Understanding the Critical Role of In-Season Performance Training

This article was written by Sheldon Howell, Owner, Program Director and Lead Performance Coach of Wichita Parisi Speed School. The Parisi Speed School specializes in youth sports performance and is an official sports partner with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Sheldon has ten years of mastery experience in sports performance along with being a specialist in movement mechanics. Sheldon graduated from Fort Hays State University in 2012.

Read time: 5 minutes.

As spring sports season kicks off, I want to address a topic of conversation that we have quite often here at the school. Typically this conversation starts with a simple question, “What will you be training DURING your season?” Most parents and athletes typically have a very outdated and traditional approach to answering this question. “We will be practicing and playing games, that will be enough.”

The reality of this scenario is, when we are in season, the wear and tear on our athletes bodies is something that is vastly overlooked. For many athletes, this oversight can lead to detrimental results not only in athlete performance, but also the increased risk to injury. Inadequate focus on mobility, flexibility, and soft tissue work can exacerbate this risk. By taking this approach, we are not only exposing our athletes to higher risk, we also tend to see that those smaller nagging aches and pains seem to just never go away during the season. We blanket the term “rest” instead of actively addressing the issues at hand. Most of these are avoidable items with consistent attention.

Something that I think gets overlooked quite often is the mental edge that comes with training consistently. The routines of maintaining your performance isn’t always just a physical one. The mental side of the game is just as important. Athletes are at their peak not only physically, but also mentally when coming out of an off season training program. They feel fast, fit, strong and confident, ready to conquer their season in front of them. That psychological edge can diminish quickly with time away from the gym.

Negative emotions and self-criticism can find it much easier to creep onto the forefront of an athlete’s thoughts. With the correct program, that same style of thought can carry through the season, but it takes consistency and attention to detail.

Understanding these challenges above, I recommend correct in-season training as it plays a critical role in our athletes; overall performance unlike the off-season grind to get “gains”. Correct, In-Season training will take a dip in frequency and have more of a focus on maintaining the results from your off season program, along with maintaining your performance levels through your season. In-Season Training can simply be broken down into a few categories.

• Injury Prevention and Mobility Preservation: As the body undergoes the rigors of competition, it tends to tighten and compensate, increasing the risk of injuries. In-season training prioritizes mobility exercises and soft-tissue work, keeping athletes healthy and resilient.

• Strength and Power Retention: Contrary to popular belief, regular strength training during the season is essential for maintaining muscle mass and power output.

• Sustaining Confidence and Mental Edge: In addition to physical benefits, in- season training helps athletes preserve their confidence and mental fortitude. By maintaining a consistent training regimen, athletes carry the same sense of strength and agility onto the field, enhancing their competitive edge.

What do these sessions look like you might ask? In-Season Training will and should look different than your off-season regimen. The volume and frequency will be less, along with the layout of your work. The categories should dominate your in-season regimen as they are the areas impacted the most during a competitive season.

• Soft Tissue

• Mobility

• Flexibility

• Strength

These workouts will emphasize more on quality over quantity. Form and Technique training, if available to you, is also one of the most important categories to have during your season. As your body depletes during the season, bad habits and bad technique will creep back into your daily routines as you become weaker physically and mentally. Access to a performance and movement specialist will allow you to capitalize on your time in recovery and keep your edge in movement if you are looking to perform at your highest ability.

The ultimate goal is to always be showcasing the best version of yourself. If you are an athlete that is looking to play at the next level, regardless of what that level may be for you, it is imperative to train during your season. Stay in the weight room, ward off the nagging injuries, and weight loss, and keep building your potential. In conclusion, the importance of In-Season Training cannot be overstated. By prioritizing the above categories your athlete will have the chance to maximize their performance and potential during the season, while mitigating injury in a way that they can control.

Now, you have a choice. You can follow the old traditional model of playing more games and attending more practices, in hopes of being noticed and doing just enough to survive the season. Or you can take a more proactive approach and seek out some professional guidance that will not only improve your body composition but will also drastically increase your strength, speed, power, and agility; making you more injury- resilient and leading to a greater level of confidence on the field. All of which will have a major impact on your sports skill acquisition and on the field or court performance.