It's not just about the sporting side of things. A new season often means new faces in a football, handball or volleyball team. Your training camp should therefore not only get you physically fit, but also bring you together as a team. By sweating together and sharing stories off the pitch, you will grow together as a team in a way that would probably not be possible during normal training sessions. Training camps are also crucial from a scientific point of view, as they provide an ideal opportunity to unite team members away from the stress of everyday life, strengthen their co-operation and develop a shared vision, which will increase the team's performance and success in the long term.
10 training camp tips: How to plan your optimal preparation
The coming season is just around the corner and you've set your sights high. The right preparation is important to achieve your goals. That's why it's clear to you: you're going to a training camp. But where exactly? And what do you need to look out for? We have put together 10 training camp ideas for you and provided you with tips to make your training camp a success - regardless of the sport.
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Training camp tip 1: The timing
Start planning your training camp early - not just when the season is over. The shorter notice you book, the more expensive it can be and, of course, the more fully booked it can be. You should therefore start planning your training camp at least 6 months in advance. For a summer training camp for the new season, it is therefore advisable to start planning in February/March. Similarly, for a winter training camp, i.e. during the winter break, you should start planning in August/September.
You need to find the time that makes the most sense in terms of training, organisation and price - a professional training camp provider such as trainingslager.com can help you with this. Depending on the timing, you should also adapt your training content and set different priorities. Depending on the sport, endurance training could be on the programme at the beginning of your preparation, whereas a focus on tactics may make sense at a later training camp.
In a team sport in particular, however, it is advisable not to go to a training camp too late in order to strengthen team cohesion early on. The same applies to cyclists: the earlier, the better. You can build on the performance you develop at the training camp later on.
When it comes to the length of the training camp, you have to look individually at what suits you personally and correlates closely with the goals of the training camp. In amateur sport, a training camp lasting two to three days can realistically be integrated into everyday life and can be organised over a weekend from Friday to Sunday, for example. At this length, it is already suitable for setting the desired stimuli and achieving common goals. A professional sports training camp is often held over a period of 4-7 days.
Training camp tip 2: It doesn't always have to be far away!
The ideal thing for a training camp is, of course, to get away from your usual surroundings. For example, somewhere where you can concentrate fully on yourself and your sporting success. If this is not financially feasible, a training camp at your home facility or in your own hall could also be an option. This will save you travelling and accommodation costs. However, it is important that you still approach it as if you were not at home. Try not to make any exceptions and don't skip the lunchtime session at the training camp because your brother needs a quick helping hand in the garden. Spending the evening together is also a must for everyone - this is the only way to create the necessary team spirit.
The important thing for a training camp at home is to coordinate with the other teams and athletes from your club or other clubs in good time so that you really have the training capacity you need.
And if you do want to have a special factor: How about an overnight stay in your hall or in a tent at your football pitch?
Training camp tip 3: Where should you go?
Do you need input for your training camp? Too many options? Sports school? Youth hostel? Your own house? At home or abroad?
Here are some concrete suggestions and helpful links:
There are youth hostels all over the country. They are relatively inexpensive and are suitable for large groups. It is therefore worth taking a look at the youth hostel websites. On the website of the German Youth Hostels you can search for special offers for sports groups.
It also makes sense to look for sports schools or sports schools in the various federal states. Due to their orientation, they naturally have good training facilities and suitable training rooms. The Kaiserau sports centre, for example, has hosted many Bundesliga football clubs as well as the German national teams in football, handball and basketball. Here you can find a list of the sports schools and sports hotels within the various DFB associations.
The German Handball Federation opened its handball performance centre at the Euroville Youth and Sports Hotel in Saxony-Anhalt in 2018. However, other athletes also find training opportunities there.
The websites Soccatours and Trainingslager.com offer training camps for footballers in Germany and Europe
On Trainingslager.com there is a clearly organised training camp search where you can filter by region, budget and facilities (e.g. sauna, swimming pool).
The website sport-trainingslager.de offers training camps for various sports such as tennis, hockey, dancing and swimming, but of course also the major ball sports. DTF-Sports and Teamurlaub.com offer a similar variety.
For a large group, it can make sense to book a self-catering holiday home. However, this makes the rest of the organisation much more independent. For example, you will have to organise the food and training venues yourselves. As a volleyball team, it may make sense to check in advance not only whether there is a hall nearby, but perhaps also an outdoor beach area.
Training camp tip 4: Financing the training camp
A training camp is always a question of money - especially if you want to travel further away. If you organise as much as possible yourself, you are more likely to save money than with travel providers. However, if you don't opt for a training camp at home, you probably won't get away free of charge. So here are a few tips on how to get money for your training camp.
- Talk to your club. Will they contribute?
- Look for sponsors and think about it at the same time: What can you give back to them? A video or photo on social media could be an idea.
- Try to negotiate group offers.
- Collect money at events. Maybe there's a town festival coming up where you can sell waffles or sausages.
- Clarify for next year whether part of the team's funds should be used for the training camp.
- You could start a crowdfunding campaign. Maybe family and friends will chip in? One idea: anyone who donates over 20 euros will have their name printed on a banner or on the warm-up shirt. You can customise this with our spized configurator.
- Sale of merchandise (club-internal spized jerseys?)
