4 Tips for Surviving Preseason Workouts

Preseason​ ​for​ ​many​ ​athletes​ ​is​ ​looked​ ​at​ ​as​ ​a​ ​time​ ​where​ ​workouts​ ​are​ ​tough​ ​and​ ​double

sessions​ ​happen​ ​often,​ ​but​ ​for​ ​coaches​ ​it’s​ ​viewed​ ​as​ ​a​ ​gateway​ ​to​ ​your​ ​success​ ​in​ ​the​ ​regular

season.​ ​So​ ​how​ ​do​ ​you​ ​work​ ​hard​ ​enough​ ​to​ ​accomplish​ ​the​ ​goals​ ​of​ ​preseason​ ​and​ ​stay

healthy​ ​for​ ​the​ ​regular​ ​season​ ​ahead?​ ​With​ ​fall​ ​sports​ ​preseason​ ​just​ ​around​ ​the​ ​corner,​ ​now​ ​is

a​ ​good​ ​time​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​how​ ​to​ ​stay​ ​smart​ ​during​ ​preseason!

Tip​ ​1:​ ​Stay​ ​active​ ​before​ ​preseason

Before​ ​your​ ​actual​ ​preseason​ ​starts,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​important​ ​to​ ​already​ ​be​ ​active.​ ​You​ ​don’t​ ​want​ ​to​ ​come

into​ ​preseason​ ​not​ ​having​ ​done​ ​a​ ​single​ ​thing​ ​all​ ​summer.​ ​If​ ​you​ ​do​ ​that​ ​you​ ​are​ ​putting​ ​yourself

at​ ​risk​ ​of​ ​injury.​ ​All​ ​coaches​ ​should​ ​give​ ​their​ ​athletes​ ​off-season​ ​conditioning​ ​workouts​ ​to​ ​allow

them​ ​to​ ​get​ ​ready​ ​for​ ​what’s​ ​to​ ​come​ ​during​ ​the​ ​preseason.

Tip​ ​2:​ ​Hydration​ ​is​ ​key

During​ ​preseason​ ​for​ ​fall​ ​sports​ ​it​ ​is​ ​always​ ​​HOT​.​ ​So​ ​the​ ​first​ ​way​ ​to​ ​stay​ ​safe​ ​is​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​how​ ​to

deal​ ​with​ ​the​ ​heat.​ ​All​ ​coaches,​ ​athletic​ ​directors​ ​and​ ​trainers​ ​should​ ​be​ ​aware​ ​of​ ​the​ ​heat​ ​index

guidelines​ ​for​ ​sports.​ ​Ideally​ ​your​ ​preseason​ ​workout​ ​should​ ​be​ ​completed​ ​before​ ​11AM​ ​and/or

after​ ​6PM.​ ​Another​ ​important​ ​thing​ ​an​ ​athlete​ ​can​ ​do​ ​to​ ​stay​ ​safe​ ​during​ ​preseason​ ​is​ ​to​ ​hydrate.

Athletes​ ​should​ ​be​ ​drinking​ ​3​ ​to​ ​5​ ​ounces​ ​(two​ ​or​ ​three​ ​large​ ​gulps)​ ​every​ ​15​ ​to​ ​20​ ​minutes

during​ ​exercise.​ ​Drinking​ ​during​ ​workouts​ ​is​ ​key​ ​but​ ​you​ ​can’t​ ​forget​ ​to​ ​hydrate​ ​before​ ​as​ ​well,

drink​ ​17​ ​to​ ​20​ ​oz.​ ​of​ ​water​ ​2​ ​to​ ​3​ ​hours​ ​before​ ​exercising.​ ​To​ ​go​ ​along​ ​with​ ​the​ ​water​ ​include​ ​7​ ​to

10​ ​oz.​ ​of​ ​sports​ ​drink​ ​10​ ​to​ ​20​ ​minutes​ ​prior​ ​to​ ​exercise.​ ​Hydration​ ​is​ ​key​ ​to​ ​preventing

dehydration​ ​and​ ​other​ ​heat​ ​related​ ​illnesses.​ ​Being​ ​hydrated​ ​can​ ​also​ ​help​ ​prevent​ ​painful

muscles​ ​cramps.

Tip​ ​3:​ ​Listen​ ​to​ ​your​ ​body

During​ ​preseason,​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​times​ ​your​ ​body​ ​will​ ​be​ ​pushed.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​important​ ​to​ ​speak​ ​up​ ​if

something​ ​doesn’t​ ​feel​ ​right,​ ​you​ ​should​ ​not​ ​play​ ​through​ ​it.​ ​You​ ​don’t​ ​want​ ​something​ ​that

happened​ ​to​ ​you​ ​during​ ​preseason​ ​to​ ​affect​ ​you​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​your​ ​season.​ ​If​ ​you​ ​feel​ ​hurt​ ​or

overheated​ ​it​ ​is​ ​okay​ ​to​ ​go​ ​to​ ​your​ ​coach​ ​and​ ​say​ ​“I​ ​need​ ​to​ ​sit​ ​out”​ ​or​ ​see​ ​the​ ​athletic​ ​trainer.

They​ ​should​ ​be​ ​more​ ​than​ ​understanding​ ​if​ ​something​ ​isn’t​ ​feeling​ ​right.

Tip​ ​4:​ ​Recover

During​ ​preseason​ ​you​ ​are​ ​going​ ​to​ ​feel​ ​sore​ ​and​ ​tired​ ​basically​ ​all​ ​the​ ​time,​ ​so​ ​it​ ​is​ ​important​ ​to

rest​ ​and​ ​recover.​ ​After​ ​your​ ​workouts​ ​you​ ​should​ ​static​ ​stretch​ ​and​ ​hold​ ​each​ ​stretch​ ​for​ ​30

seconds.​ ​Apply​ ​ice​ ​and​ ​heat​ ​to​ ​areas​ ​of​ ​your​ ​body​ ​that​ ​are​ ​sore​ ​or​ ​that​ ​you​ ​use​ ​often.​ ​You​ ​can

use​ ​a​ ​foam​ ​roller​ ​to​ ​roll​ ​out​ ​any​ ​areas​ ​that​ ​are​ ​sore.​ ​Another​ ​good​ ​way​ ​to​ ​be​ ​smart​ ​during

preseason​ ​is​ ​to​ ​get​ ​plenty​ ​of​ ​rest.​ ​Teenagers​ ​need​ ​anywhere​ ​from​ ​8-10​ ​hours​ ​a​ ​sleep​ ​a​ ​night.

Ideally​ ​during​ ​preseason​ ​you​ ​should​ ​be​ ​sleeping​ ​for​ ​at​ ​least​ ​8​ ​hours​ ​to​ ​allow​ ​for​ ​full​ ​recovery.

Preseason​ ​is​ ​a​ ​key​ ​component​ ​to​ ​having​ ​a​ ​great​ ​regular​ ​season.​ ​As​ ​long​ ​as​ ​you​ ​stay​ ​smart

during​ ​preseason​ ​you​ ​should​ ​be​ ​on​ ​track​ ​to​ ​stay​ ​healthy​ ​and​ ​injury​ ​free​ ​during​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​your

season!