Having a good and focused preseason training plan is very important, it will help improve overall fitness and readiness for the season ahead but also reduces the chances of any injury.
Firstly, what is preseason? Pre-season training is the training that occurs before the actual season begins, often involving cardiovascular fitness sessions, sport-specific training drills and often some matches. This training schedule gives players time to get into prime shape for the upcoming season.
The importance of pre-season
Pre-season allows you to build solid fitness foundations, helps improve your technical abilities and boosts your optimum performance. Having pre-season training helps prepare you for the intense season ahead, where you’re training and playing multiple matches during the week. Though, if there was no pre-season, it is like running a marathon without any training. This would increase the risk of injury and inability to perform to your best.
What does pre-season training involve?
Throughout pre-season, the focus will be on:
- Cardiovascular fitness (agility, conditioning and endurance)
- Flexibility
- Strength and power
- Developing technical skills (including drills, coordination and balance)
- Refining your techniques (like jumping, landing and throwing)
- Teamwork and cohesion
Most semi and professional sports clubs must complete assessments for preseason, this is where the medical team will be able to find strengths and weaknesses for potential injuries and establish your fitness baseline. During pre-season, this is an opportunity to identify any aches or ‘niggles’ in which shows areas you’ll need to work on helping prevent a small discomfort into a severe injury, this is where strengthening sessions can be incorporated.
Investing time and effort into your preseason training will help transition you into competition games whilst managing early season fatigue, taking time to refine your sport specific training drills but most importantly improving your strength and flexibility which will make you less likely to suffer from an overuse injury.
The most common injury during/after preseason is an overuse injury, such as ankle sprains or instability, Achilles’s pain, shin splints, knee pain (patellar tendinopathy) and others. Preseason varies depending on the sport and its level, in professional sports it often lasts 8-12 weeks, others fit into 4 or less weeks.
How can I help?
Through a consultation, physical examination and a conversation about your sport/position I will be able to create a specific plan centered just for you, your level and your sport. The plan will include cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training.
Please book online or contact the clinic on 01452 883232 to book an appointment with our Sports Therapist Ben.
By Ben Trebble, Sports Therapist
