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Stay Fit in the Off-Season

Now that golf, tennis and baseball seasons are ending, it’s time to sit back and relax until the pre-season, right? Not so fast! To be in shape next year, you’ll need some off-season activity.

“You increase your risk for injury when you don’t train in the off-season, but training doesn’t have to be intense,” says Kelly Finken, physical therapist at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network’s Health Center at Hellertown. “The off-season is the time to bring variation and fun into your workouts.”

Those workouts will get more specific and vigorous in the pre-season, the month before the season begins. During theseveral months of the off-season, your goal is to stay in good general condition. “When the season ends, take some time off to give your body a break from the intensity of competition,” Finken says. “Then vary your fitness routine by concentrating less on sport-specific technique and more on generalized conditioning. Try something new like enrolling in a clinic or cross-training with biking, swimming or running. Change your program regularly to keep challenging your body.”

“Be careful not to overtrain in the off-season,” says Patrick Rooney, strength and conditioning specialist at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “Work out with weights every other day for about an hour, and never exercise more than six days in a row. If you’re sluggish, can’t eat or lose a lot of weight, it’s time to rest.”

The Three Parts of Fitness

How to condition in the off-season? Exercise trainers say a well-rounded program involves flexibility, aerobics and strength training.

Stretching/flexibility exercises

Do a light 5- to 10-minute warmup of brisk walking or aerobics to loosen your muscles.
Next, stretch your arms, legs, shoulders and torso.
Repeat each stretch twice, holding it for 15 to 30 seconds without bouncing.
Cool down after your entire workout with a light 5-minute walk or jog.

Aerobic conditioning

Get your heart rate up. Take your pulse (wrist) for 10 seconds and multiply by 6 to measure your heart rate: the target is 220 minus your age.
Walk, jog or do some other form of aerobic activity for 30 minutes, four days a week.

Strength training

Lift weights to strengthen the muscles of your legs, chest, back and shoulders.
Do crunches, dips, sit-ups and pull-ups.
Do three sets of eight to 12 repetitions.

Tennis

Baseline sprints build powerful legs and boost endurance. Start at the baseline and sprint to the net. Sprint back to the baseline and rest for 30-60 seconds.

Triangles enhance the sharp turns needed to chase the ball. Start at the baseline, sprint to the pole and side-step across the front of the net. Sprint back. Do three sets.

Golf

Lugging that bag and playing long rounds require hours of energy. “You don’t have to jog three miles, but you should go for light walks or bike rides,” Rooney says. “You want a strong swing after the fifth hole.”

About 70 percent of golf injuries occur to the back. “Build strength in your hips and torso with lunges, squats and sit-ups,” Finken says. “Your core muscles should be strong to support your swing and protect your back.”

Baseball

Running base-to-base sprints will help make you faster. Start at home, sprint to first base, then jog straight home. Next, sprint to first and second, then jog home. Repeat around the bases twice. Rest 30 seconds between sets.

And take care of your shoulders—they’re most injury-prone if you’re out of shape. “Strengthen the muscles around your shoulders with arm raises and rotation exercises,” Finken says, “and practice your swing at a batting cage.”

This page last updated 2/12/08 04:08 PM