So how does training for a sport differ from the training of your typical gym rat? In the most basic aspects of weight lifting, the answer is it really doesn’t. Athletes should be striving to get stronger everytime they enter the gym just like anyone else. The main differences come in the additional things they need to should do in order to make their training specific to their sport.
Before I dive into how certain programs should be different, it is critical to mention that the safety of the athlete should be first and foremost. No matter how strong an athlete gets, it won’t do them much good if they are injured and cannot participate. For this reason a good program should always include prehab exercises for overused joints/ligaments; shoulder stability exercises for swimmers for example. Certain movement should also be avoided for similar reasons. Like a full range barbell bench press because it forces their shoulder into a certain range of motion— Hammer bench press with dumbbells is a much better option for a pitcher.
Sport specific exercises should be included in a way that the athletes movements get more powerful and efficient. Form and knowledge is critical because alot of these exercises can have a negative impact if implemented improperly. Plyometrics or box jumps are extremely hard on the Central Nervous System for example. Every sport has a certain exercises that benefit certain athletes; rotational exercises for golfers/baseball players for example.
Speed and quickness should always be developed. While every athlete has a certain threshold of how quick/fast they can get, training will always help in some way. Training can make Slow to Average, Average to Fast, Fast to Very Fast, and Very Fast to Lightning. Getting stronger and doing this type of training go hand in hand.
Adjusting levels of training is also a very important aspect of creating a program that will work for the athlete and not against them. I already mentioned how an injured athlete is useless, well being tired/sore/overtrained is on the same sort of level. Having a trainer who understands performing well in the sport should always come before performing well in the gym is essential. A good trainer will know how/when to train in a way that won’t negatively effect practice or games. In fact, a good trainer will know how to taper in a way that the athlete should enter competition in peak physical shape.
-Eric
So how does training for a sport differ from the training of your typical gym rat? In the most basic aspects of weight lifting, the answer is it really doesn’t. Athletes should be striving to get stronger everytime they enter the gym just like anyone else. The main differences come in the additional things they need to should do in order to make their training specific to their sport.