An athlete’s summer conditioning program should strike a balance between the need for physical and mental rest and the desire to stay in shape.
The temptation to wander into a nearby gym and use whatever equipment looks appealing or to put off conditioning until a last-minute crunch to get ready for fall sports can lead to more issues during the season.
“Structured training with a professional athletic trainer can help an athlete balance the need for rest with a desire to maintain conditioning,” said Ryan J. Krupp, M.D., orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist with Norton Orthopedic Institute and medical director of Norton Sports Health. “We see far too many athletes early in the fall who either didn’t stay in shape, focused on the wrong exercise or hurt themselves trying to catch up at the end of the summer.”
Summer is a time to alternate routines to reduce the risk of overuse injuries and gradually improve endurance with a mix of work for strength and flexibility.
But more than just for staying in shape and getting rest, the three months or so of summer is a time to build a foundation to move forward during the coming season. Work with your coach to set goals and address areas of focus such as physical training, mental preparation and specific skills. Share that information with a trainer to get the most out of your summer strength and conditioning.
Some ways to take a break from the routine of the season while working on skills:
- Stay hydrated. The Ohio Valley’s summer heat and humidity can have life-threatening consequences. Every athlete needs to understand dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke symptoms and what to do.
- Make sure you are sleeping well and enough.
- Vary routines to reduce the risk of overuse injuries and boredom.
- Eat right. Make sure you’re getting enough protein and carbs.
- Warm up. Build yourself up gradually and stretch.
- Be aware of field conditions, such as mud, holes or goals and other objects that might be unstable.
Norton Sports Performance
The highly trained staff and structured programs at Norton Sports Performance help athletes achieve ideal strength and conditioning to prepare for an upcoming season.