Recovery is an important process to implement in training programs for athletes at all levels in order to prevent injury, reduce fatigue, and enhance athletic performance. Immediately after a practice or competition, athletes should actively cool-down and recover using certain methods. All recovery techniques are valuable for athletes at any level, however there are some unique methods that should be emphasized at the professional level.

Playing goalie in water polo is all about reactive speed and quickness. Defending the goal requires a solid foundation so athletes are ready to block the ball, regain balance to react to multiple shots on cage, and be in good position to make an accurate outlet pass. Dryland training is crucial to not only setting a good leg base to stay high in the water the entire game, but also for balance, flexibility, and injury prevention. Check out this article about building a dominant water polo dryland program.

Preseason strength and conditioning programs prepare athletes for their grueling upcoming season. In particular, building a strength foundation is important for improving skills, preventing future injury, and quickly enhancing overall fitness. In the offseason, athletes are resting to mentally and physically recharge for another year of competition. Although preseason strength and conditioning is challenging, it helps athletes transition into high-intensity training and keep them strong throughout their competition season.

Strength training, stability, flexibility, and mobility are inextricably intertwined; an athlete cannot excel at one without the other. Greater stability, flexibility, and mobility ensure that athletes maintain proper exercise techniques and reach their full range of motion in order for target muscles to fire and strength to improve.

Every day we hear championship stories about how BridgeAthletic's strength training software is helping coaches and athletes achieve their goals and overcome obstacles. By making coaches more efficient, the department more connected, and athletes' development more accessible, the BridgeAthletic strength training software takes athletic programs to the next level. These stories motivate us to build better athletes in all sports around the world. Featured in this #BridgeBuilt Series is James Krumpos, the University of Arizona’s Assistant Athletic Director for Performance Enhancement, who talks about how his team of performance coaches use BridgeAthletic’s platform to enhance their program.

There are many different elements strength coaches must consider when designing a strength program for their athletes. Whether players are just beginning to build strength or are well-developed professionals, the most effective strength and conditioning programs implement training cycles and progressions.

BridgeAthletic's strength and conditioning software leverages the power of technology to revolutionize the way coaches create, deliver, and track athlete training and progress. The integrated platform serves as a central hub for a team’s training and communication needs. In addition, the digital platform allows coaches to improve training personalization, exchange information related to performance and readiness, and track physical achievements. By combining technology with performance, coaches are better able to understand individual needs, limits, goals, and the capacity of athletes. Ultimately, leveraging strength and conditioning software revolutionizes athletic training and optimizes game day performance.

Elite athletes incorporate Olympic lifts and lift variations such as power cleans, hang cleans, and power snatches into their strength training because these exercises boost athletic performance. This style of lifting offers many benefits for a variety of athletic endeavors—ranging from tackles in football to dives in swimming. When executed correctly, Olympic-style lifting is an opportunity for athletes to increase strength, speed, and power. Learn how Olympic lifts can maximize training programs and athletic performance.

As a coach, you understand the importance of strength training for your athletes. However, designing strength programs can be difficult, especially when faced with numerous teams with dozens of athletes each. We work with some of the best teams in the nation to create customized, sport-specific training plans for peak performance. Here are 5 key components that elite strength programs should have: periodization, progressions, sport customization, individualization, and tracking.