High school athletes in Niagara County mostly get two options: a team lift run by a coach with 40 kids and 50 minutes, or nothing. Neither one teaches a 15 year old how to squat.
Apex Personal Fitness runs one on one and small group strength work for young athletes out of two Niagara County gyms. Anthony Kukovica played football and lacrosse through high school, planned to play in college, and has coached collegiate athletes since opening Apex in 2013. Here’s what the work actually is, what it costs, and what it deliberately isn’t.
What Should Youth Athletic Training Focus On?
Movement quality first, then load. For most high school athletes the fastest return comes from learning to squat, hinge, push and pull correctly under light weight, because that’s what makes every later session productive instead of risky.
Sport specific drills are the part parents ask about and the part that matters least at this stage. A 15 year old who can hinge properly will get faster from almost any program. One who can’t will plateau in a month and pick up a back problem on the way.
The Corrections That Come Up Every Time
These are the three lifts young athletes arrive doing wrong, and the specific errors Anthony corrects most.
On the squat, the most common mistake is where the participant is looking. People tend to look down or straight ahead, whereas you should be looking up.
On the deadlift it’s not keeping the abs tight and the core strong, so people round their back instead of keeping the back straight, shoulders back, butt out.
On the bench it’s bouncing the bar off the chest, not controlling the touch, breathing wrong, not locking out.
Anthony Kukovica, owner and head coach at Apex Personal Fitness, coaching since 2013
Notice that not one of those is about how much weight is on the bar. Every one is a habit that gets baked in during the first month and then follows the athlete for years. This is the single best argument for coached sessions at this age rather than a printed program and a YouTube tab.
Bouncing the bar is the one that shows up most in kids who learned from teammates, because it lets you move more weight and looks like strength. It also removes the hardest part of the lift, which is the part that was going to make them stronger.
Programming a 16 Year Old Is Not Programming an Adult
A high school athlete is usually in season, out of season, or somewhere in between, and often playing two sports. The program has to account for what practice is already taking out of them, which is the thing a generic plan cannot do.
In practice that means the volume comes down hard in season and the goal becomes maintaining strength without adding fatigue. Out of season is where the actual building happens. A young athlete lifting the same way in November and in July is doing one of those two periods wrong.
Growth matters too. Teenagers going through a growth spurt often get temporarily worse at movements they had already learned, which is normal and not a reason to add weight to fix it.
FREE CONSULTATION
Bring Them In for a Free Assessment
The first consultation is free and covers medical background, the sports they play, their season, and what they can currently do. Parents are welcome to sit in. Serving Niagara Falls, Youngstown, Lewiston, Wheatfield and Grand Island.
Machines Have a Place Here
There’s a strong opinion in youth training that kids should only use free weights. Anthony doesn’t hold it.
His position is that machines isolate a muscle group without requiring the athlete to stabilize the load, which makes them useful for adding work on a day when technique is fading or a season has already drained them. Free weights are what build the strength that transfers, and both belong in the same program rather than one replacing the other. Apex has a squat rack, a power rack, dumbbells and full selectorized machines at both locations, so a session isn’t dictated by what’s available.
The Private Gym Part Matters at This Age Too
Learning to lift badly in front of an audience is how teenagers decide they’d rather not lift. A capped, quiet gym removes the part where a 15 year old is embarrassed to use an empty bar.
The 24 hour access is also more practical than it sounds for a family. Practice ends when it ends. Coaches are on the floor from 5am to 9pm, so a 6am session before school and an 8pm session after a game are both real options.
What It Costs
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| One on one, 30 minutes | $35 per session |
| One on one, 60 minutes | $60 per session |
| Two athletes together, 30 minutes | $25 per person, per session |
| Gym membership | $45 per month |
| First consultation | Free |
Two teammates training together at $25 each is the option most families take, and it works well at this age because the pair push each other. Small group runs 2 to 4 athletes, capped by the space. Packages are four week blocks of 4, 8, 12, 16 or 20 sessions, so an out of season push and an in season maintenance block can be sized differently. Details on the services page.
Common Questions
What age can they start lifting?
Bring it to the consultation rather than a web page, because it depends on the individual athlete more than the number. What’s true generally is that supervised technique work with light load is the appropriate starting point, not maximal lifting.
Do you do speed and agility work?
Apex is a strength gym, not a turf and sled facility. Expect strength, mobility and technique. If you specifically want a combine style speed program, a dedicated performance facility is the better fit and it’s fair to say so.
Is this rehab for an injury?
No. Apex trainers are not physical therapists or medical providers. If your athlete is injured, that goes to a clinician first. Coming back after being cleared is a normal starting point and the program gets built around whatever the clinician says.
Does a parent need to be there?
You’re welcome at any session and encouraged at the first one. Call 716-248-0250 to ask about anything specific to your athlete’s age or sport.
Train at Apex. No crowds, no contracts.
Private 24/7 gyms in Niagara Falls and Youngstown, coaches on the floor 5am to 9pm. One on one from $35 for 30 minutes, two athletes together from $25 each, and the first consultation is free.
Questions? Call 716-248-0250.
About the Author
Anthony Kukovica, NCSF Certified Personal Trainer, B.S. Health Sciences, Founder of Apex Personal Fitness
Anthony played football and lacrosse through high school and planned to play in college before choosing academics. He opened Apex on October 1, 2013 and has since coached collegiate athletes alongside clients in their eighties. Apex has two locations, 2416 Military Rd in Niagara Falls and 445 Main St in Youngstown.