Football season is right around the corner and although this article is for all athletes, now is a great time to address this topic. Athletes work incredibly hard to improve their strength, speed, and power in the off-season. Why then, would they want to waste all of their hard-earned gains by stopping their training during the season? It makes no sense to be strong during the off-season and weak when it matters most. For elite athletes the goal for in-season training is to minimize injury risk and MAINTAIN the gains they have made in the previous months. For the high school athlete who does not have 5 to 10 years training experience like the elites, there is a great chance they will actually get stronger by training in-season.

As the owner of FLEX Athletic performance I work with a lot of high school athletes. Off-seasons are my favorite time because I get to train the athletes without any outside interference. As the athlete’s season nears I have parents always asking what they should do during the season. Although there are many different variables that need to b considered (practice time, school time, injuries, etc), every serious athlete needs to continue to train during his or her season regardless of sport.

There is not a perfect program that will work for every athlete. One athlete may have carried the ball 25 times for 180 yards and 2 TD’s on a Friday night, while another on the same team played 15 plays and caught 1 ball for 8 yards. A Saturday morning workout for the running back is going to be different than the other player because he will most definitely be sore and tired from a game like that. The key here is for the athlete to listen to his body and relay the message to his coach or trainer. With that information we can prescribe a workout that will help increase performance for the weeks to come.

My high school football athletes are given a 2-3 workout/week schedule. Like I mentioned before, Athletes at this age can actually continue to get stronger in-season while 95% of their teammates lose everything. If the athlete plays on Friday nights I recommend them getting 1 workout in on Saturday afternoon and another one in on Tuesday evening after practice. The volume of these workouts does not need to be high, but the intensity has to be right for athletes to benefit. The word “intensity” refers to the percentages of the load being lifted based on the athlete’s 1RM. This will keep the athlete strong throughout the season.

It has been scientifically studied time and again that detraining occurs in as little as 2 weeks. That means strength levels will fall dramatically if nothing is done to maintain the gains made in the off-season. It makes no sense to be weak and tired during an important playoff run. Athletes should be strong and fast throughout the season, and teams with more guys like this will usually hold up championship trophies when its all said and done.

What a powerful message by the best linebacker in the NFL. Not much else needs to be said about this. Ray Lewis fires me up! Stop wasting time and make up your mind that you will be great. It is your decision to outwork somebody or be outworked by somebody. Make the right choice!

No matter what it is you want in life you will not get there unless you truly desire the destination and embrace the journey.  This could not be more apparent then it is in the  world of sports.  I look back at my life and can point to the exact moment that I KNEW I was going to change.  My athletic career would be decided by me and me only.

During the summer going into my sophomore year at Hunter High School we were encouraged to lift weights with the football team if we planned on playing in August.  I always thought myself to be a pretty good athlete and strength was something that never crossed my mind.  On the very first day a group of my friends walked into the weight room for the first time and was asked to 1 rep max our bench press.  None of us could press much weight, but I was definitely the “weakest” of the bunch. I vividly remember 95 lbs came crashing down on my chest.

In what was really a terrible moment for my confidence, looking back i am so thankful for it to have happened.  You see, that was a moment in which I realized how skinny and weak I really was.  In that one moment  I truly “Desired” to become the strongest I could be. When you want something so bad it hurts the best excuses don’t stand a chance.  Being tired or not having enough free time meant nothing to me anymore.  I realized how essential it was to put some muscle on my frail frame if I ever wanted to make something of my career.

TOO MANY PEOPLE WANT SHORT CUTS TO REACH THEIR GOALS.

Everybody wants to get stronger.  Everybody wants to loose weight.  Everybody wants to jump higher.  Everybody wants to run faster, but there is a huge difference in wanting something and desiring it.  The people that want these things would rather take a “magic supplement” or buy “magic shoes” that promises 10 more inches on their vertical jump than to work hard.  They go to the gym hoping for results rather than demanding them. Wanting something is not enough to change what you don’t like. You have to make up your mind, hold yourself accountable, and will all of your goals and dreams to happen.

Whatever your goals are; whether they be losing weight, gaining muscle, increasing vertical jump or getting a better job, you first need to DESIRE it and be willing to tap into your right to be “Powerful beyond measure.”  We all have this inside of us but we have to be willing to pay the price.  The price is blood, sweat, tears, and hard work.

BE GREAT, it’s a choice.

If you are not getting better, you are staying the same….. Somwhere, others are getting better each day!!!

FLEX is an elite training facility for athletes determined to reach their full potential. John Madsen, founder and head athletic trainer, knows exactly what it takes to reach the top. He has played football professionally for 4 seasons with the Oakland Raiders (3 yrs) and Las Vegas Locomotives of the UFL (1 yr). At FLEX you will distance yourself from from the crowd by becoming bigger, faster, stronger, more explosive and most importantly more confident. All of these things will be invaluable as your sports’ career progresses. Whether you are trying to get that scholarship you’ve always dreamed of, trying to make your High School team, or training for the NFL combine look no further than FLEX Athletic Performance.