1. Stand tall with hands on hips 2. Lift one foot slightly off the ground 3. Keep eyes forward 4. Hold balance as long as possible 5. Switch legs and repeat Stop the timer when: • The lifted foot touches the ground • The standing foot moves • Hands leave hips ⸻ 📏 Objective Scoring Method • Score = Longest hold time (seconds) • Record best time on each leg • Use the lower score for grading (this highlights imbalances) ⸻ 📊 Age-Related Norms (Eyes Open) Age Expected Time 5–6 15–30 sec 7–9 30–45 sec 10–12 45–60 sec 13+ 60+ sec ⸻ 🟩 Skill Progressions (How to Make It Harder) Progress only when the child meets the age norm with good control. Level 1 – Beginner • Eyes open • Hands on hips • Stable surface Level 2 – Intermediate • Arms extended • Head turns left/right • Slight knee bend • Close 1 eye Level 3 – Advanced • Eyes closed • Stand on pillow or folded towel • Catch & toss a soft object Level 4 – Elite / Athletic • Single-leg mini squat holds • Reach forward, sideways, backward • Balance after a small hop

Parents & Coaches—this is an important reminder 👇 Kids do not learn movement by being corrected every single rep. They learn by trying, adjusting, and figuring it out through practice. Minor form differences—when they are NOT injury-risk—are part of the learning process. If we jump in too quickly with: • constant cues • overcorrection • “that’s not perfect” feedback We rob kids of something critical: problem-solving through movement. Movement skills develop the same way reading or math does: 👉 repetition 👉 trial and error 👉 confidence over time Our role isn’t to coach perfection. Our role is to: ✔ keep kids safe ✔ give simple guidance ✔ allow exploration ✔ let skills mature with practice When kids are allowed to move, fail, adjust, and succeed—real skill sticks. Let the skill develop. Let the confidence grow. Let kids figure it out. That’s how strong, capable movers are built—for life.

Most kids don’t need more screen time… They need movement with purpose. When kids are active in the right way, they aren’t just “getting exercise.” They’re building lifelong skills that show up everywhere else in life: ✅ Balance & coordination ✅ Strength & body control ✅ Focus & confidence ✅ Problem-solving through movement ✅ Social skills & teamwork ✅ A healthy relationship with their body Running around is fun. But intentional movement teaches kids how to move well, feel capable, and stay active for life. That’s the difference between: 👉 short-term activity 👉 long-term health, confidence, and independence Movement is a life skill. Let’s teach it that way. 💪🏽🧠❤️ #PhysicalLiteracy #LifelongHealth #HomeschoolFitness #HealthyKids #StrongerTogetherHomeschoolAcademy