The Importance of In-Season Training
“Hey Coach, thank you for a wonderful offseason and preseason where we noticed (insert athlete name) has gotten much stronger, faster, and jumping higher than ever before! Now that the season has started, we will take the time off and see you again when it is over. Have a great day!” I receive numerous messages like this every year as we transition into basketball season, whether it’s the winter or summer aau season, and every year I cannot emphasize more how important it is to continue to train in season!
With all due respect, and I want to say this as gently as possible…COMPLETELY DISCONTINUING TRAINING IN-SEASON IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE DUMBEST THINGS YOU CAN DO AS A BASKETBALL PLAYER!
I know that there are numerous factors in the scheduling equation that present challenges, but an athletes continuous development should always remain high on the priority list if they take the game seriously. We recommend training at least 1-2 x per week with the appropriate modifications and adjustments made throughout the season based off a few factors to consider such as:
-Time of Season- Just like in the offseason, where workouts are periodized and structured with different focuses, training within the season could and should look different throughout the season. From tryouts, to the thick of the regular season, up through playoffs and hopefully a championship run, workouts and recovery work can be done throughout. This can not only help with the athlete’s ability to withstand the brunt of a grueling season but also help improve as the games go along. The better players who continue to work will become noticeably better and will have to be ability to be their best when their best is called upon.
-Playing Time- Everyone’s playing time does not look the same, so therefore everyone’s workouts will not always look the same either. If you are playing a lot, you still need to train at a level where the volume is managed well and the intensity remains at a level that will allow the body stay robust and performing at a high level. For those that do not play as much, workouts can have a little more volume and intensity so that improvement can be made and an athlete can be ready for when their number is called. Taking advantage of low impact conditioning modalities can have super beneficial! It’s imperative that hoopers on both sides of the spectrum continuously take pride in their development throughout the season.
-Injuries- Unfortunately we do not live in a perfect world where injuries do not occur. We do not believe that injuries are entirely preventable, however, we do believe that through proper training you can make yourself less susceptible to injuries occurring overall and severity of injury when they do occur. If or when an injury does occur, you can still work on other areas of your body or do forms of low impact conditioning if allowable so you do not have as much of a drop off when it’s time to return to the court. It’s also important to recognize injury or pain history(knees usually hurting, constantly turning an ankle, low back soreness etc.) and continue to work to improve those throughout the season so those types of “injury prone” narratives do not stick. “Movement is Medicine” is a well-known mantra that supports how working out, whether it’s lifting weights or other forms of active recovery, can help an athlete work through soreness to be primed and ready from game to game.
-Overall Stresses and Scheduling Outside of the Sport- In my personal opinion, this is one of the most overlooked considerations when it comes to managing different factors within a season. From when I was in my playing days, to now being on the coaching side as a Strength & Conditioning Coach/Mentor to a lot of athletes, I have found that the time training in a positive environment can be super valuable. Having the talks with the athletes, and the athletes having comradery and conversations amongst each other while working towards getting better can often times provide that much needed escape from the pressures that come along with a basketball season amongst other scholastic and social endeavors.
The main thing we hope for is that we still see our athletes consistently. Even if it is just once per week, CONSISTENCY IS KEY! This gives us a chance to have better communication with them about their season which allows us as coaches to program better for their physical needs. The constant communication also benefits the athletes mental health and allows us to support them so we can make the most of their long term athletic development while making the most of the time in front of us when the lights are on and it’s time to perform!
If you do not have access to to the training environment like we have here at Healthy Baller with our Hoopers Program, but would still like to stay accountable for your high quality development, check out some of our TRAINING PROGRAMS HERE so you can get as possible to our experience from anywhere!
You wouldn’t take off 3 months of development at any other point of the year, so why do so during the season? Keep training! #DevelopmentNeverStops
If you are interested in more information about Healthy Baller and training with us, or anything Basketball Sport Performance related please send an email to Wes@HealthyBaller.com