Lacrosse Training Ideas To Enhance Every Aspect Of Athletic Ability

Lacrosse Strength Training

You're pretty much gonna need it all here, as lacrosse is likely the most athletic sport there is. Lean muscle, strength and power in all 3 planes of motion are keys to excelling in this sport.

Gaining muscle is necessary for optimal performance, but it must not come at the expense of speed. Careful consideration to all training and nutrition variables must be given to ensure that you are not getting slower while gaining size. And that size will help you to take on and initiate contact with greater force, a key element for success.

Power training helps with the speed side, too, but an extra emphasis must be placed on explosive rotational drills to help with passing and shot power. You should use Olympic Lifting, plyometrics, and medicine ball exercises to make gains here.

3-Dimensional core stablity is also useful. It will help to improve shot power, speed, agility, and can even help improve your endurance.

Hand-eye coordination and vision drills are also recommended additions to your workout plan, particularly for those who have trouble shooting and passing accurately on a regular basis.

Lacrosse Speed Training

With a large field to cover, and plenty of reactive events that occur in games, your speed training should be diverse and intense.

Sprint and acceleration training is critical to helping you cover long distances as quickly as possible. Once your technique becomes excellent, you should consider carrrying your stick while sprinting just as you would in games and practices. This will alter your movement patterns, but with a great fundamental base you will find the most efficient way to run with the stick in your hands.

Cutting and reactive quickness are also essential elements for lacrosse. Exercises should progress from programmed cutting patterns to reactive offense vs. defense competitive events once your basic agility skills become efficient and automatic. This may take years, so be careful no to rush your agility work to a high level too quickly.

A sound lacrosse conditioning plan will blend aerobic capabilities with speed endurance. By running your endurance program in phases, you can build up an aerobic base before taking on the highly intense lactate threshold training necessary to continue to play fast late in games.

Injury Prevention for Lacrosse

Despite being the safest of the three collision sports (football and ice hockey being the other two), many common problems still exist. Fortunately, most of these injuries can be minimized with a good workout plan.

The greatest percentage of lacrosse injuries are sprains to the ankle and knee (ACL/MCL). Knee sprain and ligament tear rates are even higher among females. For those not caused by contact, your injury potential can be lessened through hip training that focuses on mobility and strengthening.

Pulled muscles in the legs are also seen regularly, particularly to the hamstrings, quads, groin and calf. Balanced levels of strength and flexibliity between the muscles in the legs can lower your risk.

Upper leg contusions are the results of direct impact, and the lack of thigh padding. Other than building muscle mass to protect the bones, not much else can be done to protect you here.

Tendonitis in the IT band and patella (knee cap) tendon results from overuse. A careful regulation of training volume both in sport and with your workouts will prevent these. And common sense is key - when pain starts to mount from tendonitis the only known cure is rest. Listen to your body, and you'll be fine in the long run.

Upper body injuries in lacrosse are almost exclusively the result of direct impacts. Strong, stable shoulders and a powerful core are your best defenses against them.

Youth Lacrosse Training Considerations

The best thing a young lax player can do is develop their hand-eye coordination to the highest degree. Sprinkled into some practice drills and any training they may undertake, simple challenges with catching and throwing are highly recommended before age 14. You can add a balance component to the drills to make them even more beneficial.

On top of that, youth lacrosse training should take a wide-ranging approach to athletic development, using bodyweight strength training and lots of movement (SAQ) skill work regularly. Just about every athletic skill comes into play for lacrosse, and complete development is critical.

Any safe, age-appropriate physical activity for younger players is going to benefit them in some way. Staying active is very important for their long-term success.

Lacrosse Position-Specific Concerns

Goalie - Like goalies in other sports, less sprint work is needed but a greater emphasis on reactive quickness and hand-eye coordination is a must. Some of your conditioning time can be devoted to quickness development, which would make a greater impact for you on the field.

Attack - Offensive positions in lacrosse likely need a little less stamina compared to midfielders, but they must have great acceleration skills and plenty of agility. They also need exceptional stick skills, so a focus on hand-eye coordination (sports vision drills are a good choice) during workouts would help.

Midfielders - These positions demand that you be in outstanding shape, as you must cover the most ground out on the field. This means heavy doses of speed, agility and quickness drills, plus some extra conditioning as the season draws near.

Defense - You must have quick reactions to be a good defender, which can be improved with training and proper practice. In addition, developing a great first step in all directions can help you cover more ground efficiently. And like forwards, defenders likely need slightly less emphasis on aerobic conditioning compared to midfielders.

Lacrosse Game Intelligence

Do your players execute your systems properly? Are you frustrated by their inability to do what you ask them to do out on the field?

Do you wish there was a more effective way to build competitive fire than just running them in practices all the time?

Power Source will soon launch a groundbreaking new program for athletes in and around Central Massachusetts that will help you find answers to these, and many other problems that persist on the mental side of sports performance.

Lacrosse Training at Power Source

Those in or near the Central Massachusetts have access to our elite training programs for middle school lacrosse players, and those at the high school or college level. We'll help you build strength and power while improving body composition, and limit your injury potential.

Practically every part of our Game Speed Clinic Series can help lacrosse teams excel. We will guide you to improved quickness, sprinting, acceleration, and agility.

MA and NH teams may also want to organize a conditioning clinic to get them ready for their season.

With so many skills to develop, youth lacrosse players age 10 and under would gain plenty from our very well-rounded, age-appropriate athletic skills program.