Keeping Your Body in Peak Off-Season Shape
January 25, 2023
Don’t let the off-season get you off your game. While your training load can (and should) decrease because you no longer need to be at peak performance, slacking off shouldn’t be on the menu. Your body will thank you for maintaining a healthy fitness level until your season comes back around.
Keep these three targets in your sights for maintaining your performance all year long:
- Name Your Goals
- Take it a Little Easy
- Maintain Your Health
With that breakdown, you can hope to give yourself the best off-season possible for the next season.
Name Your Goals
What are your goals for next season? Do you want to increase your strength? Maybe you’d like to improve your speed or agility. Whatever you want to improve on during the off-season, identify it, and then create a plan to work on it and ensure you achieve it. A trainer, coach or even sports medicine doctor can help support you in achieving those goals in the healthiest ways possible.
Take it a Little Easy
We’re not saying slack off, but we are saying give your body a chance to heal in the off-season. Think of this as your recovery time. By doing this, you help avoid injuries and overextending yourself. First and foremost, recuperate any injuries you sustained during the season and work on rehabilitating anything that felt weak or a little off this season.
Maintain Your Health
This encompasses your whole-body health: physical, mental, and even emotional.
Starting with your physical health, create a fitness regimen that aligns with the goals you have for the off-season. Then make sure your nutrition is in line, too. Continue with plenty of hydration, take in plenty of your necessary nutrients, and ensure you maintain a well-balanced diet.
Good sleep is vital to your physical health, but it’s also critical for mental and emotional health. Other ways to support your mental and emotional health include bonding with your teammates, helping keep each other accountable, and taking time outside of your sport(s). Make sure you’re leading a well-rounded lifestyle so you’re enriching yourself on and off the field.
Sports Medicine Doctors on Call
Our orthopedic specialists are always available to help with your pain and injuries, but did you know that we can also help with improving your sports-related functions, too? Our expert sports medicine doctors have the experience to help you get to your peak performance in the sport you love. Schedule an appointment online anytime.