3 Reasons To Train In Season

So, you worked hard all offseason making gains in every way possible. You’re squatting 315 for reps, vertical increased 8 inches, and finally mastered your 90/90 hip mobility drill. Then, the season comes and you decide to not train in season. After the season, you can barely squat 275, get off the ground, and your hips are stiff as ever. You will regain all of your progress after a few blocks of training, but wouldn’t it serve you better to come back at the same level? I hope you nodded yes because who wouldn't want that? Some of you may be thinking “well, I don’t want to overtrain myself”, and you won’t if you have the proper coaching to train in season. With the proper coaching, you will train in season just enough to not hinder your performance and only help you.

Now, I am going to fill you in on 3 reasons training in season will help and not hurt you.

1. Prevent Injury

• This is by far the most important. You being on the field is the way you get spotted, recruited, paid, etc. Mobility and stability are two attributes needed to prevent injury. For example, a pitcher can experience a loss of internal rotation and an increase in external rotation which can result in a lot of stress through the elbow and shoulder, possibly leading to injury. Maybe the athlete needs soft tissue work or simple IR/ER mobility drills to keep themselves healthy. This can also apply to a lacrosse player keeping their hips mobile for cutting and opening up. A mobility restriction can result in a torn ACL. So, let’s be smart and take care of our bodies, okay?  

2. Maintain Progress

• Like stated in the beginning, you worked so hard for all of your progress. Why start over? The season is tough on your body, in a sport like lacrosse that demands you to run a significant amount, it is easy to lose weight (lean muscle mass) which results in a loss of power and strength. Rather than feel weaker at the end of the season, you won’t lose a step.

3. Improve Performance

• Countless times those athlete that train all offseason continue to get stronger and more powerful in season. No, they aren’t getting crushed with volume, simply coached properly. I cannot stress enough the importance of having a quality coach that builds a program for you. This will undoubtedly make sure you are working out the proper way during the most important time in your sport.

No reason to be on the extreme side of things and workout 5 times a week because that is how you quickly bury yourself. 1-2 days per week usually does the trick. Performing a thorough soft tissue/mobility routine, then drills associated with your sport looking at movement, and finally power/strength exercises to keep the horsepower up. Every athlete is different, program for them specifically to ensure they get what they need in a crucial time of the year.

I hope you now understand the importance of training in season. Feel free to leave your thoughts below and maybe some ideas you have for training in season!