Lacrosse training information & advice

While training for lacrosse will vary somewhat depending on the position of the player, all players will require a combination of size, strength, power, speed, agility and endurance.

Lacrosse requires almost constant movement around the pitch, the differences being:

Midfield players, as the only group of players permitted to move up and down the entire length of the pitch, have significantly greater endurance than attackers or defensive players.

Attackers or defensive players have lower aerobic endurance than their midfield brethren, but need a higher bodyweight to cope with the aggressive physical contact in the game.

However, given the endurance demands of the sport, this bodyweight must be coupled with a low body fat percentage. Not surprisingly, lacrosse players tend to have a lower body fat percentage than players in sports such as american football, basketball and ice hockey.

An effective training program must therefore balance out the somewhat conflicting needs to increase endurance, anaerobic capacity (for sprinting), and muscle mass.

However, size is not the only objective for strength training - increasing strength, explosive power and power endurance are also important.

When you add these needs to the importance of speed and agility training, you understand why it is important to have a program that is designed specifically for the needs of this sport.