Conditioning
Lacrosse players run about 3-5 miles in one game, depending on their position. However, To make sure you are in "lacrosse shape" it is important to train correctly and to have a workout plan. A starting point for your conditioning should be distance runs, then move into interval training, and finally pattern running. Weight lifting is not typically an important part of training for women's lacrosse. Some high school coaches schedule weight room time for their teams during the season but it is not necessary for you to lift on your own. A sample conditioning schedule for women's lacrosse is shown below.
Weeks 1-3. Distance Training. (run at least 3-4 times per week):
-Run 15 minutes at a comfortable pace on the first day.
-For the next three weeks, add some time to each run until you hit 30 minutes per run, then pick up your pace.
Weeks 4-5. Interval Training. (run at least 3-4 times per week):
-For the first run, run hard for 15 seconds, then jog for 45 seconds. Repeat this for 15 minutes.
-For the rest of the first week of interval training, keep the intervals at 15:45 but up the length to 20 minutes.
-On the second week of interval training, do 30:60 intervals with the total length around 20 minutes or more.
Weeks 6-8. Pattern Running. (at least 3-4 sets per week):
Take 10 patterns (examples below) and run them at full speed. Start by doing 3 sets of the 10 patterns. Add a set to each workout until the total workout time is 20-25 minutes.
Patterns:
Weeks 1-3. Distance Training. (run at least 3-4 times per week):
-Run 15 minutes at a comfortable pace on the first day.
-For the next three weeks, add some time to each run until you hit 30 minutes per run, then pick up your pace.
Weeks 4-5. Interval Training. (run at least 3-4 times per week):
-For the first run, run hard for 15 seconds, then jog for 45 seconds. Repeat this for 15 minutes.
-For the rest of the first week of interval training, keep the intervals at 15:45 but up the length to 20 minutes.
-On the second week of interval training, do 30:60 intervals with the total length around 20 minutes or more.
Weeks 6-8. Pattern Running. (at least 3-4 sets per week):
Take 10 patterns (examples below) and run them at full speed. Start by doing 3 sets of the 10 patterns. Add a set to each workout until the total workout time is 20-25 minutes.
Patterns:
- 10-yard dash
- 10-yard backpedal
- 5-yard backpedal, then 10-yard sprint forward
- 20-yard dash
- 10-yard sprint, then 5-yard sprint right or left
- 20-yard C route
- 40-yard dash
- Shuffle 5 yards right or left, then sprint 10 yards forward
- Run 10 yards on a diagonal to the right, then 10 yards on a diagonal to the left
- Sprint 5 yards, roll on the ground, pop up and sprint another 5 yards
