Late Season Lifting Explained
A few years ago I asked my pregnant wife if it was safe for her to be exercising. She responded, “The rule is, if you exercised regularly before becoming pregnant then stay on your current program.†Late-season weight lifting has the same rules. This is not the time to be getting stronger, changing repetition ranges, or starting a new program; however, you need to continue your current weight lifting program.
Strong players are more confident, they are less injury prone, and they are more effective on the basketball court. It is mid-February and you want to be playing well into March. If you stop lifting now your athletes will lose muscle, decrease testosterone levels, and have less energy. Make sure to maintain your current program of lifting (whether it’s 1 time per week or 2-3 times per week). If you do not have a program in place then do not start one now. However, in future years, your squad will perform better late in the season if you maintain a weight program throughout the entire season.
Keep in mind: The goal right now is strength maintenance. Now is not the time to build your foundation. When the season is over, take 1-2 weeks off for recovery and then hit the ground running with an off-season lifting program.