Boost Your Lacrosse Game With Weighted Gear

Boost Your Lacrosse Game With Weighted Gear

Add Weight to Your Lacrosse Stick

Weighted Lacrosse Shafts Build Strength

Heavier Lacrosse Shafts Improve Shot Power

Weighted Lacrosse Balls Enhance Handling

Weighted Socks Build Leg Power

Weighted Equipment Engages More Muscle Fibers

Increase Stamina With Added Resistance

Weighted Gear Improves Reaction Time

Get Stronger Without Bulking Up

Weighted Training Protects Against Injury

Variable Weight Equipment Allows Progression

Weighted Gear Also Improves Golf & Baseball Swings

Consult Coaches Before Adding Weight

Start With Small Amounts of Added Weight

Proper Form Still Essential When Using Weights

Weighted Lacrosse Shafts Build Strength

Playing lacrosse requires a tremendous amount of strength and power, especially for those all-important checks and shots on goal. But constantly swinging and maneuvering a heavy lacrosse stick can get tiring over the course of a game or practice. This is where weighted lacrosse shafts come in handy.

Adding just a few ounces of weight to your shaft with specialized slide-on weights can make a world of difference. It’s similar to a baseball player swinging weighted bats in the on-deck circle – it activates more muscle fibers and forces your body to exert more energy. So when you remove the extra weight, your shots will fly faster and passes will be crisper.

It’s like resistance training for lacrosse sticks. Weighted shafts engage your muscles, especially your forearms and shoulders, much more than a normal shaft would. So you build strength and stamina without necessarily adding bulk. It’s functional strength training tailor-made for improving your lacrosse game.

I tried a weighted lacrosse shaft for the first time last season and immediately noticed a difference in the power behind my shots and checks. My hands and arms were definitely more fatigued after playing with the added weight, proving how much harder my muscles were working. It reminded me of the benefits I get from using light dumbbells or resistance bands when working out my upper body in the gym.

So if you want to build strength for lacrosse without getting too bulky, try adding some removable slide-on weights to your shaft. Start with 4-8 ounces and work your way up gradually. But be smart about it – weighted gear puts additional strain on your muscles and joints, so consult with coaches first and focus on proper form and technique above all else. With the right progressions and precautions, weighted shafts can take your strength and shooting power to the next level.

Weighted Lacrosse Balls Enhance Handling

Having strong lacrosse stick handling skills is crucial for retaining possession, especially when under pressure. Adept cradling, quick passing, and smooth catching require hours of practice with a lacrosse ball to hone the feel and touch. But using a weighted lacrosse ball during training sessions can take your ball control to the next level.

Weighted lacrosse balls typically add 2-4 ounces beyond the standard 5 ounce regulation ball weight. At first, the heavier ball will feel foreign in your crosse and throwing/catching can be awkward. But after drilling with a weighted ball for several sessions, a normal ball will feel much lighter and easier to handle. It’s the same concept as swinging a heavier bat or weighted sled training in other sports – the added resistance engages more muscle fibers and forces your hands/arms to work harder.

I like to mix weighted ball drills into my routine 2-3 times per week for 10-15 minutes to improve hand quickness and finger dexterity. Juggling, box drills, lateral dodging, and outlet passing all become more challenging with the added weight, really working the hands and honing handling ability. When I go back to a regular ball after weighted training, my cradling, scooping, catching, and passing feel effortless and the ball seems to stick right in my crosse.

Start by using a weighted ball for simple drills like quick sticks and wall ball. Get a feel for the extra heft before advancing to more dynamic handwork. Gradually work weighted balls into more aspects of your training, being cautious not to overdo it at first to avoid hand fatigue or injury. With smart, progressive use, weighted lacrosse balls build handling strength, reactivity, and overall limb control.

Bottom line – mix some weighted ball training into your routine if you want to take your lacrosse stick skills to the next level. The added resistance forces the hands and arms to engage at a higher level, enhancing coordination and dexterity. Just don’t overdo weighted balls too soon and focus on proper form/mechanics. Mastering a heavy ball makes regulating a normal ball much easier.

Heavier Lacrosse Shafts Improve Shot Power

Generating maximum shot speed and power is critical in lacrosse, whether you’re a midfielder ripping shots on net or an attackman winding up from behind the cage. Shooting requires tremendous upper body and core strength to transfer energy from the bottom hand, through the shoulders, and out the stick. This is where training with a weighted lacrosse shaft can really pay dividends.

