How to Stay Strong During a Sports Break

Many of today’s young hockey athletes, even the young ones, are super serious about their sports. They play and practice as hard as they possibly can during the on-season and then continue their training throughout the rest of the year.   

However, there will come a time in every athlete- even the most dedicated athlete’s- life when he won’t be able to practice and/or play for a period of time. Whether an athlete is recovering from an injury or just on vacation, not playing and practicing can be rough, and, if the athlete isn’t careful, it can easily lead to a loss of strength and ability, which is every athlete’s worst fear!

Fortunately, however, there are things athletes can do to stay strong when they’re taking a break and to make sure they don’t lose what they’ve worked so hard for!

Eat Right (for the Most Part)

Athletes who are “on a break” are still encouraged to try and eat relatively healthily. It’s important for them to remember that, if they’re not training, they’re not burning the same amount of calories, so this definitely isn’t a good time to overeat!

None of this is to say, of course, that athletes can’t enjoy the occasional splurge or treat, just like anybody, but they should try to make somewhat healthy choices most of the time, and, no matter what, they’ll want to make sure they are getting enough protein.

Without adequate protein, the muscles can start to break down, which can actually inhibit strength and make those gym sessions harder once an athlete resumes his routine.

Continue Taking Supplements

Another piece of advice for athletes on a break is to continue taking their healthy, doctor approved supplements. Many athletes make the mistake of stopping supplementation because they’re not training and don’t think it’s necessary.

However, getting out of the supplementation routine can reduce some of the good effects the supplements have had on the body thus far and make it harder to get back into a routine. For best results, athlete should resume their normal supplementation routines even when they’re not following their normal diet and/or training schedule.

Remember, Breaks are Okay!

Finally, it’s important for athletes to remember that breaks from all that training and practicing can actually be a good thing. While it’s hard for many athletes to “let go” for a little while, sometimes it’s necessary.