So, your season has come to an end. Whether you are entering
your “off-season” (we all know there is no real “off” season, so when I use
this term think post- and pre- season) coming off a heartbreaking loss or
having just lifted a trophy it is time to put in work and start your journey to
getting better. As athletes we all know that the off-season is a time to make
and see great gains, but are we utilizing this time as efficiently as we could
be? The rest of this post will explore some helpful tips that you can take into
your off-season this summer in order to come back more skilled, stronger, and
in better shape for next season.
The first
thing you should do once a season ends is take a few days off to recover both
mentally and physically. Does that loss sting? Sure it does! But with no
recovery, you may be setting yourself up for injury, mental fatigue, or
burnout. These few days off should not be viewed as missed time, but instead as
a chance to decompress, self-assess, and plan a positive off-season schedule to
benefit you to the fullest.
Self-assessment
is an important beginning step to the off-season. Sure, you may have had
feedback from your coaches, which is important, but you know yourself better
than anyone else. What went well for you this season? What didn’t go so well?
What do you need to do as an individual to improve your weakness and build upon
your strengths? What goals are you setting for yourself? And what does it take
to accomplish those set goals? Only you know those answers and it is important
you answer them before moving on to your planning stage.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery said, “A
goal without a plan is just a wish”. This is why the next step to a successful
off-season is making a plan. This is not a step to be rushed, ignored, or
viewed as unimportant. How you plan out your next few months will determine how
big your gains are and which areas receive the most attention. What goals did
you set during the self-assessment phase? Which areas did you decide needed
focus? Within each of these goals and areas, start to ask yourself the
following questions and begin building a program: how much time do I have this
season, what is a realistic workload expectation, can I make a schedule that
allows for all aspects to positively grow without leaving something behind, and
what is my body currently saying? These questions should help you start to
narrow your focus and lead to the creation of workout plans, schedules, and
timelines. What can be really helpful is having this all written out in a
training book, diary, workout folder…what every you’d like to call it. Keeping
track of your progress is key!
Once you
have made your plan based on your self-assessment and main focuses, you are
ready to start executing what you have. You’ve done the thinking, you’ve done
the planning, now it’s time to get out there and head back to the grind. Trust
in the plan you have created – follow it! But don’t be afraid to reassess, make
adjustments, and repeat if necessary. But don’t give up on your plan every time
you hit a wall. If you are finding that one area is getting better as a
tremendous rate while another area is floundering, take a look at what you are
doing and see if any alteration can be made. But don’t get discouraged if
things aren’t progressing as quickly as you’d like. A lot of times a plateau
occurs right before something big is about to happen. The difference between
those who succeed and those who fail, is who can make it through that plateau
period without physically or mentally giving up.
Throughout
the rest of your off-season you need to stay focused. The off-season can drag
on sometimes, but stay focused on the positive gains you are making. If you are
really struggling, add some unique training exercises or light work days to
your schedule. If you need an off day, be honest with yourself. Sometimes a day
of recovery can lead to bigger gains than if you were to try and push through
in a tired state. However, that doesn’t mean every time you don’t feel like
working out you get an off day. If you want to improve, you will work hard to
achieve the goals you’ve set. If you don’t want to improve, you will make
excuses and prioritize other things over your workouts. If that’s the case,
don’t be upset when your goals don’t happen because I’m telling you now they
won’t. Be honest and stay focused on the aims you’ve set for yourself.
Throughout
the off-season also start to think about what physical and mental tools you
will employ next to season to help you translate your off-season hard work into
season success. There are too many athletes (and coaches) who work hard and
make huge gains during the off-season, only to crumble and forget what they
have accomplished during the first hurdle of the season. Your hard work now,
will result in success at a later date – believe that is the case!
Finally,
have fun and enjoy your off-season. It might not be as extrinsically rewarding
as the season is. There are no fans to cheer you on and there is no trophy
rewarded for getting your workouts done. Just keep in mind that the off-season
is a huge part of your athletic journey and one that you will look back on
later in life as a positive experience. Whether it be in a few months’ time,
when you are winning a championship or a couple of years down the line when you
have just gotten a promotion at work. Your off-season workouts are a chance for
you to focus on yourself, see your gains, and grow as both an athlete and
person.
All the
best for your off-season. Share below any ideas, workouts you find helpful or
questions you may have below! To see a video version of this post, check out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW1j3k_YNvU&t=6s
-Cat
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