Off Season Training
By Mark Asanovich - Jacksonville Jaguars
(from HPT Newsletter)
“The time will come
when the fall will ask what you were doing all summer.” - Henry Clay
It is my recommendation to players that
they allow themselves five to seven weeks of physical/mental recovery. I encourage
them to enjoy this time away from football to become physically/mentally
recharged. ALL surgeries and MOST vacations should be scheduled
during this time to maximize recovery and minimize “down time” for off-season
training. Additional vacations should be judiciously planned around the
off-season training/football schedule.
Most veteran players
do not need to be reminded of beginning their off-season training too early. Most susceptible to making
this mistake are inexperienced rookies and players “on the bubble”. Beginning too early often results in physical
overtraining, mental burn out and/or overuse injuries. For most teams
throughout the league, participation from March through June is generally very
good. After June Camp; however,
participation is sparse. In the four critical weeks prior to camp, this
compromises training results going into training camp.
Strength and conditioning levels are a “use it or loose it” reality. Meaning,
strength and conditioning levels never stay the same. It is either improving with use or regressing with disuse. As a
result, if players begin training in March and consistently improve -- and then
require three to four weeks’ vacation prior to training camp, they will loose
much of the strength/conditioning benefits worked for in the off-season.
THEREFORE: I would recommend beginning the off-season training later, rather
than earlier and continue through to the opening of training camp.
Our strength training routines address the five
major structures of the body: the neck/trap, lower torso, mid-torso, upper
torso, and ankles/arms. We place equal emphasis on all segments of the body
since the entire body is involved synergistically in playing the game of
football and consequently, exposed to injury. Traditionally, athletes have
neglected training the neck and shoulder capsule. Certainly, when you consider the potential
catastrophic risk to this vulnerable area, it is a priority that needs to be
emphasized.
All athletes perform the same
workouts regardless of position. A basic workout consists of 12-18 exercises in
which one to three exercises are performed for each body part. A workout is
generally 60 minutes (or less) in length.
Larger muscles (chest, back, shoulders, neck/traps, hips/legs) are
always trained before smaller muscles (arms, wrists, calves, abdominals). A
wide variety of strength training equipment/apparatus is used, with none being
more effective than another. Every rep of every set is coached and
documented.
I am confident that the success of our high
off-season attendance is three-fold.