If you’re a student athlete who participates in sports year-round, you might maintain a higher level of physical activity throughout the summer. Overall though, the general lack of physical activity that spans over the summer means fitness levels decrease significantly and, the return to the fall sports season is more difficult. It’s all the more reason why proper preparation is key.
When returning to any sport, it’s important to treat the body appropriately, with care and attention. While it is important to train for the upcoming sport, it is even more vital to start with a basic level of physical fitness. If someone was basically a couch potato all summer, they would not be able to get up and run a 5k without some sort of complications. These could be cardiovascular or muscular. In order for the body to react as we would like it to, we need to train it appropriately.
There are four seasons to consider when looking at a training program: off-season, pre-season, in-season and post-season.
- The off-season is used to re-introduce the physical demands placed on the body with general physical activity, as well as to develop cardio-respiratory fitness. During this time, the athlete should be focusing on light weights and increased duration of workouts to slowly increase their endurance.
- Next in line is preseason, which is when the athlete focuses primarily on increasing their intensity, maintaining their endurance, and incorporating multiple types of training. Multiple types of training include but are not limited to strength training, balance training, plyometric training, and agility work.
- Up next is the competitive season, also known as in-season. During the competitive season, the training program becomes less about intensity and more about functional fixes to better personal weaknesses and maintain strength.
- Last but not least is the post-season, which most people overlook. Active rest allows the body recovery time from the previous competitive season. The first two weeks after a competitive season should be complete rest. The post season should allow for ample time to rehabilitate any injuries, improve strength of weakened muscle groups, and mental recovery.
When athletes do not follow the guidelines for preparing for the upcoming sports season, they are significantly increasing their chances of injury.
According to the Nationwide Childrens’ Hospital, 50% of injuries sustained by younger athletes playing organized sports can be avoided if the athlete was properly conditioned. If an athlete chooses to participate in multiple sports throughout the year, they are more likely to maintain a general level of fitness and decrease their chances of injury. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), specialized athletes are twice as likely to sustain a gradual onset/repetitive-use injury.
At LSTC, we have determined that general conditioning should begin before the season to help prep the athlete for maximum participation and minimal injury risk. Even though fall sports are in the midst of tryouts, it’s not too late to properly prep your athletes. (703) 450-4300
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