The regular season is coming to an end, with many teams fighting for playoff seeding. While some players will elevate their level of play, others will find that they are fatigued. I talked earlier about training to prepare for a season, but many players neglect to develop a productive in-season training program.
Throughout the season, players’ are experiencing strong wear and tear on their bodies. Even those who have been able to remain healthy find themselves feeling sore and stiff. When this feeling sets on, it can be easy to neglect any extra training and opt for the couch.
In-season training is vital to maintain your level of performance. While it is possible to improve your performance in-season, the main objective is to maintain. Here are some tips on in-season training:
Strength train
If you are getting tired in the games, running 3 miles after practice is not the answer. This will only do more harm to your athletic performance. Steady-state cardiovascular exercise actually decreases muscle more than it builds. It also adds extra stress on your joints. Strength training is the best way to keep your muscle mass and maintain your performance.
Quality over quantity
Quick, intense workouts are preferred over long workouts. Remember, you are practicing for 2 hours at a high-level. The last thing you need is an added 90 minute workout. Try and be productive in a 30-45 minute time period.
Recover, recover, recover
The most important one of them all. It is hard to be overtrained, but it is easy to be under recovered. It is vital that you don’t neglect the importance of recovery activities such as foam rolling, mobility work, and stretching. Not only will these help you maintain your performance, but they will also decrease your chance of non-contact injuries.
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Alex Roth (Sr., West Salem HS) is currently having his best season to date. A large part of his success is the attention he has started to give his off-court training. Last fall, he started training with Kevin Turner in Keizer, OR. I am very thankful to Alex for allowing me to feature one of his workouts on my blog. Good luck with the rest of the season!
(Check out Kevin Turner’s blog and training info at kevinturnerfitness.com)
http://youtu.be/RgnM6fXFdDk