Adding extra weight to your shaft makes every aspect of shooting more challenging. Cocking, transferring energy, releasing, and following through require more exertion from the muscles involved. Your legs, core, shoulders, arms and hands all have to work harder to whip the heavier stick through its shooting motion. The extra resistance builds strength specific to shooting mechanics.

I like to use slide-on weighted end caps to add 4-8 ounces to my shaft when practicing shooting. At first, my shot speed and accuracy suffered as I adjusted to the heavier shaft. But after a few sessions, I could really feel the strength gains in my shooting muscles. Now when I remove the end cap weights, my shot feels lightning quick and my top hand finishes with a pronounced snap.

Start by adding small amounts of weight like 2-4 ounces when integrating a weighted shaft into shooting practice. Emphasize shooting form and mechanics – don’t just try to muscle shots with all arms. Work weighted shafts into your routine progressively. And make sure to balance it out with some training at full speed with a normal shaft to ingrain shooting technique.

If you want to maximize shooting strength for harder, faster shots, weighted lacrosse shafts are a great training tool. The added resistance builds shooting power better than high rep shooting alone. Just be smart about your progressions and keep focusing on shooting fundamentals first and foremost.

Weighted Socks Build Leg Power

Having explosive leg power is so important in lacrosse, whether you’re a midfielder exploding down the alley or a goalie making quick lateral movements. Strong, powerful legs allow you to change direction on a dime, throw checks, and create separation from defenders.

One great way to build lacrosse-specific leg strength and power is by wearing weighted socks during training. Adding light ankle weights forces your legs to work harder with every stride, cut, and shuffle, enhancing strength, quickness, and endurance.

Weighted socks are a staple of my in-season training regimen. I’ll wear 1-2 pound ankle weights under my long socks which makes warmup jogging, agility ladder drills, and suicide sprints much more challenging. At first, moving laterally with the weights feels awkward and slower. But after a few sessions, normal moving and cutting feels effortless in comparison.

I try to wear the weighted socks 2-3 times per week for 30-45 minutes during lacrosse-specific drills. Too much added weight too often can lead to overtraining or injury. I focus on maintaining proper form and body control at all times – the weights should complement, not compromise your mechanics.

Start with just 1/2 pound ankle weights in each sock and progress slowly from there. Ankle weighting is also great for goalies during butterfly and lateral shuffle drills. Just be smart with your progressions – poor form with heavy weights can do more harm than good.

So try adding light weighted socks into your lacrosse footwork, conditioning, and agility training. The added resistance amplifies the strength and power benefits to build explosive leg drive. Just focus on smart progression and proper mechanics for best results.

Weighted Equipment Engages More Muscle Fibers

Using weighted equipment like lacrosse shafts, balls, and socks engages your muscles on a deeper level compared to standard gear. The added resistance forces more muscle fibers to fire in order to handle and control the heavier objects. This leads to greater strength and power gains.

For example, manipulating a weighted lacrosse ball requires more exertion from the hands, wrists, and forearms to catch, cradle and pass it. The small intrinsic muscles of the fingers must fire harder to grip and control the ball. Weighted shafts activate more shoulder, back, and core muscles to whip it through shooting motions. And weighted socks amplify leg and glute activation for starts, stops, cuts and jumps.

This increased muscle fiber recruitment makes weighted gear excellent for strength building. More fibers stressed under load means more potential for growth and adaptation. It explains why adding light resistance can enhance strength development compared to high-rep training with regular equipment alone.

Start by adding small amounts of weight for short durations to acclimate. Then progressively increase resistance and training volume as the body adapts. Monitor for fatigue and maintain proper form. The key is giving your muscles a new, heavier stimulus to respond and grow stronger.

Just like lifting light dumbbells or resistance bands, weighted lacrosse equipment provides targeted overload without excessive bulk or hypertrophy. Implement it strategically for more muscle fiber recruitment and better strength for your lacrosse game.

Increase Stamina With Added Resistance

Having strong muscular endurance and cardiovascular stamina is essential for competing at a high level in lacrosse. Matches require tremendous exertion from the legs, core, and upper body to run, cut, pass, shoot, and check repeatedly.

One way to build greater lacrosse-specific stamina is by training with weighted gear like sticks, balls, and socks. The added resistance forces the body to work harder, increasing exertion and fatigue in the muscles used in lacrosse movements. This overload boosts endurance.

