Evolution Physical Therapy- Evolution Physical Therapy
Lower Quarter Injury Prevention and Sports Performance for the In-Season Basketball Player
by Sam Kushner, PT, DPT
Let's get right into understanding 3 key differences between off-season training vs. in-season training.
Training Frequency
Off-season: 3-6x/week
In-season: 2x/week (or 3 if less experienced with resistance training)
to provide complemental mechanical stress to tissues while not overloading then in congruence with sport-specific training (practices, games, etc.).
Lower frequency is also more realistic for consistency purposes as well. Consistency is key in any training program in order to see results!
Training Focus
Off-season: long duration, high volume, high intensity
In other words, long training sessions, with a large variety of exercise variations at high weight/effort
In-season: short duration, lower volume, still high intensity
In other words, continuing relatively heavy weight/high effort to maintain off-season gains, but fewer exercise variations performed throughout a shorter training session.
These parameters will allow for more consistency, while avoiding excessive soreness or fatigue during practices and games that may affect sport performance.
Type of Exercise
Off-season: a large exercise menu with more of an emphasis on building muscle size, strength, power and overall conditioning.
In-season: similarly to concepts from above, we want to combine a small group of exercise variations that promote injury prevention and performance optimization.
Ideally, we want our exercise selection to be specific to sport demands, positional demands, and individualization to the athlete.
Exercise Examples
The exercises below are a great place to start to enhance basketball-specific performance and injury prevention!
3-Way Jab
Lateral Lunge w/ Forward Press
Broad Jump Squat Jump w/ Stick
Lateral Bound w/ Stick
If you’re already experiencing lower quarter (hip, knee, ankle) pain at this time, please refrain from performing these exercises and give us a call to set up a formal evaluation with a licensed physical therapist!