As we get into the month of September, it’s safe to say that fall sports are flying by! It seems like just yesterday practices began, and here we are now, getting ready for week three of high school football games.
Fall sport athletes worked hard all summer long to get to this point. However, as the season progresses, the gains made during the offseason slowly begin to diminish. This is the sole reason why in-season strength training is important, especially in a game like football, where strength is needed on each and every play.
At Warren Academy, we offer football training programs to youth and high school athletes in the Omaha, Neb area. In this blog, we will discuss the benefits of in-season strength training and some tips on how to do so!
Benefits of in-season training
Maintain strength
The most beneficial part of in-season strength training is that it allows athletes to maintain their strength. Chances are you were your strongest when the season started, solely because of summer lifting and workouts. But as the season progresses, you’ll start to see yourself slowly lose some of that strength that you had gained. We all know that in any sport, you gotta play your best at the end of the year. But, if you aren’t doing anything to retain your strength throughout the season, then it is hard to be able to perform your best physically.
Mobility and recovery
During the season, injuries happen. Especially in football, your body will get banged up at times. Although it doesn't necessarily seem like it would help, in-season strength training will actually improve your body’s recovery time as well as mobility. As your body endures a sports season, it starts to compensate and some areas may become more tight or loose than they should be. Effective in-season training should be focused on strengthening your soft tissue and maintaining good mobility.
Confidence
Lastly, in-season strength training can also help boost an athlete’s confidence. During the offseason when athletes are lifting and running often, they feel confident about where they’re at. During the season, a bad game or a couple of bad practices can affect that same confidence. A couple days in the weight room a week could help bring some of that “summer confidence” mindset back!
How to train in-season
Now that we know the benefits of in-season training, let’s now look at some ways to incorporate this into an athlete’s busy week.
Train light and fast
In-season training should not be the same as off-season training. During the offseason, you should be focusing on building strength and speed. During the season, you should be focused on maintaining your strength and speed. So athletes’ should take these in-season workouts lightly. Trying to lift a new PR just doesn't make sense during the season. Keep your weight low and reps high!
Focus on recovery
While training in-season, it’s essential that you focus on letting your body recover. Take time both before and after your workout to stretch out and/or roll out your muscles. Also, if you are injured, make sure you aren’t overdoing it. You don’t want to worsen an injury and have it potentially linger on way longer than it should.
All athletes should be performing some sort of in-season strength training to help retain the strength they built during the summer. Use these in-season football training tips to keep your body and mind strong throughout the entire season!
At Warren Academy, we offer a variety of football training programs throughout the year. To learn more about our programs or to sign up for a strength training session, please visit our website!