For example, continually practicing passing and shooting with a weighted lacrosse shaft taxes the shoulders, arms, and grip much more than a normal stick. Completing agility drills and sprints with weighted socks amplifies leg muscle exertion. And weighted ball drills require greater hand and forearm endurance to control.

By gradually and strategically progressing the duration and resistance of weighted equipment training, you push your muscles deeper into fatigue. Then they’ll adapt and get stronger for handling that workload. It’s like high-rep training with resistance bands for greater stamina.

Just be cautious about overdoing weighted gear volume too soon before the body adapts. Monitor for fatigue, maintain proper mechanics, and balance with normal equipment training. Implemented smartly, weighted lacrosse equipment can take your stamina to the next level.

Weighted Gear Improves Reaction Time

Having quick reaction time is so important in lacrosse, whether it’s getting a shot off against a pressuring defender or making a split-second cut as a midfielder. Improving reactivity translates directly into better on-field performance.

One way to enhance reaction time for lacrosse is by training with weighted gear like shafts, balls, and socks. The extra resistance forces the body to respond quicker to handle and control the heavier equipment. This trains the nervous system to fire muscles faster.

For example, catching and cradling a weighted ball makes you react quicker to adjust to its different flight and feel. Shooting with a weighted shaft requires faster trigger of the top hand and hips to whip it through. And changing direction wearing weighted socks demands quicker muscle activation to overcome inertia.

By reacting and moving faster under increased resistance, your nervous system adapts to activate muscles quicker. Like a sprinter exploding out of weighted starting blocks. Then when returning to normal gear, reaction time feels enhanced.

Start with small amounts of added weight and focus on quality movements. Monitor for fatigue. But over time, weighted gear can reprogram the neuromuscular system for better reactivity. Just maintain proper mechanics and progressively overload the nervous system for heightened lacrosse reaction time.

Get Stronger Without Bulking Up

Many lacrosse players want to get stronger to improve performance, but don’t want to gain too much muscle size or bulk that could slow them down. This is where training with weighted lacrosse equipment can be ideal.

The added resistance of weighted gear like shafts, balls, and socks forces muscles to work harder and builds strength. But this added load is relatively low compared to heavy barbell training. So weighted equipment provides a strength stimulus without excessive hypertrophy.

Manipulating a slightly heavier lacrosse shaft makes the shoulders and arms exert more force to shoot and pass. Controlling a heavier ball engages the hands and fingers more to enhance grip strength. And wearing weighted socks requires greater leg drive. This builds muscular strength and power.

The key is keeping the external load relatively low – just enough to present a strength-building stimulus to the body. Monitor weight amounts and training volume so muscles are challenged but not overtaxed.

For lacrosse players, weighted equipment strength training lets you get functionally stronger for the sport while minimizing muscle size gains. Compare this to the bulk and hypertrophy from heavy barbells squats. Intelligently implemented, it’s an ideal strength approach.

Weighted Training Protects Against Injury

Injury prevention is so critical for lacrosse players. The sport’s cutting, contact, and high-speed play make athletes prone to both acute and overuse injuries. Proper strength training is key for injury protection.

Weighted lacrosse equipment like sticks, balls, and socks provide a safer strength stimulus compared to heavy lifting. The low-moderate resistance levels avoid excessive joint stresses that lead to injury. The weights target sport-specific muscles and movements for functional fitness.

For example, weighted stick training strengthens the shoulders and arms to withstand checks. Heavier balls build grip and wrist stability. Added sock weight enhances leg drive and jump landing mechanics. The weights “vaccinate” joints and connective tissue against injury.

This type of specialized resistance exercise also balances opposing muscle groups. For lacrosse, external shoulder rotation gets worked to prevent internal rotation dominance that causes problems. Similar effects occur at the elbow, wrist, hips and ankles.

With appropriate volume and progression, weighted gear strengthens joints andconnective tissue against injury – safely and effectively. It protects athletes by working muscles through full ranges of motion under load. Weighted training just makes the body more resilient.

Variable Weight Equipment Allows Progression

To continually build strength over time, athletes must progressively increase resistance or load. This principle of progressive overload is essential for ongoing adaptation. Weighted lacrosse gear allows easy load progression.

Unlike fixed barbells or dumbbells, items like weighted shafts, balls, and socks feature slide-on attachments or increments. This allows athletes to steadily progress load as they get stronger.

