In-season Training

September 9, 2008

Figuring out in-season training programs can be quite confusing. After all, you don’t want to lose all that you worked so hard for in the off-season. But, you know you are tired and beat up from games and practices. In the old-days, many coaches would simply have their players not train.

This really hurt the players’ strength and power. Why build up your strength for 9 months only to watch it dissappear by week 4 of the season?

There are many different approaches to in-season training that are effective, but I prefer a two day/week protocol. One upper body day, and a combo upper/lower day.

On Max effort upper day, work up to a triple, then use higher (8+ reps) for the rest of your upper body work. This is NOT a max triple, however. Go to a weight that feels heavy but not impossible. This could change week to week, but the focus is on "straining" for a few seconds and keeping your strength levels up.

On the combo day, I like to keep the upper body reps high (10 – 12) to pump blood through the system and to your sore muscles. Lower body training must be dictated by what you are doing/will do/have done that week. A few triples with a moderately heavy weight will keep the strength up without damaging muscle fibers too much.

I find Deadlifts better for this purpose because the bar is off your back. And, if the bar is dropped after each rep, the eccentric portion is eliminated, thus reducing soreness.

Whatever method you chose, please refrain from doing agility work during the season. You are being trained in a very sport-specific way in-season…by actually playing your sport! It’s a waste of energy and leg strength.