Sure, the performance benefits are important, but the critical component is safety.
“As a performance coach working with youth athletes, it’s my primary objective to yield the most favorable outcomes via the ‘easiest’ means possible.
If we could do this without the work, I promise I’d subscribe to the notion.
The problem is, you can’t.
The work is required.”
-Ray Zingler on X.
All training is important, but the longer I do this, the more data I collect, and the more performance I assess. It all leads to one undeniable conclusion:
Training In-Season, in the modern era, is not a good idea. It is required.
When is the most important time to be strong, fast, powerful, and durable?
During the “offseason” or during the competitive sport season?
During the competitive sport season, right?
In order to maintain and improve upon the critical qualities outlined above (strength, speed, power, etc.) we must REGULARLY train these qualities, or they become detrained.
In other words, use it or lose it.
To take it a step further, look at the length of our sports seasons in 2023.
Gone are the days of the 3-4 month long seasons.
Many “seasons” these days span 8, 10, 12 months a year.
Let’s go with the ultra-conservative sport season length of 8 months.
If we are not training during this time period, that 8 months, or better said, the vast majority of the year, we are not improving qualities critical not only to athletic performance, but to athlete safety.
Now do the math if we are “playing sport” without training, 10-12 months per year.
If we are going to allow our kids to play sports at these outrageous volumes, we are obligated as adults to ensure they are physically prepared for the demands of the game.
Again, not only to maximize their performance in these sports, but from more importantly, a safety perspective.
Not all injuries are preventable, but we can decrease likelihoods of occurrence by preparing muscles, tendons, and ligaments for the extreme demands of the game.
I push this year-round training stuff, not because I am eager to overcrowd schedules. I don’t write about it every day because of some ulterior, financially motivated motive.
If I didn’t want to work hard, be able to lie to people, and still get paid handsomely for it, I’d get into politics.
My objective is to maximize our youths’ athletic experiences in the safest manner possible, all while helping them establish quality life long habits that will be even more important when their playing days are over.
If we could get around the work, I’d steer them around it.
But..
We can’t.
