How young is too young to start lifting?This week on Rinkside, Emma and Ryan sit down with Andre Signoretti—former pro hockey player and co-owner of Ottawa’s Fitness Lab—to unpack the myths, realities, and best practices around strength and conditioning for youth athletes.Andre shares the difference between training right and training early, explains why mobility and movement quality come before heavy lifting, and discusses how to avoid the all-too-common injuries caused by ego or overtraining. Whether your child is chasing a scholarship or simply wants to feel strong and confident, this episode delivers insight for athletes, coaches, and sport parents alike.Emma also reflects on how her own strength training journey helped transform her curling career, and the hosts explore how strength, recovery, and confidence go hand in hand—at any age.Timestamps00:00 – Intro: The Physical Side of Sport00:47 – Meet Andre Signoretti: From Pro Hockey to Fitness Lab02:24 – How Andre Fell Into Personal Training04:11 – Emma’s Experience: Changing Positions, Changing Strength04:39 – Lifting as a Youth Athlete: Then vs. Now06:05 – Foundational Movement vs Heavy Weights07:04 – Why Proper Form Comes First08:17 – Individual Assessments & Mobility Testing09:26 – Managing Overload & Early Specialization10:58 – Balancing Strength Training with Multi-Sport Schedules12:08 – Peer Pressure, Comparison, and Gym Culture13:42 – “Less Is More” for Growing Athletes14:13 – Sport-Specific vs. Strength-Specific Training15:00 – Setting Expectations: Measurable Results for Youth16:55 – What Gains Look Like: Power, Pushups, Chin-Ups17:17 – The Importance of Mobility for Injury Prevention18:50 – Stretching, Recovery & Long-Term Habits20:04 – Teaching Ownership: Self-Guided Mobility in Kids21:24 – NCAA Model & College Hockey Conditioning22:00 – Development over Destination23:04 – Training as Life Prep, Not Just Sport Prep24:44 – Building Confidence Through Competence25:15 – The Value of Guided, Supervised Strength Training27:31 – Learning It Late vs. Learning It Right29:15 – Adding Strength Doesn’t Mean Adding Stress30:25 – Closing Thoughts: Development, Balance, and Self-ComparisonFrom grassroots to greatness, hosts Emma Miskew and Ryan Steeves dive into the world of youth and competitive sports, on and off the ice. With honest, insightful conversations, they explore coaching, performance, mental health, parenting, and the real-life stories that shape athletes at every level.Whether you're a coach, athlete, parent, or passionate fan, Ringside brings you closer to the moments that matter—from the first team practice to the world stage.Follow Rinkside PodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rinksidepodcast/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6tBBhYO6q3u8IyQVOrk9C0?si=37408da8ea704f2e&nd=1&dlsi=7391af3161294056Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rinkside/id1796037246#sportperformance #youthsports

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