For example, a player can start training with a lacrosse shaft with 4oz end cap, then progress to 6oz and 8oz caps over time. Weighted sock training can advance from 1/2 pound per ankle to 1 pound per ankle seemlessly. No need to buy lots of new equipment.

The ability to increment resistance gradually is key for optimal strength development and injury prevention. Jumping weight too quickly risks overtraining. Small progressive steps lets the body adapt while providing new overload.

Variable weighted gear gives lacrosse players the perfect tool to apply progressive overload principles. Incremental changes in external resistance tailored to individual ability and recovery. It’s an athlete-friendly way to drive continual strength gains.

Weighted Gear Also Improves Golf & Baseball Swings

Weighted training equipment can benefit athletes in golf, baseball, and other swing sports in addition to lacrosse. The heavier implements build swing strength, power, and control through added resistance.

Hitting weighted golf balls forces the core and hips to whip harder while grooving proper swing mechanics. Swinging a heavier bat engages the muscles driving the swing path for more power. Throwing weighted baseballs taxes the rotator cuff and arm action to enhance velocity.

In all cases, the added resistance trains the nervous system to sequence and fire swing muscles for optimal timing and efficiency. Then removing the excess weight allows the body to swing faster and more explosively.

Start with smaller weight increments of just ounces added to the club or bat. Use for shorter training periods focusing on control and mechanics. Build volume and load progressively as the body adapts. Weighted implements magnify mistakes so keep things smooth.

For golf, baseball, and lacrosse players alike, weighted gear works by providing targeted overload. It drives strength and power gains in the exact patterns used in competition. Accelerate your swing safely with strategic weighted implement training.

Consult Coaches Before Adding Weight

Weighted training equipment like lacrosse shafts, balls, and socks can provide performance benefits – if implemented intelligently. To maximize results and prevent injury, consult with your coaches first.

A coach can assess your strength levels, mechanics, and injury history to determine if weighted implements are appropriate. They’ll consider your age, playing experience, position demands, and goals. Not all athletes need extra resistance training.

Coaches can also guide optimal workout integration, weight increments, volume, and progression rate. They’ll emphasize proper mechanics under load to ingrain good motor patterns. And they’ll watch for fatigue to manage recovery and prevent overtraining.

To optimize weighted gear training, trust your coach’s guidance on readiness factors, individualization, overload, and periodization. Communication is key so the training complements your overall program.

The coach-athlete relationship ensures weighted implement training aids performance for lacrosse players. Coaches provide the expert oversight on exercise selection, load management, and injury prevention. So consult them first before adding weight.

Start With Small Amounts of Added Weight

When beginning weighted training with lacrosse equipment, it’s important to start with small amounts of added resistance. Using weights that are too heavy too soon can negatively impact performance and increase injury risk.

For sticks, add no more than 4-6 ounces at first with slide-on end cap weights. Weighted lacrosse balls should only be 2-3 ounces heavier maximum to begin. Keep added sock weight around 1/2 pound per ankle initially.

Give your body time to adapt to the new resistance stimulus. Learn how to smoothly control and maneuver the weighted implements before progressing load. Build foundational strength in the proper patterns of motion.

Starting light allows you to maintain proper mechanics under load. It reduces strain on muscles, tendons, and ligaments as they adjust. You minimize fatigue to enhance recovery between sessions.

Build a base with small amounts of added weight first. It primes the body for the heavier resistance to come. Prioritize quality movement and managing fatigue early on. Then progressively increase weight in modest increments as strength improves.

Proper Form Still Essential When Using Weights

Weighted training equipment can build strength for lacrosse, but only if proper form and technique are maintained. Do not sacrifice mechanics and motor control as you add resistance.

For example, shooting with a weighted shaft still requires perfect sequencing through the kinetic chain. Cradling a heavier ball shouldn’t change smooth stick work. Added sock weight must not alter running and cutting mechanics.

Resist the temptation to muscle through poor technique under the increased loads. Keep your focus on quality movement patterns, not just pushing more weight. Reinforce proper motor programs.

Also monitor for fatigue when training with lacrosse weights. As you get tired, form often deteriorates. End each set or drill before that happens and rest adequately between sets. Stop before mechanics falter.

Weighted implements amplify mistakes in technique. So place a premium on quality repetitions with smooth, controlled motion. Perfect practice makes perfect performance – even under increased resistance.