Many athletes think that practices alone are sufficient to maintain athletic performance while in-season. That is not the case. According to research it only takes about two to four weeks to see the impacts of detraining:
- Strength decreases by 20%
- Aerobic conditioning decreases by 10%
- Heart-rate increases by 5-10%
- Flexibility decreases by 15%
- Blood lactate threshold decreases by 20%
After four weeks, the decline continues through detraining. The most important time for training for an athlete is during their season. Athletes who train in-season are less likely to experience injuries.
Many athletes that train in season are able to train 1-2 times per week to maintain their strength, mechanics, conditioning and flexibility. Contrary to what some believe, training in-season will not fatigue an athlete nor compromise performance. Training in-season with well-programmed training cycles actually improves sports performance. Training early in the week for a weekend game or at least 48 hours before a game gives the body ample recovery time.
