As summer camps, training programs, and off-season workouts come to an end, many young athletes shift their focus entirely to practices and games. While that transition is natural, one of the biggest mistakes athletes can make is stopping strength training altogether once their season begins.
Many parents and athletes view strength training as something reserved for the off-season. While it’s true that the off-season is often where the largest gains in strength and muscle are made, maintaining strength during the season is just as important for long-term athletic development and performance.
Think about it this way: if you were training for a marathon, you wouldn’t stop running right before race day. Or if you were building a house, you wouldn’t stop working after the foundation was poured. The same concept applies to athletic performance. The strength, power, and movement patterns developed during the off-season need to be maintained throughout the season.
The good news is that athletes do not need to spend hours in the gym multiple days per week to see benefits. In most cases, one to two strength training sessions per week is enough to maintain strength, power, mobility, and overall athletic performance.
In-season training should focus on quality rather than quantity. Fundamental movements such as squats, jumping and plyometric exercises, core work, and explosive movements help athletes stay strong while reducing the risk of injury. These exercises support healthy joints, improve movement efficiency, and help athletes continue performing at a high level throughout their season.
One area that often gets overlooked is power development. Strength is important, but athletes also need to be able to apply that strength quickly. This is where Olympic lifting movements and their variations can be extremely beneficial. Exercises such as cleans and other explosive movements teach athletes how to generate force rapidly and transfer that power into sport-specific actions like sprinting, jumping, changing direction, and throwing.
Take football as an example. Nearly every successful football strength and conditioning program includes some form of explosive training, whether it’s cleans, jump squats, or other power-focused exercises. Coaches understand that strength alone isn’t enough—athletes need power, speed, and the ability to produce force quickly.
The same principles apply across nearly every sport. Whether an athlete plays football, baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, basketball, or participates in track and field, maintaining strength and power during the season can improve performance and help reduce the likelihood of injuries.
Another concern many parents have is burnout. Understandably, athletes already have busy schedules filled with practices, games, schoolwork, and other commitments. However, a properly designed strength program should complement their sport, not compete with it. A well-structured in-season program focuses on maintaining progress while managing fatigue and recovery.
At Fisher Lifting, our goal is to help young athletes stay strong, healthy, and confident year-round. We believe strength training is one of the most valuable tools an athlete can use to improve performance and reduce injury risk. Whether your child is new to strength training or has years of experience, maintaining just one to two sessions per week during the season can make a significant difference.
The athletes who continue training during their season are often the ones who stay healthier, perform more consistently, and enter their next off-season with a strong foundation already in place.
If your young athlete is in season, don’t let all of their hard work from the summer disappear. Keep them moving, keep them lifting, and keep them building the strength and confidence that will help them succeed both on and off the field.
