Top tips for maintaining athlete strength during a peak season push
Having a great off season is what sets a solid foundation of strength development, movement quality, and tissue resilience to endure a full season. During a peak season push the goal shifts from focusing on adaptation to finding the balance between maintaining strength/power and managing fatigue. Here are some of the things I focus on for maintaining strength. - Training with moderate to high intensities – Main lifts are performed with moderate to submaximal loads of 70-85% while keeping volume low. The goal is to drive intent, preserve strength and power while avoiding neuromuscular fatigue. - High vs. low minute athletes – High minute players require maintenance and recovery. Due to the density of the NBA schedule, training frequency can be limited 1 to 3 lifts per week. This is where micro-dosing can be effective in season. Having short 10 – 15 minute sessions spread throughout the week ensures consistent loading, fatigue management, and compliance. Depending on the schedule or the athlete’s fatigue level, sessions may focus on either heavy strength lifts, speed/power, or mobility/injury prevention. On the other hand, low minute players require more frequency, intensity, and volume. We typically shoot for 3 – 4 lifts per week. The focus is to continue to build and maintain the physical qualities gained through the offseason. - Maintaining tissue health – Different methods can be used to maintain tissue health and resilience. Heavy yielding isometrics can be used to elicit healthy tissue adaptation. If athletes tend to feel sore due to the stress on field/court, yielding isometrics with light to moderate load for long durations can also be beneficial to help manage pain/soreness. Yielding Isometrics is a good method for tissue adaptation, pain management, while minimizing muscle soreness. Utilizing machine-based exercises for accessories is another way to promote healthy tissue surrounding the joints. These exercises are less taxing on the nervous system and serve as a safe alternate in providing load to the athlete. - Managing Recovery - Continue to stress the importance of sleep, nutrition, and hydration as the primary tools for recovery. Utilizing passive modalities and active recovery methods can be just as beneficial. Our active recovery sessions consisted of yoga, light pool workouts and team mobility sessions to maintain movement quality and readiness. Throughout the season the athletes go through a continuous cycle of feeling fresh and fatigue from the demands of the sport. It's important to understand when to implement stress and when to pull back. The peak season is where athlete availability takes priority. Balancing all aspects of performance, recovery, and injury prevention is key. What we do in the weight room should supplement readiness and resilience rather than accumulating fatigue. Elbert Denina - Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach - Dallas Mavericks
