The American Development Model (ADM) is a framework created by the United States’ Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) to assist athletes in their long-term development. ADM concepts are applied in USA Triathlon (USAT) and other National Governing Bodies. It discusses appropriate training, competition, and recovery for various ages to promote lifelong involvement and peak performance.
ADM provides steps for young athletes from introduction to sports to national-level competition. ADM emphasizes basic movement skills—such as moving nicely and having fun—before specializing in particular sports. The plan has phases: Active Start, FUNdamentals, Learn to Train, Train to Train, Train to Compete, and Train to Win. First, each phase indicates how frequently to practice, what to do in competitions, and what coaching is required. Second, correlating the difficulty of training with the athlete’s ability, physical, and mental development decreases burnout and injury. Moreover, USA Triathlon incorporates swimming, biking, and running fundamentals first and promotes participating in other activities and cross-training. ADM also emphasizes rest, recovery, and supportive environments to keep young athletes motivated and interested. For endurance event athletes, adhering to ADM results in a clear path of development that begins with enjoyable multi-stage triathlon experiences and progresses to targeted training for age-group and elite athletes, while promoting healthy lifestyle choices and long-term performance.
