In-Season Strength Without Burnout

Performance, Recovery & Durability

Stay Strong In-Season—Without Burning Out

In-season training isn’t about going all out.
And it’s definitely not about shutting things down.

The best athletes understand the balance:

Train with purpose—not just intensity.

The goal during the season is simple:

Stay strong.
Stay healthy.
Stay explosive.

All while having enough energy to actually perform when it matters most.

Here’s how we approach it.

What to Focus On In-Season

1️⃣ Total-Body Strength (2x per Week)

Strength doesn’t disappear overnight—but it does fade if you ignore it.

Short, focused lifting sessions help you:

• Maintain strength

• Protect joints

• Stay confident and powerful

These sessions don’t need to be long or brutal. In fact, they shouldn’t be.

With proper volume and smart intensity, athletes can even lift the day before a game—as long as it’s planned intelligently.

The goal is maintenance, not maxing out.

2️⃣ Core Training (2–5x per Week)

Your core is the connection point between your upper and lower body.

It:

• Transfers force

• Stabilizes your spine

• Improves balance and control

• Supports movement in every direction

That’s why core work stays in year-round—especially in-season.

One of our go-to in-season movements:

🎥 Prone Plank with Reach

Why it works:

• Trains dynamic core stability

• Challenges shoulder and hip control

• Reinforces coordination without unnecessary fatigue

High value.
Low cost.
Perfect for in-season training.

3️⃣ Balance & Control Work

Games are chaotic.
Training should prepare you for that chaos—not add to it.

Low-impact balance and coordination drills help reinforce:

• Body awareness

• Stability under fatigue

• Clean movement patterns

Think:

• Ladder drills (used intentionally)

• Hopping and landing progressions

• Controlled, position-focused core work

These don’t exhaust you—but they keep your system sharp.

What to Skip During the Season

Just as important as what you do… is what you don’t do.

🚫 High-Rep, High-Volume Workouts
You’re already practicing and competing. Extra volume just adds wear and tear.

🚫 Extra Conditioning
Unless practices are unusually light, additional sprints or long runs usually do more harm than good.

🚫 Plyometric Overload
A few jumps? Fine.
Full plyometric programs? Save them for the off-season.

The In-Season Mindset

In-season success comes from:

• Consistency over intensity

• Precision over exhaustion

• Smart decisions over emotional ones

The goal isn’t to feel destroyed after training.
The goal is to feel prepared.

Final Thought

The athletes who perform best late in the season aren’t the ones who did the most.

They’re the ones who:

• Trained smart

• Respected recovery

• Stayed disciplined with their approach

Stay consistent.
Stay sharp.
Protect your edge.

— Coach Shelby & The Shelby Trained Team