There is a myth that, ‘athletes train during the off-season and practice/play during the season’.
The myth is amplified by the level of focus required for an athlete to play, the weekly fatigue athletes experience from practice, and the amount of time available to balance all the demands on their active lives, school, sport, family, and social activities.
The truth is, for athletes to perform at their peak in-season, they must continue to train the movement skills their sport and position demands … speed, power, agility, strength and stamina, the fundamentals of athleticism.
The effort that goes into off-season training creates changes to the body that will start to degrade as quickly as one week, if the athlete only participates in sports practice.
Research shows that an athlete will lose 10% of their maximal speed in 7 days, if they do not continue speed training.
That does not mean they must train with the same intensity as their off-season program, but it does require they include focused speed work each week, at a lower volume and intensity.
Likewise, strength, power (which is how quickly an athlete can apply strength), and stability will also diminish in-season without regular in-season exercises. In-season strength, stability, and speed work support the development of an athlete and their performance while reducing the risk of injury.
Athletic Republic trainers know from training top athletes and teams that if you ‘don’t use it, you’ll lose it’ and that the best prepared and performing athletes adjust their training to meet the demands of every season.
Get Started on In-Season Training
Contact Athletic Republic to learn how to construct an in-season training program that will lead you to deliver your best performance. Contact us today to set up your free trial.
