Ask any athlete, and they’ll likely tell you that their routine includes pre-season, in-season, and post-season training. Swimmers, football, baseball, and basketball athletes know that this is important for getting results, maintaining speed or endurance, and also for preventing injuries. This is especially true in the unprecedented times of a global pandemic, when many resources and even entire facilities, may not be readily available. We saw this at the start of the 2020 NFL season, where many teams were hit with devastating, season-ending injuries. When the pandemic began in the early months of 2020, many of the football clubs shut down and adjustments were made to training and pre-season schedules. When the season officially kicked off later last year, we saw an unprecedented number of injuries, many of which were attributed to the shortened training periods. So how can athletes of all sports, and all levels, ensure that their training stays on track? Keep reading below!
This should come as no surprise that resistance training is our first point! By now you probably know some of the perks of resistance training, that you can get a full-body workout with little equipment, that your routine can be performed almost anywhere, and that there is minimal cost involved in getting set up. But in the off-season, resistance training is perfect when low or moderate training is required. It is recommended that an off-season athlete engage 50%-75% of their repetition maximum, to build muscle endurance. At the start of the off-season work, training should be at its lowest, gradually increasing as the in-season period nears. While it may be tempting to initially take a few weeks off instead, think of your muscles like a rubberband. When forgotten about for a while, and then picked back up, the rubberband can be brittle and easily snapped into pieces. Resistance training allows your muscles to stay fluid, working flexibility and range of motion. We recommend starting with our all-encompassing StrechCordz® Basic Dry-Land Trainer or the TurfCordz® with Handles for athletes in any sport.
Off-season training can bring a welcome break from the serious and sometimes intense qualities of in-season training. By setting a schedule, outlining your routine, and making it a priority, you’ll have a clear pathway to follow. For swimmers that are used to a pool session first thing in the morning, this might look a little different if the pool is closed. Our Strechcordz® Modular Set offers the ability to perform many of the same exercises you would in the pool to work on form, build strength or increase flexibility.
No matter where you are in your training, we believe you’ll notice a difference with our resistance products. Known by leading clinics, hospitals, universities, and professional sports teams since 1985, NZ Manufacturing provides high quality and versatile resistive exercise tools for swim training, physical therapy, rehabilitation, sports training, and general fitness. Shop our full line of products today!
