5 Tips to Get the Most out of Your Summer Training

If you are reading this post, thank you!  I hope you also took the time to read the previous post about reflecting on the previous season.  As I suggested in that prior post, I believe it is important to reflect upon the past to be able to focus on the present.  You want to look back on what went well, what didn’t go well, what could have been done differently and did you live up to the standard you set for yourself at the beginning of the previous season.

As you prepare for the upcoming 2021-22 season we are beginning with a clean slate.  Hopefully you take some time for yourself to unwind and both physically and mentally recover from the prior season.  It isn’t imperative that you begin training for the 2021-22 season immediately after this season just came to a close.  It’s ok to give yourself a mental and physical break from training.

I shared some of this information in a recent podcast about summer training, but I think it’s worth mentioning again.  The time between the end of the spring semester and the start of the fall semester is extremely critical in setting up the upcoming season.  As a coach, it was easy to tell between the athletes that trained over the summer and those that took a few months off.  Like I previously mentioned, it is ok to take a week or two off to recharge your batteries and reflect upon the previous season.  Your body won’t become de-trained if you take 14 days off.  One thing I am certain of is this-you won’t achieve all your goals based on perfect summer programming, but you will make it 100% more difficult for yourself to achieve them during the academic year.  You see, by giving up your summer training you are essentially giving up almost 3 months of training that you won’t be able to make up during the academic year.  It could lead to an increased chance of injury, burnout, or both. 

Here are some tips on how you can better prepare yourself for summer training before returning back to campus in August:

1. Establish realistic expectations for your summer training.  Don’t say you will complete 10 training sessions a week when that isn’t a real possibility for you.  
   
2. If you have questions about your summer programming, do not be afraid to ask your coach for some guidance.  That’s what we are here for!
   
3. Train with your teammates.  If you aren’t able to train with your teammates, train with others that will hold you accountable to train.
   
4. Much like during the semester, establish a schedule and routine that works for you.  Much like #3, it’s much more difficult to skip out on a training session when other people are relying on you to be there at a specific time every Monday/Wednesday/Friday. 
   
5. Keep track of your training.  Buy a journal and write down what you did for that particular training session.  This is the ultimate accountability partner!