Lacrosse Off-season Training

Sometimes it’s hard to know when off-season is actually here. The spring season rolls into the summer tournaments to fall ball, indoor tournaments, back to the spring season.

When does it end!

Although I don’t recommend it, some people are year-round lacrosse players. If that’s the case, when do you recover, recuperate, rehabilitate, and improve your physical abilities for the next season? Looking at the calendar, this might be the best time to take off and take part in a strong off-season training program. This program should focus on improving your total body strength, improving flexibility, and rehabing whatever injuries you may have incurred. This is the time to make significant changes to your body.

Recovery methods can include massage, contrast baths/showers, foam rolling. Find a good sports massage therapist in your area and get a massage once a week. Contrast baths/showers consist of changing water temperature at a timed rate. Start off with cold water for 2 minutes and change to hot for 3 minutes. Switch back and forth for 15 minutes, then end with cold. Foam rolling can be done multiple times a day. This will help break up and adhesions in the muscle tissue and increase blood flow. I wrote an article on foam rolling for Lax Speed, a magazine put out by Rashad Devoe at www.devoehp.com. Check it out.

Next time we’ll look at the rehabilitation of some common injuries.