How Preseason Training Helps Pro Athletes Improve and Prepare for the Season

by Richard Janvrin, July 31, 2025

While the preseason may seem boring or unnecessary to fans of top professional sports leagues like the NFL, athletes know that preseason training is where the foundation for a successful season begins.

This time, whether it’s the preseason games for the NFL and the training camp or spring training in baseball, this is the time for athletes to try new things to take their game to the next level and get them in “game shape” with preseason conditioning for when everything starts to matter.

Below, we’ll examine how players improve, including building strength, mental toughness, and developing skills, and look at some of the top quotes from athletes regarding this time leading up to the regular season.

• Preseason Conditioning: Building Strength and Resilience
• The Best Preseason Training Quotes
• A Time To Develop Skills
• Team Bonding and Building Mental Toughness
• What Is and How Long is the Preseason?
• Final Thoughts on Preseason Training

Preseason Conditioning: Building Strength and Resilience

We see it all the time in professional sports: preseason conditioning is vital to ensuring that players can hit the ground running from the first game. This time, while not anywhere near the length of a full season, is the time for these athlete to acclimate their bodies to the demands of a full season.

For example, the NFL has three preseason games and plenty of offseason activities. Of course, in that sport, there’s a fine line between getting ready and not doing too much to risk injury since it’s such a violent game.

As for the MLB, there are about 30 games, which is a relatively small number compared to the 162 in the regular season, and more if the team makes the playoffs.

That said, if a player is out for the entire preseason and tries to give it a go in the first game, you see a lot of rust.

Shoot, in the NFL, with them shortening the preseason, we see a low quality of play over the first month or so before they start to get into that proper “preseason conditioning,” as the regular season now somewhat acts as preseason training because of the lack of time on the field.

The Best Preseason Training Quotes

While we have the infamous “practice?” line from former Philadelphia 76ers star Allen Iverson, many top athletes have mentioned the importance of this period.

My favorite of all the preseason training quotes comes from former Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith, who once said, “All men are created equal. Some work harder in the preseason.”

That’s coming from the guy who holds NFL records in rush attempts (4,409), rushing yards (18,355), and rushing touchdowns (164).

Soccer player Colin Kazim-Richards also added, “Preseason- isn’t just about conditioning but also getting used to each other as a team… It can be a lot of fun. Hard but fun.”

That’s a good point as well. In professional sports, there’s a lot of turnover, so building chemistry with new teammates is vital to success.

A Time To Develop Skills

While preseason conditioning is great, preseason training is also used to help players develop skills and potentially get those skills ready for a regular season game.

The best example of this is a pitcher in baseball.

Say there’s a player trying to develop a new pitch like a slider or knuckleball. They can use spring training and practice to see if it’s working for them and work with the coaching staff to determine if the pitch is ready to be used in games and, if so, how much or not at all. This can be developed over multiple preseasons.

Additionally, for sports like the NFL, it can be a time to really dive into the playbook and learn more about the defense or offense. For example, if a new player has arrived on a team or a new coordinator is in town.

Another popular example in the NFL is for a quarterback and a new receiver to get on the same page, which includes knowing how receivers break on the ball and get into rhythm. With new Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, we saw him working with new Steelers wide receiver D.K. Metcalf long before Rodgers even officially signed, just to get into some kind of rhythm and build chemistry for the inevitable, which was Rodgers signing with the team.

Team Bonding and Building Mental Toughness

It was mentioned above, but this is truly the time to build chemistry with the team. There are numerous examples of this, whether it’s a wide receiver and quarterback, a pitcher and catcher, or a new point guard on an NBA squad.

Also, this team bonding is important for the inevitable ruts of issues that’ll happen during the season, whether that’s blowing a lead or going on a losing streak.

Building chemistry during the preseason will help the strongest teams get through that period.

For individual players, this time of year helps players get their minds right and prepare for a long grind ahead.

As legendary NFL head coach Vince Lombardi, though not a preseason training quote, once said, “Everyone has the will to win, but very few have the will to prepare to win.”

What Is and How Long is the Preseason?

What is the preseason? This is a period in which teams play games and practice before the regular season begins.

There are also plenty of team meetings.

But how long is the preseason? Well, that changes on a sport-by-sport basis.

• NFL: 3 weeks plus various camps and offseason activities.
• NBA/NHL: Several weeks and 6-8 games.
• MLB: About 2 months and around 30 games.

Final Thoughts on Preseason Training

Ultimately, preseason training is where champions are built. That may sound cliche, but it’s actually true; it improves players’ conditioning, sharpens skills, and brings teams closer together. Players who make the most of this period set themselves up for success. It’s not fun for the players or fans to watch, but it’s an absolute must.

That said, for fans exploring online sports betting, this can be a time to help spot indicators of a team or players slated for success that season.