Why Off-Season Athletic Training is So Important
Introduction
It’s no secret that athletes spend a lot of time in the gym. Whether it be during the season or off-season, they're putting in hours at the gym to improve their performance and get stronger. The problem is that many athletes don't realize how important off-season training is. In this post, we'll discuss why off-season athletic training is so important and how it can help you become a better athlete overall!
Injury Prevention
Injury prevention is a major reason to invest in off-season athletic training. The longer you're able to stay injury-free, the better your chances of being at full speed when it matters most—during competition. This is especially true if you're an endurance athlete or someone who does repetitive motions. Activities like running and swimming can lead to chronic pain if your body isn't taken care of properly.
When you take the time out for off-season athletic training, it's not just about getting in shape but also about staying healthy so that you can continue competing when called upon by your coach or team manager. You want to avoid any unnecessary injuries during practice or competition so that when it comes down the line, they won't affect your performance as much as they would have done had they been avoided altogether!
Gain Strength and Flexibility
Off-season training also helps you improve your strength and flexibility, which will help you move better during competition and reduce the risk of injury. This can be especially important if you’re going through a growth spurt while playing sports as it can have a big impact on how quickly your body grows and changes.
Improve Your Range of Motion
Stretching is a great way to improve your range of motion. It’s important to stretch the right muscles, though! For example, if you have tight hamstrings (the muscles in the back of your legs), stretching them will not help you improve flexibility as much as stretching out your calves and glutes. This is because the hamstrings are already stretched while they are working during running or jumping. In contrast, your calves and glutes aren’t used in these activities and therefore tighten up more easily when you aren’t moving around much during off-season training or competition season.
Enhance Speed and Agility
Agility is important for a wide range of sports, including basketball, tennis and hockey. Agility training improves your ability to change direction quickly and efficiently while maintaining control of the ball or puck.
Agility helps improve your speed and explosiveness by increasing your fast-twitch muscle fibers (the ones used for quick movements). If you're looking to improve your agility, try these exercises:
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Jumping rope
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Running through tires or cones
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Jumping over an object like a hurdle or bench
Improve Your Speed and Explosivity
The off-season is the perfect time to improve your speed and explosivity. This can be done with a variety of training methods, including:
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Plyometrics—short, intense bursts of activity performed on land or in water that work to increase muscles' ability to contract and generate force. This type of training includes box jumps, tuck jumps, jump squats, plyo push-ups, and more. The goal is to have a quick reaction time followed by fast movements in different directions.
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Speed training—strategy-based sessions aimed at increasing maximum velocity out of a start block or turning point (like when you're leaving the starting line). Speed sessions also help teach athletes how to use their feet as well as improve coordination between upper-body and lower-body movements while sprinting downfield or across the court/field.
Conclusion
You might think that in-season athletic training is the only way to improve your game, but taking time away from your sport can actually help you get better at it. The off-season is an important time for athletes to take a break from their practices, games, and competitions and focus on improving their health and fitness by doing different types of exercises. While many athletes are focused on building muscle in the gym during this time of year (and rightfully so), we want them to remember that balance between strength and flexibility is key when it comes down to performance!