If you spend enough time around athletes, you start to hear the same questions pop up — in the gym, on the field, in the DMs. Whether it’s a rookie trying to make the team or a seasoned pro looking for an edge, these questions come up because they matter.
I’ve decided to break down five of the most common things athletes ask about training. Don’t worry, I’ve kept answers brief because, well, each of these alone could be its own article. For more detailed responses (and some laughs), check out our episode on the Performance Matters Podcast that dives into the specifics!
1. “How can I get faster or more explosive?”
This is the holy grail. Every athlete wants that extra step, that quicker first move, that feeling of raw power off the ground. But the answer isn’t just “do more sprints” or “hit the weight room.” It’s about intent-driven training. To keep it simple:
- Clean mechanics (movements are skills, hone them to peak efficiency)
- Force application (direction, intent)
- Proper strength-to-weight ratio (no egos, keep progressions purposeful)
- Sprinting and jumping under fresh conditions (can’t get fast training slow)
Athletes don’t just want to work hard — they want results. And “fast” isn’t just speed. It’s being efficient with how you perform the skills and then layering on constraints to help us raise our ceiling of potential. While it sounds simple, it doesn’t mean it’s easy. Athletes need to be disciplined towards the training process to even remotely see improvements.
2. “What should I eat before and after training?”
Performance isn’t just built in the gym — it’s fueled in the kitchen. Too many athletes neglect quality nutrition, not fully understanding how fundamental a pillar it is in their process. After all, it’s now what we do, but what we can recover from.
The answer? It depends on the session, the goal, and their tolerance. But it’s usually about:
- Pre-workout fuel, something easily digestible (carbs + protein preferred)
- Post-workout recovery, more density (carbs + protein)
- Hydration (aim for 3-4 litres per day minimum)
When it comes to specifics, it really will be a personal preference. However, if you can ensure you have something easily digestible that has readily available energy, this would be great before training. Some fruit, nut butter on toast, oatmeal, greek yogurt, etc. For your post-workout meal, load up on the protein and starches. Yes, this means steak and sweet potatoes (my favourites). Remember to hydrate, ingest a bit more than what you feel is enough.
For a more in-depth breakdown, check out our nutrition guide for athletes.
3. “How do I prevent injuries?”
We can’t, and neither can you. Stay in the game long enough, shit goes wrong; it’s ludicrous for anyone to suggest they can prevent an injury from occurring. So simple answer, it’s impossible.
While we are unable to prevent injury, we can look to mitigate probable risks that signal a likelihood through proper training. We can:
- Address mobility/stability gaps (seek relative weak links in our individual chain)
- Reinforce proper warm-ups (more malleable tissue means less likelihood of injury)
- Manage load and volume (find your tolerance threshold, slowly move the needle)
- Incorporate diversity of movement (direction, stance, patterns, etc.)
The best ability? Availability. By diversifying your athleticism, you become more robust as a whole. So when shit hits the fan, you’re more capable of handling it.
4. “How do I know if I’m getting better?”
Whether it’s sprint times, vertical jump data, lifting numbers, or game stats, they want proof that what they’re doing is working. That’s why consistent testing, tracking, and check-ins matter. Even better if the athlete understands what the data means — and how it connects to their performance. We explain this with our athlete report cards and progress updates.
At Iron Performance Center, every athlete has their own program card to record, track and update their program. Combine that with a variety of tools and software for monitoring, you have a system more honed for outcome success. For athletes to better know if they are improving:
- Get a professional Strength & Conditioning coach (it’s literally what we do)
- Record everything you do (reps, sets, weight, speed, tempos, pretty much everything)
- Select, Test, Assess, Repeat (make sure standardized conditions and repeat 3-6 weeks)
Remember, what gets measured gets managed. Athletes should also note what might matter more and disregard what might not. A heavy 1RM deadlift doesn’t always transfer to a faster sprint time, so make sure perspective is clear on what we are dictating progress by. Keep the main thing the main thing.
5. “Do I really need to lift during the season?”
Yes.
The season is the longest uninterrupted training cycle we have and can’t afford to waste it. This doesn’t mean crushing yourself in the gym, it simply means to keep your training frequency consistent and adjust relevant variables to ensure sufficient recovery. Skipping out on your training is like neglecting your brakes when driving because you’re too busy trying to win the race; at some point, we’re gonna crash.
I recommend being in the weight room at least twice each week. Some simple tips for training in-season include:
- Sprint and jump at least one session each week (dosage will vary)
- Do heavy compound work 1-2 times each week (again, this will vary)
- Bucket your practices and games as high or low intensity and match weight room work to parallel (high days high, low days low)
- Sleep and eat like a wild animal (recovery will be key)
To dive deeper down the rabbit hole, not every player is created equal. If you’re a lower minutes player, you can afford to spend more time training (almost like it’s an extended off-season). The dosage of your program will vary, but aim to keep sessions around 30-45 minutes (general guideline). Whatever you do, DO NOT STOP TRAINING.
Final Thoughts
Great athletes ask great questions. And as a coach, our job isn’t just to answer them — it’s to guide the athlete toward better questions, better habits, and ultimately, better performance.
If you’re an athlete reading this, keep asking. If you’re a coach, keep listening.
Matrixx Ferreira – Director of Strength & Conditioning