Summer is the perfect time for a break. But, you never want to totally fall off of a routine in the summer and then come back to the start of the season completely out of shape and regressed.
So, here are some ways you can stay active during the offseason.
- Practice Drills – By running certain drills during the offseason, you can simulate certain in-game situations while focusing more on things like technique and timing instead of giving your full athletic effort. It’s a great way to stay sharp and allow your mind and body to get a bit of a break from the normal stress of a season, as well.
- Focus on Cardio/Weight Training: The offseason is a great time to improve your baseline aerobic fitness and strength. Weight training gives you the opportunity to build a strong (literally) foundation and work on developing specific muscle groups. This also helps you avoid injuries once the season starts back.
- Participate in DIfferent Camps: Summer camps are a great way to get one-on-one and group training sessions in and work on developing different techniques and skills for specific sports.
- Recovery: This almost seems counterintuitive, but recovery—specifically “Active Recovery” is a low-intensity exercise following any strenuous workouts like the weight training or drills listed above. Active recovery is considered even more beneficial than static recovery because it keeps blood flowing and helps muscles recover and rebuild. So, go on a walk, participate in some yoga, swimming or kayaking, just make sure you keep the intensity low!
Sports are fun, yes, but they are always more fun when we are able to do them at a high level. By participating in these activities during the offseason, you can make life easier on yourself by staying active and ready for the season when it starts.