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The Importance of In-Season Strength and Performance Training

Injury Prevention & Recovery
● Scientifically structured in-season training programs enhance muscle and connective tissue strength, increasing their resilience to stress and reducing the risk of injuries from high-impact sports as well as preventing common overuse injuries such as stress fractures, tendonitis, and joint damage by fortifying the body against excessive strain.1
● Athletes are 200-325% more likely to experience an injury if they do not regularly participate in appropriate in-season strength training.2,3,4
● ~50% reduction in ACL injuries with appropriate strength training 2x/week compared to athletes without.5
● ~2x faster recovery from injuries compared to athletes that do not appropriately strength train in-season.2

Detraining Prevention & Performance Improvements
● In-season strength and athletic performance programs that were done twice per week saw significant increases in full body strength, lower and upper body power, acceleration, speed, agility, sprint repeatability, and vertical jump height.4,6,7,8,9,10
● Strong evidence shows that without continuous in-season strength and performance training, athletes lose performance significantly in almost all athletic areas, especially strength, power, speed, agility, and sprint repeatability. 8,10
● Well-designed in-season programs adapt to competition demands, helping athletes preserve peak performance and reduce injury risk. Incorporating these programs is a proven strategy for maximizing athletic potential and achieving sustained success throughout the entire season and the athlete’s whole career.1

Not All Programs Are Created Equally
When it comes to in-season training programs, it’s crucial to understand that not all are designed with the same level of sophistication and care. An effective in-season strength and performance program is specifically tailored to balance training volume with the demands of practice and competition. Unlike off-season or pre-season programs, an in-season program must adapt to the athlete’s fluctuating schedule and intensity of competition to ensure peak
performance at the right times. It should aim to optimize readiness, minimize injury risk, and maintain overall health, rather than just following a generic template. This strategic approach ensures that training supports, rather than detracts from, the athlete’s ongoing performance and recovery needs within the season. 

References

  1. Kraemer, W., & Nitka, M. (2023). Importance of an in-season strength training program: A reminder to sport coaches. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 45(3), 379-383.  http://doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000739
  1. Hejna, W., Rosenberg, A., Buturusis, D., & Krieger, A. (1982). The prevention of sport injuries in high school students through strength training. National Strength Coaches Association Journal, 4(1), 28-31. https://journals.lww.com/nscascj/Abstract/1982/02000/The_Prevention_of_Sports_Injuri es_in_High_School.6.aspx
  1. Olsen, O., Myklebust, G., Engebretsen, L., Holme, I., & Bahr, R. (2005). Exercises to prevent lower limb injuries in youth sports: Cluster randomised controlled trial. British Medical Journal 2005;330:449. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.38330.632801.8F
  1. Zouita, S., Zouita, A., Kebsi, W., Dupont, G., Ben Abderrahman, A., Ben Salah, F., & Zouhal, H. (2016). Strength training reduces injury rate in elite young soccer players during one season. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 30(5), 1295-1307. https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000000920
  1. Wingfield, K., & Dip Sports Med. (2013). Neuromuscular training to prevent knee injuries in adolescent female soccer players. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 23(5), 407-408. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.jsm.0000433153.51313.6b
  1. Fernandez, J., Sanz-Rivas, D., Kovacs, M., & Moya, M. (2015). In-season effect of a combined repeated sprint and explosive strength training program on elite junior tennis players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29(2), 351-357. http://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000000759
  1. Suarez-Arrones, L., Saez de Villarreal, E., Nunez, F., Di Salvo, V., Petri, C., Buccolini, A., Maldonado, R., Torreno, N., & Mendez-Villanueva, A. (2018). In-season eccentric-overload training in elite soccer players: Effects on body composition, strength and sprint performance. PLos ONE, 13(10). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0205332
  1. Hermassi, S., Chelly, M., Fieseler, G., Bartels, T., Schulze, S., Delank, K., Shephard, R., & Schwesig, R. (2017). Effects of in-season explosive strength training on maximal leg strength, jumping, sprinting, and intermittent aerobic performance in male handball athletes. Sportverletz Sportschaden, 31(03), 167-173. http://doi.org/10.1055/s-0043-103469
  1. Marques, M., Tillaar, R., Vescovi, J., & Gonzalez-Badillo, J. (2008). Changes in strength and power performance in elite senior female professional volleyball players during the in-season: A case study. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 22(4), 1147-1155. http://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31816a42d0
  1. Panagoulis, C., Chatzinikolaou, A., Avloniti, A., Leontsini, D., Deli, C., Draganidis, D., Stampoulis, T., Oikonomou, T., Papanikolaou, K., Rafailakis, L., Kambas, A., Jamurtas, A., & Fatouros, I. (2020). In-season integrative neuromuscular strength training improves performance of early-adolescent soccer athletes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 34(2), 516-526. http://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000002938

In The Core Athlete Inc.

5455 Spine Rd, Boulder, CO, 80301

Here at ITC, we educate athletes on the importance of different lifestyle choices on recovery and performance. This pyramid of recovery concepts provides an overview for how we teach athletes about recovery and how significantly it can affect their performance.

Geno's Story

My son Dante has been training at In The Core since 2019 and my daughter Ava has been training there since 2023.  They are both year-round athletes that put a lot of stress demand on their bodies through their respective sports and consequently they put stress on their minds through school, sports, social life, etc.  With that said, when we found ITC we were drawn to not only the physical athletic training but also the mind/brain work and encompassing everything all into one.  Simply put, training the full body not only for competition but also the life of a teenage student-athlete and the preparation into adult hood.  There are many options in the market if you’re looking to just get bigger, faster, stronger but if you are like us, and you were looking for more than that, ITC is the place to come.
 
The coaching and training aspect of ITC is impeccable.  The details and focus of every session will ensure your athlete has an incredible workout that is tailored to them individually every time they visit.  The brain work and the messages they learn through the training has my kids walk out of ITC sessions a completely different person.  They are more upbeat, energetic, and motivated even though they just performed an intense work out for 45-90 minutes.
 
As a former athlete, it is very evident to see the physical results in their training.  As a parent, I see my children’s growth in their mindset and maturity.  I see them thinking about their futures in ways they never did before, I see their motivation in helping and be a part of the solution, and I see them wanting to serve something higher than themselves.  For me and my family, this means being a complete athlete which is what they receive from the team at ITC.
 
ITC has been a huge blessing for our whole family.  The lifelong friendships and relationships that we have developed and the tools that our children have received are priceless.  We are forever grateful and forever ITC!