It’s that time of year that either makes or breaks you. It’s gruelling, uncomfortable, disheartening at times however it’s what defines you as a person and an athlete.
As Jack and I enter our 12th pre-season in elite football, we would like to share with you some of the things we expect to see from athletes returning to their sport after a hard earned break.
It’s the classic ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ analogy as we see so many players return from their summer break and struggling with their first run or fitness test upon setting foot on the field. We have seen players return in poor condition which has either resulted in extra conditioning to reduce body fat, being left off the first team sheet of the season or a reoccurrence of a previous injury.
Pre-season has changed. Maybe it’s the influence of social media, a platform that is often used to show off the ‘dog work’, or maybe it’s the competitiveness of the new generation of athletes trying to succeed in a sport which is becoming more and more physically and mentally demanding.
Most recently, we have heard the term ‘pre-pre-season’ used to give athletes a chance to get ahead of the game. The competitive season can be long and congested so it’s important to get the right balance, in order for your body to recover and prepare for the new season. Due to a heavy schedule, an athlete may not have time to focus on developing strength in-season, especially if the priority is on-field conditioning and recovery between games. Off season work can be useful to pack on muscle mass if the goal is to become bigger, rehabilitate an injury caused at the end of last season, develop aerobic capacity following a period of rest or simply maintain strength levels so that development is not lost or regressed.
This is great from the modern-day athlete and shows the high standards athletes set themselves however, the sacrifice we give during pre-season should be imbedded within our daily standards. It must not change throughout the season, and you should never take your foot off the gas in order to get you where you want to be and be the best possible version of yourself.
Below are our 5 tips to get you through those first few weeks of pre-season which can also be used in-season to ensure your performance habits don’t change.
Prep - not preparing to go out on the court or field can be the first hurdle athletes fall upon during the new season. Have you followed a mobility routine or priming exercise to ensure you are firing on all cylinders? Prime session -(https://www.instagram.com/tv/CdG7hmcjOEA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link)
Fuel - during the off-season, calorie intake should have been reduced, so it’s time to increase your calories in order to fuel the work ahead. Aim for a portion of carbohydrates with every meal.
Train smart - it’s important to establish your physical limits. Yes, coaches will want you to push yourself however if you haven’t done the work, you may push too hard and suffer an injury. Manage yourself in drills where you are supposed to be resting and when it’s time to push you will have the ability to put your foot down.
Strengthen - strength training helps to supplement your on-field work. Even though the on-field work is the priority at this stage you can still chip away and even micro-dose your strength so that it doesn’t interfere with your aerobic energy system development. This will help to build physical capacity and tissue tolerance and also act as an injury protector moving forward.
Recover - we all know that sleep and nutrition are at the forefront of a recovery protocol so getting back into good habits will allow you to get back on the field the following day. If you don’t have access to a contrast bath, filling up your paddling pool in the garden or bathtub with cold water to help reduce swelling and muscle tissue breakdown.
Now, we know that the off-season occurs during different times in other sports but we feel these principles can still apply.
Jack & Sam
For more information on our packages check out our website
Scroll through our Instagram page to see some of the work we are doing with athletes