Why In-Season Training is Critical for Athletic Development

Trevor Jones
Jul 7
2 min read

By Trevor Jones MS, CSCS

Many athletes train hard in the off-season, only to stop once the season starts. That’s a recipe for disaster.

Yes, I understand—schedules get busy with more games, practices, and schoolwork. But your training should never be the thing that gets pushed aside. In this blog, I’m going to break down why training during the season is non-negotiable for athletes who want to perform at their best.

1. Performance Is Built Over Time

Athletic development doesn’t happen in short bursts. You can’t train hard for just three months and expect to become a better athlete. Consistency year-round is what drives real progress.

Some believe that training in the off-season alone is enough. It’s not. Especially in your early years, training lays the physical and mental foundation you’ll build on for the rest of your career. Skip this window, and you’ll fall behind your peers who kept grinding.

2. In-Season Training Helps Prevent Injuries

Here’s the truth: weak athletes get injured more often. That’s not an opinion—it’s backed by science.

Stronger, better-conditioned athletes are more resilient and more likely to stay on the field. If your body isn’t prepared for the demands of constant play, practices, and travel, injuries become far more likely. Sudden increases in workload without training support is a major cause of avoidable injuries.

Staying strong and mobile through the season helps prevent those nagging aches and serious setbacks.

3. Keep the Gains You Made in the Off-Season

You worked hard in the off-season to get stronger, faster, and more explosive. If you stop training completely during the season, those gains will fade—quickly.

Studies show you only need 1–2 training sessions per week to maintain max strength and speed throughout the season. It doesn’t take much, but it does take consistency.

Speed and power begin to decline after just 1–2 weeks without training, and max strength starts to drop after about a month. We make time for what we prioritize—if training isn’t one of them, don’t be surprised when your on-field performance starts to dip.

4. The Best Athletes Train Year-Round

Want to play at the next level? Then you need to train like the athletes who are already there.

College and professional athletes train during the season. They don’t take six months off. They know that strength, speed, and durability matter year-round.

If your goal is to play in college or beyond, the habit of in-season training needs to start now. Like I said in my last blog—college coaches expect you to show up ready. You won’t have time to “get in shape” once you get there. If you're taking half the year off from training, you will get left behind.