Off-season conditioning is essential to an athlete’s success because it helps prevent injury and physically prepares an athlete for his or her upcoming season. Athletes who disregard training in the weeks prior to the season put a great deal of strain on their bodies when the season begins. It is because of inadequate preseason strength training and conditioning that so many injuries occur during the first few weeks of play.

It is recommended to start participating in strength and conditioning exercises at least six to eight weeks prior to the beginning of the season. By doing so, your athletes are able to reach an optimal level of performance while decreasing their risk of injury.

To help your athletes reach their potential by the beginning of the season, workouts could include any or all of the following:

• Weight training
• Plyometrics
• Jump training
• Balance exercises
• Stretching

These exercises can help reduce the chance of injuries, such as tendonitis, muscle sprains, and ACL tears. Additionally, it is recommended not to increase weight training activity, mileage, or pace by more than 10 percent a week. This will allow the body to adjust properly.

For more information about off-season conditioning or avoiding sports injuries, have your athletes call (559) 256-5200 to schedule an appointment with one of our sports medicine experts.

1630 East Herndon Avenue, Fresno, CA 93720