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Looking at training for an athlete in a yearly calendar format can be very impactful. By dividing the year into different seasons with different priorities we can start to determine when the time to develop as an athlete is and when the time to develop your sports specific skills is. If we can create a priority for each portion of the year we can help the athlete continue to develop and avoid the frustration that can come with doing everything at once. Ultimately, by planning ahead we can help the athlete achieve what is most important-reaching their full potential.
When looking at an athlete’s yearly schedule there are four distinct seasons, which are equally important. The first is an off-season period, the second is a pre-season period, the third is an in-season period, and the last is a post-season recovery period. A big mistake that I have seen, and one that I made when I was playing, was a tendency to focus mostly on the in-season and pre-season phases year around, without ever spending much or any time in an off-season period and avoiding post-season recovery completely. This leads to way too much sport specific work, which leads to plateau, injury, and burnout. If, instead, we can look at the off-season period as a crucial period in a yearly development cycle, we will give it the weight it deserves and realize that this is the most important period for an athlete.
The off-season period can be anywhere from 4 to 6 months, depending on the athlete and the sport, and is often the most overlooked period for an athlete. This should be a large portion of the year and the focus should be on getting stronger, more explosive, faster, better conditioned, and more mobile. The work in this period is more general and will look similar for all athletes, no matter the sport. This is because the goal in this period is to develop the 10 general skills that make up an athlete (endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy). By improving each of these skills, we can help the athlete develop a much wider base of athletic ability, which will ultimately lead to a higher peak in whichever sport they play. The more time that we can spend in this phase of training the higher the ultimate peak of the athlete will be.
The next period is the pre-season period, which can be anywhere from 4-8 weeks, depending on the sport and the athlete. This is generally where most people extend all of their training to cover, but really should be much of a shorter period, in my opinion. This is when the focus is taking the gains made in the off-season period and starting to transfer them into sports specific skills that will help the athlete in their season. This is also when the athlete will start to ramp up their sports specific training, so volume will decrease inside the gym. This is an important phase that helps the athlete transfer out of general training and into sports specific training, but should not constitute the bulk of training from a yearly perspective.
The next period of the year is the in-season period. This is the period where the athlete is participating in their given sports season. Training should be very light and the focus is on allowing the athlete to keep the progress made as best as they can while still allowing them to perform at their best in their sport. This is 2 or at most 3 sessions a week and the focus will be much more tailored to the athlete specifically and what their individual needs are. The expectation during this period is that some regression will take place but that any progress maintained is a win. Another major focus during this period is injury avoidance and recovery, so extra mobility and recovery work is encouraged.
The final period of the year, and one that is often completely skipped over, is a post-season recovery period. Many young athletes (including myself) jump from sport to sport to sport without ever having a true recovery period. This is a crucial time for the athlete, both physically and mentally, that will allow them to recover from the rigors of the season and allow them to prepare for the next year. This should be anywhere from 1 to 3 months, depending on the sport and the athlete, and the athlete should come out of this time period hungry to start off-season training. If the athlete is not motivated to get back to training then chances are that the post-season period was not long enough.
Training for a sport takes a lot more planning than training in general. By taking a step back and looking at each year individually, we will have a much better chance to have a successful season, manage expectations, avoid injury, and increase longevity. Ultimately, by planning ahead we can increase the likelihood the athlete will reach their full potential in the sport.
