3 min
As high school spring seasons begin across the country, we want to address something we see every year.
Athletes pause training once games start.
We understand the instinct. Practices increase. Games stack up. Schedules feel overwhelming. But this is not the time to stop training.
This message is primarily for athletes entering high school season. That said, these principles apply to middle school athletes, athletes in non-traditional calendars, and anyone moving in and out of competitive windows throughout the year.
The short version: stopping completely is rarely the best option.
Our programs are structured and program-based. That means they adapt around competition. They are not designed to compete with it.
When you enter your season, we:
• Account for game and practice volume
• Adjust intensity and recovery strategies
• Modify traditional Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3 rotations when weekly schedules change
• Monitor total workload including throwing, hitting, lifting, sprinting
• Help integrate certain pieces into practice when needed
In-season training is not about doing more.
It is about maintaining adaptations, managing fatigue, and protecting performance.
When athletes stop training entirely during the season, we commonly see:
• Loss of strength and power adaptations
• Decreased movement efficiency
• Increased fatigue accumulation
• Higher injury risk late in the season
High school competition matters. But you do not want to finish your season run down, regressed physically, or injured.
For many athletes, travel ball follows immediately after high school season. The transition window is short. It is not long enough to rebuild what was lost.
If you stop now, you often start summer behind.
In-season work preserves what you have built so you can perform now and stay prepared for what is next.
If you feel like you cannot fit everything in, do not disappear.
Talk to your coach.
If there truly is no workaround, we can:
• Modify frequency
• Shift temporarily to strength and conditioning only
• Adjust program structure
• Maintain the minimum effective dose to prevent regression
But stopping entirely without a plan is rarely the best option.
If you have not had a recent assessment, this is actually an excellent time to benchmark where you are entering the season.
An assessment provides:
• A clear physical baseline
• Objective data to guide in-season decisions
• A way to monitor changes across the season
• Direction on what to prioritize and what to maintain
Even if you are not on a Pro package, there is a member rate for assessments. Email us to book at info@ogxsoftball.com.
Many athletes assume in-season training means adding more work on top of an already full schedule. That is not the case.
In-season softball training shifts the goal from building new capacity to preserving what you have built. Strength, power, rotational speed, and movement efficiency do not maintain themselves without stimulus.
During season, we prioritize:
• Lower overall volume with maintained intensity
• Strategic strength exposure to preserve power
• Rotational work to support hitting and throwing demands
• Recovery strategies that support competition
• Monitoring signs of fatigue and workload spikes
This approach helps athletes maintain strength during season without feeling overtrained. It also supports long-term development across the year instead of creating peaks and crashes between seasons.
High school softball training should complement competition. It should not disappear because of it.
We have discussed in-season training, workload management, and performance maintenance across multiple podcast episodes:
• Navigating Preseason to In-Season Training in Softball
https://youtu.be/tjzHYiDFPkA
• In Season Monitoring Strategies Every Softball Coach Should Use
https://youtu.be/wYmkmI8QzPs
• The Stoplight System: Smarter In-Season Training for Athletes
https://youtu.be/lWzd8GgS-0o
• The Science of Workload Management: Keeping Athletes Healthy In Season
https://youtu.be/86qFSwOzZwE
• Navigating In-Season Training for Softball Athletes
https://youtu.be/MS70EfesXD4
• Training Rotational Power | Efficient In-Season Workouts | Jamnes Cameron Debunks the “Grind”
https://youtu.be/Jzb5tL8H2vE
If you are unsure how to adjust your program for your schedule, reach out. We would much rather help you navigate this intelligently than see you pause progress at a critical time.
Chat with a coach to discover how our programs can fit into your lifestyle and help you achieve your goals. Let’s get you started on your fitness journey today!
