Off-Season vs In-Season Training: What Lincoln-Way Athletes Need to Know

Here's something that shocks most parents: the majority of high school sports programs don't have structured strength training during the season.

Let me repeat that. Your athlete is competing at a high level, their body is taking a beating week after week, and there's no organized program to keep them strong, fast, and injury-free.

The result? Athletes lose strength during the season. They slow down. They get injured. And by the time playoffs roll around, they're running on empty instead of peaking at the right time.

The Critical Gap Most Sports Programs Ignore

I've been working with Lincoln-Way athletes for years, and the pattern is always the same. Sports programs focus on sport-specific practice and conditioning. That's their job, and they do it well.

But here's what's missing: structured strength and conditioning that bridges the gap between off-season development and in-season performance.

Think about it. Your athlete spends the summer getting stronger, faster, and more powerful. Then the season starts, and all that work maintaining their athletic foundation just... stops. They're practicing and competing, but nobody's managing their strength, power, or movement quality.

It's like spending months building a house and then neglecting all maintenance once you move in. Eventually, things start breaking down.

Understanding the Training Calendar

Off-Season: The Building Phase

The off-season is when real athletic development happens. This is the time to:

• Build maximal strength - Heavy lifting to increase force production capacity
• Address weaknesses - Fix movement issues and imbalances before they become injuries
• Develop power - Convert strength into explosive athletic performance
• Improve conditioning - Build the aerobic and anaerobic base that supports competition

During the off-season, athletes at REBUILT typically train 3-4 days per week. This frequency allows for significant adaptation and improvement. We're pushing hard because we have the recovery time to support it.

In-Season: The Maintenance and Expression Phase

When the season starts, the goal shifts. You're no longer building; you're maintaining the qualities you developed while allowing sport practice and competition to be the priority.

But here's the key: maintenance doesn't mean stopping.

Research is clear on this. Here's what happens based on training frequency during the season:

Most athletes and parents don't realize this. They think taking time off from training during the season gives their athlete more recovery. In reality, it's causing them to lose the very qualities that make them competitive.

Why Most Sports Don't Have Lifting Programs

Let's be honest about why this gap exists:

Limited resources. Most high school programs are stretched thin. Coaches are managing large rosters, planning practices, and dealing with logistics. Adding structured strength training requires equipment, supervision, and expertise that many programs simply don't have.

Liability concerns. Schools are cautious about injuries in the weight room. Without proper supervision and programming, that concern is valid.

Time constraints. Between practice, games, travel, and academics, there's only so much time in the day. Something has to give, and strength training is usually what gets cut.

Lack of expertise. Designing effective in-season training requires understanding the demands of the sport, the athlete's current fatigue levels, and how to balance performance with recovery. It's not as simple as having athletes lift weights a few times per week.

These are all legitimate challenges. But they don't change the fact that athletes who train year-round perform better and stay healthier than those who don't.

How REBUILT Fills This Gap

This is exactly why REBUILT Performance exists. We provide the structured, professional strength and conditioning that athletes need throughout the entire year.

Our Off-Season Approach

During the off-season, we're aggressive with development. Athletes train 3-4 days per week with a focus on:

• Building absolute strength through progressive overload
• Developing explosive power with Olympic lifts and plyometrics
• Improving speed and agility through technical drills
• Enhancing work capacity and conditioning
• Addressing individual limiters identified through assessment

This is when we make the biggest jumps. Athletes add significant weight to their lifts. Sprint times drop. Vertical jumps increase. The foundation for in-season success gets built during these months.

Our In-Season Strategy

When the season starts, we adjust. Athletes typically drop to 2-3 days per week, and the focus shifts:

• Lower volume, maintained intensity - Fewer total sets and reps, but we keep weights heavy enough to maintain strength
• Emphasis on power and speed - We prioritize the qualities that directly impact game performance
• Strategic timing - Sessions are scheduled around practice and competition to optimize recovery
• Injury prevention focus - Extra attention to movement quality and areas that take a beating in their sport

The result? Athletes maintain or even improve their physical qualities during the season. They're not grinding themselves down; they're staying sharp.

The Year-Round Development Advantage

Here's what happens when athletes train with us throughout the year versus only in the off-season:

Continuous improvement. Athletic development isn't seasonal. The athletes making the biggest long-term gains are the ones who train consistently, year after year. That compound effect is massive over a high school career.

Injury resilience. Strength training is one of the most effective injury prevention strategies available. Athletes who maintain their strength and movement quality during the season simply get hurt less often.

Late-season performance. While other athletes are fading in the second half of the season, our athletes are still strong and fast. They're making plays in the fourth quarter and late in games when it matters most.

Faster off-season progress. When an athlete maintains their strength during the season, they start the next off-season from a higher baseline. They're not spending the first month rebuilding what they lost; they're immediately building on what they kept.

Common Concerns About In-Season Training

"Won't my athlete be too tired?"

This is the most common concern, and it's valid. But here's the thing: properly designed in-season training enhances performance; it doesn't hinder it.

We adjust volume, timing, and exercise selection based on what's happening in their sport. After a heavy game week, we pull back. During lighter weeks, we can push a bit more. It's not a one-size-fits-all program; it's customized to each athlete's situation.

"My athlete's coach doesn't want them lifting during the season."

I get it. Some coaches prefer athletes to focus solely on their sport during the season. Here's what I'd encourage: have a conversation.

Most coaches care deeply about their athletes' success. When they understand that in-season training is about maintaining performance, preventing injuries, and helping athletes stay at their best, they're often supportive. We're happy to communicate with coaches about what we're doing and why.

"We don't have time."

Two sessions per week, 45-60 minutes each. That's all it takes to maintain the strength and power your athlete worked so hard to build.

Compare that to the time lost from injury, or the performance decline that happens when athletes detrain during the season. The time investment is minimal compared to the benefit.

How to Structure Your Athlete's Training Year

Here's a practical framework for Lincoln-Way athletes:

Summer (June-August): 3-4 training sessions per week. This is peak development time. Focus on building strength, power, and speed.

Fall/Winter/Spring Season (varies by sport): 2-3 training sessions per week. Maintain physical qualities while sport takes priority.

Post-Season (1-2 weeks): Active recovery. Light movement, low intensity. Let the body heal from the season's demands.

Next Off-Season: Back to 3-4 sessions per week, building on the foundation that was maintained during the previous season.

Athletes who follow this pattern year after year? They're the ones earning college scholarships and dominating their positions by senior year.

The Bottom Line

Athletic development doesn't stop when the season starts. The athletes who understand this and maintain their training year-round are the ones who succeed at the highest levels.

Most sports programs can't provide the structured strength and conditioning athletes need during the season. That's not a criticism; it's just reality given the resources and constraints they face.

But that gap has real consequences. Athletes lose strength, slow down, and increase their injury risk. By the end of the season, they're a shadow of what they were when it started.

REBUILT Performance exists to fill that gap. We provide professional, data-driven training that adapts to your athlete's needs throughout the entire year. Contact us to learn how we can help your athlete train smarter and perform better, season after season.