Training camp tip 5: You should definitely have this with you
As with any trip, what you take with you to training camp is also important. Of course, you will need different equipment for your training camp depending on the sport. Here are a few things you shouldn't forget:
- enough jerseys (you can design them yourself in our configurator
- Enough sports shorts
- balls
- ball pump cones, poles, hurdles
- bibs Whiteboard or blackboard for tactics training
- Towels
- Functional underwear
- Is there a sauna? Pack your bathrobe!
- Swimming gear
- Football boots, running shoes, indoor shoes etc.
- Medicine kit
- Material for strength training (terra bands, medicine balls etc.)
- Sports bag, water bottles; toiletries such as toothpaste, deodorant, shower gel; jukebox, snacks, sunscreen, games
Of course, you should also ask yourself: Who do we need on the coaching team? Is a physiotherapist coming along? How many carers will help? Can parents help or are there young people in the club who are doing their voluntary social year or national voluntary service and can provide support?
How you answer these questions also depends on how professionally you organise your training camp. In general, one thing applies before the training camp: communication is key. Make sure that all participants are informed of important information about the training camp, such as travel plans, packing list and training programme, in good time. It saves all parties a lot of stress.
Training camp tip 6: Team building - the key is off the pitch
The start of preparation usually also means new faces in your team or training group. A training camp is an ideal setting for strengthening team cohesion. Here are some ideas on how to integrate the newcomers more easily.
- Loose the rooms: It can be useful to have two lottery pots, one with long-established players and the other with new players.
- Break up the training groups: The exercises don't always have to be done together by two players who have known each other since kindergarten anyway
- Take the mickey out of the new players: a little welcome ritual can't hurt. It can and may also be embarrassing. After all, it's fun for the whole team when new players sing the club anthem, perform something or have to wear embarrassing jerseys during training sessions (you can also customise these in our configurator).
- Set rules for working together at the training camp: What should make your team special? Write them down - so that you can remind yourself of them again and again during the season. What is in your catalogue of penalties? Bear in mind that you are already collecting money for the final trip or the next training camp
- Elect a team council - and make sure to integrate a new member as well
- Play games: You can find a comprehensive collection of games with tips for the training camp on the praxis-jugendartbeit.de website, for example. Various team games such as trust games and team challenges can strengthen your team spirit.
Training camp tip 7: Theory and practice
Sure, a training camp should get you fit, but it's important not to overdo it! You should sweat and push yourself to your limits, but especially if you are not yet in training, you increase your risk of injury if you overdo it. As a trainer, always make sure that effort and recovery are in harmony.
Always build in breaks that you can use sensibly, e.g. for tactics training, video analysis or watching instructional videos. As a coach, you can also divide your players into groups, for example, and let them find their own solutions to tactical problems that may arise during the game.
Of course, each coaching team sets its own priorities. But one point of orientation can be that training, team building and leisure time should be balanced, especially for amateur athletes.
Training camp tip 8: Thinking outside the box
You are passionate about your sport, but a little variety can't hurt. So try out other sports and activities during your training camp. With active breaks, you can also control the load.
A little triathlon: cycle to the swimming pool, then jog a lap, then cycle back
Invite other athletes to do strength training with you, make you sweat while spinning or show you how strenuous boxing training can be
Go for a relaxed cycle tour or mountain bike ride
Take part in outdoor and adventure sports, such as climbing, rafting or going to the high ropes course. This can also promote teamwork, communication and trust (see training camp tip 4: team building)
Go karting for a spin
or simply relax and let your bones regenerate in the water at the fun pool.
Training camp tip 9: Where are the opponents?
You've worked hard and want to put the first results from the training camp onto the pitch or court. Then you should ask yourself: can the training camp be rounded off with a match or tournament? Look for opponents at a similar level early on and arrange a test match. Some training camp organisers will even look for opponents for you and organise everything for you.
Training camp tip 10: The right catering
You do a lot during training camp. It is therefore important to eat a balanced and nutritious diet to provide your body with sufficient energy and nutrients.
However, you should ask yourself beforehand: Does the accommodation you are staying in at the training camp provide catering? If not, do you prepare the food yourself? Will someone from the club take care of it? Or do you perhaps have a caterer come in? You should clarify these questions before you think about what to put on your plate:
As you are burning a lot of calories, you should replenish your stores with carbohydrate-rich food. For most athletes, pasta certainly comes to mind immediately.
During training camp you sweat and lose water and electrolytes. It is therefore important to drink enough fluids. Water is the best choice. But sports drinks can also help to restore your electrolyte balance.
Fruit, nuts and muesli bars should also always be available to keep your blood sugar levels up.
If you want to build muscle, protein is also important. You can get this from animal or plant sources.
If you book a training camp at a sports school or external accommodation, make sure you check in advance whether the food can be served at the right times and in a way that is suitable for athletes.
You can also find more training camp tips on the subject of nutrition on the website of the Bavarian Swimming Association.
As you can see, there are many things to consider when planning a training camp. If you want to save yourself some effort or simply don't see yourself as an organisational talent, there are many professional providers, such as trainingslager.com, who can provide you with advice and assistance and, if you are interested, can also take care of the entire booking and organisation.
Have fun planning your training camp! If you're still in the early stages of planning your kit for the coming season, take a look at our kit configurator. There you can customise your own jersey.
