High school athletes know summer means camps and prepping for the next season. Athletes attend camps to stay in shape, show they are ready to be moved up to the next level, or allow the new freshman students to come in hoping to make a team. But overtraining and staying in shape are common things young athletes struggle with, especially when training in the summer. If you’re a student athlete in Austin, Texas, looking to stay in peak condition, here are some valuable tips to help you stay in shape this summer:
Mobility routines
- Before any workout, it is advised that an athlete participate in warm-ups that include proper stretching before and after exercise. This helps the muscles and joints prepare for activity and reduces the risk of injuries.
- With a proper warm-up, it is also extremely important for athletes to add a cool-down to their training. Cool-downs can help the body regulate itself, especially after a vigorous workout, and bring it back to a resting state. Without a cool-down, the body can slowly start to break down, causing injuries.
Summer strength training
- It’s super beneficial to get acclimated to the heat if you are not used to it, especially during Austin’s hot summer months. This can mean being outside for a long period of time, drinking lots of water, and taking breaks in a cool, shaded area. This also applies to indoor sports. Take breaks, drink plenty of water, and go slow during a new exercise to avoid injury.
- Prioritize strength training over speed training while focusing on developing core, lower body, and upper body strength. This can be done 3 to 5 times a week.
- Add in flexibility training such as stretching before and after a workout. This can also be done as the main workout, such as yoga, to prevent soreness.
- If a sport involves a lot of running, athletes can incorporate speed training into their workouts. This helps improve speed through intervals of fast sprints, mild jogs, and slow jogs with a lot of explosiveness.
- When training, avoid jumping straight into a high-intensity workout too quickly. This can lead to overuse injuries. It’s best to start small and gradually increase the intensity.
Diet
- A lot of us go on vacation in the summer and want to eat alllll the food (of course). While indulging a bit won’t hurt, eating the right foods is extremely important to stay in shape and enhance your training.
- Whether you’re at home in Austin or on vacation, it can sometimes be hard to eat healthy in the summer. Eating a balanced diet like whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and lean protein is a key factor in staying in shape, especially for growing high school athletes.
- And don’t forget, PLENTY of water before, during, and after training!
Common overuse injuries
- While you’re still developing and possibly playing multiple sports (which is good), it can cause overuse injuries. These can occur at any time, but it would be especially bad when a big game is coming up. To prevent overuse injuries, it is important to listen to your body and rest. The maximum rest that is advised would be two days a week to let your body and muscles recover.
- Getting sufficient sleep is also beneficial when constantly exercising, giving the body time to rest and recover. Aiming for at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep can help prevent these overuse injuries.
- Common overuse injuries athletes tend to get include sprains, strains, and heat-related illnesses. Additionally, more long-term overuse injuries such as tendinitis and stress fractures can occur.
Why is summer the best time to fix nagging pain or get ahead of injury prevention?
- Summer offers opportunities to diversify activities such as swimming or biking, which can help prevent overuse injuries. It’s also a great time to prioritize rest and recovery after a busy and intense season.
- It gives you time to recover and address pain and injuries. Most injuries take several weeks to months to heal. If you are able to address and heal those injuries, you can be back in time for that last month of camp or just in time for tryouts.
- Summer can also be a good time to prepare for the upcoming season, identify and correct what you may be doing wrong during training, and improve your performance.
Why is it important for athletes to get screens or performance work?
- It’s very important for athletes to get screens or performance work because it helps them understand the other side of sports and the body. The athlete can see what they struggle with and what they need to improve, not just in sports, but in specific areas such as speed, flexibility, or strength.
- By having this information from training with a professional, you are already many steps ahead of other athletes who don’t have this insight. At Reyes Performance Institute in Austin, we specialize in helping high school and college athletes reach their full potential through personalized screenings and sports performance training.
Conclusion
Summer offers the potential for a more complete approach to physical well-being, allowing for a better balance of activity, recovery, and proactive injury prevention. This time allows you to step back, listen to your body, and better understand common summer sport injuries.
If you are a high school athlete in the Austin area looking for help with summer training or want to address nagging pain and injuries, Reyes Performance Institute is here to help. Our Board-Certified Sports Specialist Physical Therapist and expert Performance Coaches are ready to help you optimize your performance and return to sport stronger.
Contact us to schedule a consult or sports performance screen today!
Written by Emma Velasquez