Lacrosse is regarded by many as the fastest game on two legs. Rapidly growing and becoming a staple in many colleges and universities’ athletic programs, lacrosse has inspired conversation among athletic trainers, athletes, and coaches from various sports. They’re asking -- how do lacrosse coaches keep their athletes performing at such high caliber? At TimTam, we believe that recovery is key to keeping athletes performing at the top of their game -- and the coaches of top lacrosse programs agree. But what other tips are they suggesting for athletes looking to taking their game to the next level? From specialized training to the Power Massager - the TimTam Massager to maximize recovery - we’re here to break it down for you.
Effective Training to See Results on the Field
Focusing on Fitness Basics to Maximize Performance
As a sport that requires an indisputably high level of athletic ability, training cannot be limited to stick drills, full body weight training, and scrimmages. Lacrosse requires a holistic level of athleticism: the type of athleticism that channels every part of the body and forces it to perform properly. This, of course, is no easy task for a coach with only a limited amount of time and resources for training their athletes. Many coaches believe that paying extra attention to these three key attributes can help their lacrosse players perform better:
- Endurance: Athletes need to be able to build up the endurance that allows their body to properly oxygenate in the fast-paced game of lacrosse. That’s why coaches - notably in the preseason - place such a heavy focus on building up players’ endurance. To build endurance, top coaches focus on High-Intensity Interval Training like timed sprints and staircases.
- Agility: Not only do athletes need strength to perform well and prevent injury, but they need to engage in agility drills to make sure their motions are swift and precise. Taking the time to focus on proper technique in these agility drills is key in preventing ACL tears and other serious injuries.
- Speed: As a sport that never stops, lacrosse players need to make the most of every second on the clock. Top lacrosse coaches make sure speed training is emphasized through running with resistance bands or through the use of sprinting workouts.
Pregame Energy Starters to Prepare Lacrosse Players
Tips for Boosting Performance & Outlasting Competition
When game time rolls around, the top lacrosse coaches in the game know that they need to instill discipline in their athletes. This discipline - coming in the form of diet, hydration, and solid warmups - can easily separate the leaders from the followers, the great from the good, and the athletes from the players. Here’s what top lacrosse coaches are suggesting:
- Diet: A key determinant of the level of dedication an athlete has to the game is how they treat their bodies off the field. Athletes who eat proper diets that include lean proteins, whole grains, and light pre-game fuel like bananas and energy bars are able to exert the energy needed to lay it all on the field, and coaches are sure to notice.
- Hydration: Helpful in muscle growth and overall wellness, athletes that focus on hydration are sure to perform better on the field. Coaches recognize dedication from athletes who toss aside sugary drinks and give everything they can into the game.
- Warmup: The best coaches know that warmups are all about balance. Drawing the line between getting players warm, hyped up, and their muscles warm can easily be over or under done. Using dynamic warmups is key to finding this intricate balance.
Encourage Healthy Recovery with the TimTam Massager
Allowing Athletes to Access Recovery Tools Can Make or Break their Next-Day Performance
Players and coaches alike know that big things always happen off the field before they happen on the field. That’s why focusing on recovery is key for every athlete in the game. Utilizing recovery tools from TimTam - massagers, floss bands, and more - is key for athletes looking to continue to push themselves day in and day out. Some of our most trusted recovery tactics come from:
- The TimTam Massager: An at-home recovery tool like no other, the TimTam Power Massager is the unbelievably strong personal massager that has helped hundreds of athletes take their training and recovery to the next level. Delivering 2500 percussive motions to targeted muscle area per minute, the TimTam massager can help relax sore and aching muscles, allowing lacrosse players to be stronger and ready to play the very next day.
- Compression: Because agility is so vital to a lacrosse players performance, it’s important to care for fascia just as much as you care for achy muscles. Focus on myofascial release with proper compression tools like compression pants or TimTam Floss bands, both of which compress the fascia and allow for proper recovery to optimize striking, flexibility, and agility after a tough workout.
Being a dedicated athlete means doing anything you can to take your game to the next level. The best lacrosse coaches know how to help their athletes reach this level, and athletes are following the leadership of these coaches by focusing on their diets, recovery, and training. If you’re looking to take your recovery to the next level, check out the TimTam Massager and their full line of modern recovery tools designed to help you outperform.