Hey, athletes!
Pre-season is here, and it’s time to kick things up a notch. Whether you’re hitting the field, court, track, or pool, prepping your body for the season ahead is crucial. Let's dive into some pre-season training tips to help you smash it and get ahead of the competition.
Why Pre-Season Training Matters
Think of pre-season as the foundation for your entire season. It’s your chance to build strength, improve endurance, enhance skills, and prevent injuries. Plus, starting strong sets the tone for the rest of the year. Ready to get started? Let’s go!
1. Set Clear Goals
First things first: know what you want to achieve. Are you looking to improve your speed, strength, agility, or maybe all of the above? Set specific, measurable goals to keep yourself motivated and on track.
Goal-Setting Tips:
Be Specific: Instead of “get faster,” aim for “improve my 5K time by 2 minutes.”
Set Milestones: Break your main goal into smaller, more manageable steps.
Track Progress: Keep a record or use an app to monitor your improvements.
2. Build a Strong Base
Start with building a solid fitness foundation. Focus on cardiovascular conditioning and basic strength training. This will prep your body for the more intense, sport-specific drills to come.
Cardio Ideas:
Long, steady runs or bike rides
Interval training (short bursts of high intensity followed by rest)
Swimming for full-body conditioning
Strength Basics:
Squats, lunges, and deadlifts for leg strength
Push-ups, pull-ups, and planks for upper body and core strength
3. Incorporate Plyometrics
Plyometrics are explosive exercises that boost power and agility. Think jumps, hops, and bounds. They’re perfect for building the fast-twitch muscles you need for quick, powerful movements in any sport.
Plyo Moves to Try:
Box jumps
Broad jumps
Single-leg hops
Burpees (everyone’s favorite, right?)
4. Agility Drills
Agility is key in almost every sport. It’s all about quick direction changes and maintaining control. Set up some cones and get moving.
Agility Drills:
Ladder drills: Hop, skip, or run through a ladder laid on the ground.
Cone drills: Set up cones in various patterns and weave through them as fast as you can.
Shuttle runs: Sprint to a point and back, repeat with increasing distance.
5. Skill Development
Don’t forget to work on your sport-specific skills. Whether it’s dribbling, shooting, passing, or hitting, practice makes perfect. Spend time each week honing these skills so you’re ready to dominate when the season starts.
Practice Tips:
Focus on technique before speed.
Break down complex skills into smaller components.
Use video feedback to analyse and improve your form.
6. Flexibility and Mobility
Flexibility and mobility exercises keep your joints healthy and improve your range of motion. This can help prevent injuries and improve performance.
Flexibility Exercises:
Dynamic stretches before workouts (leg swings, arm circles)
Static stretches after workouts (hamstring stretches, shoulder stretches)
Yoga or Pilates for overall flexibility and core strength
7. Rest and Recovery
Your body needs time to repair and grow stronger. Incorporate rest days and listen to your body. Overtraining can lead to injuries and burnout, which is the last thing you want before the season even starts.
Recovery Tips:
Get plenty of sleep (aim for 7-9 hours a night)
Stay hydrated and fuel your body with nutritious foods
Use foam rolling, stretching and massage to ease muscle tension
8. Mental Prep
Sports are as much mental as they are physical. Visualisation, goal-setting, and mindfulness can help improve your focus and confidence.
Mental Training Tips:
Visualise success: Spend a few minutes each day picturing yourself performing at your best.
Set daily intentions: Start each day with a specific focus or goal in mind.
Practice mindfulness: Use techniques like meditation or deep breathing to stay calm and focused.
Final Thoughts
Pre-season training is your chance to build a strong, resilient body and sharpen your skills. By setting clear goals, building a fitness base, incorporating plyometrics and agility drills, and focusing on recovery, you’ll be more than ready to crush the season ahead.
So, lace up those trainers, hit the gym, and get ready to dominate. Your best season yet is just around the corner!
Stay strong and play hard,
Mickila @ReHub
Comments