Poor stress management may be causing athletes to lose out on strength and speed development. We believe there are 3 key factors that should be considered when assessing an athlete’s stress levels:

1. Geography

2. Data Collection

3. Windows of Opportunity

Before we dive in, we must understand the key concept of training these young men and women. Adaptation is the keystone of training and performance. Proper stress and recovery must be applied to the athlete to achieve a training/performance adaptation.

Geography

Our geographical region is unique because it has opportunities for highly competitive high school, middle school and travel sports, as well as extensive academic demands. Our climate also allows athletes to play sports year-round.

The body doesn’t differentiate between “different” types of stress. Academic, social, sports and training demands are all stressors of the CNS (Central Nervous System).

We are huge advocates for these athletes to also participate in year-round training programs. With all these stressors how do we expect athletes to make time for weight-room training? Data.

Data Collection

“You can’t manage what’s not measured” – Peter Drucker

Using data we have collected in our facility, we found athletes even with demands, are able to increase components of athleticism.

We use daily subjective and objective data to allow our coaches to design the best program for the athlete.

Subjective Data: Daily Training Questionnaires

Objective Data: Vertical Jump Testing

Daily training questionnaires provide information on the athlete’s sleep, soreness, energy levels, as well as identification of upcoming competitive performances (games and practice).

Vertical Jump directly correlates to the state of the athlete’s CNS (Central Nervous System). This is simply the body’s ability to coordinate and produce power. We use the Just Jump Mat System.

Windows of Opportunity

Collecting data is not enough, it’s the decisions that are made with the information that drive our training process.

Utilizing both sets of data, our coaches can determine what qualities can optimally be trained on any given day. Speed, power, strength and aerobic conditioning are the common quality needs of our athletes.

Here are two athlete examples of how we make decisions using data:

Athlete A: Optimal Baseline Vertical Jump

Performs full training session

Athlete B: Decreases Vertical Jump

Option 1: Reduces volume (cuts load 50%)

Option 2: Completes a modified low impact aerobic recovery circuit followed by light stretch and mobility work

Conclusion

Knowing the information our athletes provide and making daily program decisions are critical for providing a safe and individualized environment. Great coaches are fully aware of athlete needs and use science and data to drive the training process. We set the standard higher for our coaches because we believe in a better future for high school and middle youth. Our athletes deserve to be trained at the highest and safest level.

3 Things You Should Know About Athlete Stress Management