Ep. 422 | Building Youth Super Athletes with Mark McLaughlin

Feb 26

Get ready to shift your mindset on developing young athletes. Mark McLaughlin, founder of Performance Training Center, distills over 19 years of expertise training Olympians to middle schoolers into simple but powerful tactics. This conversation tackles the keys to long-term athletic development that most coaches miss.

Learn:

Why unstructured free play before puberty builds capacity and durability
When to introduce formal movement training for squatting, hip hingeing
How to dose age-appropriate intensity before growth plates close
The #1 easiest physical quality to progress in adolescence
Bodyweight “contrast” leg circuits to prepare joints and tendons
Why calf strength sets the foundation for more power
How to structure reactive, high-velocity training with limited space

Mark has trained over 700 competitors—from NFL stars to enthusiastic beginners—to unlock their potential while staying healthy. This guide to nurturing lifelong athleticism without burnout is packed with insights that get results.

ABOUT mark MCLAUGHLIN

Founder of Performance Training Center. Mark attended college at the College of Sante’Fe in New Mexico. He is a native Oregonian currently living in Portland. His passion of all athletics flourished throughout his teen years. He participated and competed on various teams and in a variety of sports. Through his years of participation in sports and later in his education, Mark developed a deep commitment not just to sport but also to the complete well-being of the athlete. This passion and commitment leads to continual self-education in the field of athletic performance enhancement. Mark has been active in the field of athletic performance enhancement since 1997. Mark has trained over 700 athletes on every competitive level ranging from Olympic, professional (NFL, MLB, CFL), college, high school and grade school athletes. As well as working with individual athletes, Mark consults with professional organizations (NFL, MLB, and NBA), NCAA universities, high school, club, and youth sport organizations. In addition to Mark’s remote online training, and consulting services, he conducts speaking engagements with various organizations locally, nationally as well as internationally.

ABOUT THE BLUEPRINT PODCAST

The Blueprint Podcast is for busy professionals and Household CEOs who care deeply about their families, career, and health. Host Dr. Erik Korem distills cutting edge-science, leadership, and life skills into simple tactics optimized for your busy lifestyle and goals. Dr. Korem interviews scientists, coaches, elite athletes, entrepreneurs, entertainers, and exceptional people to discuss science and practical skills you can implement to become the most healthy, resilient, and impactful version of yourself.

On a mission to equip people to pursue audacious goals, thrive in uncertainty, and live a healthy and fulfilled life, Dr. Erik Korem is a High-Performance pioneer. He introduced sports science and athlete-tracking technologies to collegiate and professional (NFL) football over a decade ago. He has worked with the National Football League, Power-5 NCAA programs, gold-medal Olympians, Nike, and the United States Department of Defense.

Erik is an expert in sleep and stress resilience. He is the Founder and CEO of AIM7, a health and fitness app that unlocks the power of wearables by providing you with daily personalized recommendations to enhance your mind, body, and recovery.