Think you don't have time to lift in-season? Have you tried microdosing?
No, not hallucinogenic mushrooms—I’m talking about strength training.
Over the last few years, the concept of "microdosing"—or finding the Minimum Effective Dose (MED)—has gained massive traction across elite athletic programs. The premise is simple: instead of forcing a chaotic 60-minute session into an already packed practice week, you get into the weight room for 10 to 30 minutes, hit 1 to 3 high-intent work sets after a quick warm-up, and get out.
If you know how to write a smart program, you can cover total-body strength, preserve power, and keep joints resilient without frying the central nervous system right before game day.
The Reality of the In-Season Grind
The biggest mistake coaches make during the season is treating the weight room as an all-or-nothing proposition.
When practice schedules run long, travel gets delayed, or game film takes priority, full 1-hour lifting blocks are usually the first thing on the chopping block. After a few weeks of cancelled sessions, athletes begin to lose power, joint integrity fades, and injury risk spikes right when the competitive calendar peaks.
Microdosing eliminates the "all-or-nothing" trap by shifting the focus from session length to consistent neural stimulation.
How to Apply In-Season Microdosing
There are multiple ways to structure micro-training based on your team's specific schedule, but one of the most effective strategies involves integrating short lifts directly into daily preparation:
Daily Pre-Practice Blocks: Athletes complete a focused 15-to-20-minute lift immediately before taking the field or court. This doubles as a high-intensity dynamic primer for practice.
Game/Travel Days: The weight room requirement drops to zero. Athletes focus entirely on competition, recovery, and travel without the stress of "falling behind" on their physical development.
The Golden Rules of Micro-Sessions
To make microdosing work without accidentally overtraining your squad, adhere to three core principles:
Frequency Lowers Session Volume: The more frequently athletes touch the barbell throughout the week, the less work they need to do per session to maintain baseline strength and speed.
Intent Over "Garbage Yardage": Pick a few high-yield movements that directly transfer to sport performance and protect high-risk joints. Warm up fast, execute 1 to 3 hard, quality work sets in optimal load ranges, and move on.
Plan the Seasonal Calendar Ahead: Microdosing is not about winging it. These mini-blocks must be mapped out on your Master Seasonal Calendar just like film sessions, team meetings, or tactical practice blocks. Without a plan, you lose the progressive stimulus.
The Bottom Line
When planned correctly, microdosing often yields more total high-quality, high-intent training volume over a 12-week season than repeatedly fighting, cutting short, or cancelling traditional 1-hour lifting blocks.
Train smart, keep the session volume manageable, and keep your athletes fast, strong, and available when it matters most.