It’s that time of year again! Preseason…most winter sport participants have started back with their training programs endeavoring to get to peak fitness and condition for the 1st round. Here and Sports & Spinal we start to see a lot of people coming in with overload injuries as they have trained too hard too fast in the 1st couple of weeks of preseason training.
Our sporting season can be broken up into 3 phases; preseason preparation phase, preseason competition phase and in season. These phases are all important as they prepare participants for competition and get them in peak physical condition whilst minimising injury risk.
Depending on the physical needs of your chosen sport will determine what volume and intensity of training you will require to minimise injury risk during the in season phase of the year.
Strength and conditioning is super important for enhanced performance and injury reduction. We should endeavour to work on all aspects of physical condition, these include; joint range of motion and muscle flexibility, muscle endurance, strength and power, balance and coordination, agility and speed and aerobic endurance. So whilst a lot of our coaches focus on increased running volume and running speed and intensity, we should also be working on all the above aspects to make us more robust and stronger.
During preseason we should aim for small increments in volume and intensity, then as we start to get closer to in season, volume will reduce and intensity will increase, this is for both running and weight training. Our bodies respond really well to gradual and small increments of volume and intensity, as our tissues get stronger we can undertake more intense and higher volume training with a reduction to injury.
The most common sites of injury for most winter sports is from the hip down. Common injury types include muscle strain, tears and ruptures, ligaments sprains and tears, tendon injury and ruptures.
Start Low
Ease your way back into training, most of us drop off our activity level through the break, so unless you have been disciplined to remain active, be kind to your body and start with low volume and intensity.
Progress slowly
Build up your volume and intensity slowly, dramatic changes in volume and intensity is what commonly causes injuries.
Establish a training schedule
Routine is key to performance and consistency when it comes to training. This will include all aspects of your training from recovery days, running, resistance training and stretches etc.
Incorporate strength training
Muscle strength and power is very important to withstand higher training loads and demands. A minimum of 2 sessions per week is recommended and should include movements that complement or have crossover with your sport.
Recovery
This is really important, as it allows your body to make adaptations to training. Rest is one of the most important aspects of training, it can be put into your program after a more intense session, and can also include a full week where training volume and load is decreased after 4-5 weeks of progressive training. This section also includes sleep! 7-9 hours is most beneficial, and we should aim to have a routine where we go to bed and wake up at the same time.
Good luck to everyone in their preseason and for the entire season. If you have any questions or need some advice come and chat to one of our knowledgeable Osteo’s or EP’s! Book Now
