4 Ways to Stay in Shape During the Off-Season

Staying in shape during the off-season for athletes is extremely crucial for your success and achieving your in-season goals. Some athletes have the benefit of going from one season to another, but about 40% of athletes do not do that. Not only does it improve performance but also strength and mobility, which will come to your benefit because it can save you from injuries like overuse or muscle strain. Here are four tips that will help you to stay in shape and take advantage of time between sports seasons.

Be active every single day
Small activities such as going on a run or walk, following workouts from YouTube, cleaning the house, or playing Just Dance are all great ways to get some movement. You want to do something to burn a few extra calories and get your blood pumping.

This step does not have to be an awfully hard task, but it should vary depending on the workout schedule you have chosen. Muscle gaining workouts are good for sports that require a lot of strength, and cardio workouts will be best for sports that require stamina and endurance.

Eat the right foods and find balance
Fueling your body with the correct foods and the correct portion sizes is important for preventing weight gain during the off season. While in season, you can burn up to 2,500 calories per day, depending on your intensity level. During the off-season, the amount of calories you will burn tends to be much lower.

Finding balance between healthy foods that are lower in calorie count and foods that may not be so good for you is a healthy way to establish a good relationship with food during this period. You don’t necessarily have to restrict yourself, you just have to find the balance that works for you and your activity level every day.

Stay motivated and focus on your goals
It can be easy to get off track and lose sight of the goals you set, so having some form of planning will help you to stay on track. Get a planner or journal where you can keep easy workouts or healthy recipes  while also using it to keep track of your workouts each day. You can also write daily affirmations that keep your head up and remind you of your goals. Consider finding different ways to motivate yourself, and keep it fun. Your mindset should always be that you want to do this to become a better athlete, not having anyone force this on you.

Build yourself up
Something a famous athlete once said is that there is always someone working when you are not. During the off-season, you can take the time to strength train and build muscles that you will need in-season. This is also when you need to build your mental toughness along with your dedication and realize that how you use this time is a YOU decision. The time you spend now will help you achieve those goals you have set for the upcoming season, something that may never be achieved by just in-season training.