Weekend with/without the Games

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Weekends can either push your development forward or quietly slow you down.

The truth is how you use your entire weekend – your sleep, food, dryland, schoolwork, recovery, and social time – decides how fast you improve over the season.

In this guide, we’ll look at two situations:

1. Weekend WITH games

2. Weekend WITHOUT games

In both cases, the goal is the same:

• Train smart

• Recover properly

• Stay on top of school

• Still enjoy your life and friends

• And use the resources inside Waterpolo University – especially the water polo courses and water polo classes you already have access to.

There is enough time for everything… as long as you don’t let one thing (games, Netflix, gaming, friends not even studying or practicing) eat your whole day. Combine it smart.

1. Core Rules for Every Weekend (Games or No Games)

Before we split the weekend into “games” and “no games,” there are a few rules that always apply.

1.1 Sleep: Non-negotiable

You can’t be a serious water polo player and live on 5–6 hours of sleep.

Aim for:

• 8–10 hours of quality sleep the night before games

• At least 8 hours on other days

Good sleep means:

• Faster reactions

• Better focus and decision-making

• Better mood (less frustration when something goes wrong)

• Stronger immune system and recovery

1.2 Food: Fuel, not just “eating”

Your body is your engine. On weekends you should fuel it, not punish it.

Basic principles:

• Eat real food: rice, pasta, potatoes, meat/fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit.

• Control junk food: you don’t need to be perfect, but you can’t live on fries and soda.

• Hydrate throughout the day, not only right before games.

We’ll go deeper into game-day food later.

1.3 Time Blocks, Not All-Day “Nothing”

This is a huge one:
You can relax, see friends, play games, scroll your phone – but not for the entire day.

Think in blocks:

• 60–90 minutes focused on something (dryland, homework, analysis)

• Then you relax for a while

• Then back to another productive block

That’s how you manage to:

• Train

• Recover

• Study

• Socialize
  …without feeling overwhelmed.

2. If You HAVE Games This Weekend

If you have games, your weekend is basically built around performance.
Your preparation doesn’t start when the referee blows the whistle – it starts long before that.

From now on, use this as your standard game-weekend routine.

2.1 Before the Game: Study Your Opponent

Whenever possible, watch video of the team you’re going to play.

Especially focus on:

• The position and player you’ll be guarding

• How they move in the water

• How they shoot (quick release, heavy shot, fakes, lobs)

• Where they like to receive the ball

• What they do when they are under pressure

You’re not just watching “a game.”
You’re studying your matchup.

Inside Waterpolo University you have the water polo course “How to Do Game Analysis” – use it. Follow the step-by-step process there so you’re not just watching, but actually understanding patterns.

Spend:

• 20–30 minutes the day before

• Or the morning of the game if you can’t do it earlier

2.2 Two Hours Before the Game: No Food

A simple but powerful rule:

Do not eat in the last 2 hours before the game.

Your body needs that time to:

• Digest

• Feel light in the water

• Be ready to move explosively

What you can do:

• Drink water

• Take small sips of a sports drink if it’s a long tournament day

• Light snack earlier (2–3 hours before), like:

  • Banana + a little peanut butter

  • Small bowl of pasta

  • Yogurt + fruit

Inside the Waterpolo University school, there is a blog about what you should eat before a game – read it and follow it. Use that as your reference for game-day meals and snacks.

2.3 Before Getting In: MANDATORY Band Exercises

This part is non-negotiable if you want to protect your shoulders and feel good from the start.

Before every single game:

• Do your band exercises to prepare your:

  • Shoulders

  • Back

  • Core

This:

• Protects you from shoulder injuries

• Makes your shot and passing feel smoother

• Gets your upper body ready for contact

Inside the school, you have the Band Exercises Course – follow it exactly. That course is not “extra” – it’s there so you develop a professional routine.

Time needed:

• 10–15 minutes
  You can always find that before warm-up.

2.4 In-Water Warm-Up With a Plan

After the bands, you must have a real in-water warm-up.
Not just “jump in, swim a bit, then shoot casually.”

Your warm-up should include:

• Legs – eggbeater, vertical kicks, jumps

• Movement patterns – change of direction, short sprints, game-like movements

• Ball handling – quick passes, fakes, ball-speed work

• Shots you’ll actually use in the game – not just lazy lobs

Inside Waterpolo University you have the In-Water Warm-Up Course – use that as your template so you don’t have to invent it every time.

Goal:

• When the game starts, you should already feel like you’re in the second quarter, not like you just woke up.

2.5 What to Eat on Game Day

Here’s a simple structure:

Day before the game:

• Normal meals, but give preference to:

  • Carbohydrates (rice, pasta, potatoes, bread)

  • Protein (chicken, fish, eggs, beans)

  • Vegetables and fruit

• Drink water regularly throughout the day.

Game day – morning (for an afternoon game):

• Breakfast with:

  • Carbs (oats, toast, cereal, fruit)

  • Some protein (eggs, yogurt, milk)

• Avoid huge heavy/fatty meals.

3–4 hours before game:

• Balanced meal:

  • Example: pasta with light sauce + chicken

  • Example: rice + veggies + fish

No food in last 2 hours (as we said).
Just water and small sips of sports drink if necessary.

After the game:

• Within 30–60 minutes:

  • Water + a snack (banana, bar, sandwich)

• Later: a full meal with carbs and protein to help recovery.

2.6 Sleep on a Game Weekend

For game days, aim for:

• 8–10 hours the night before

• No crazy late-night screen time; your brain needs to calm down

• Short nap (20–30 minutes) can help if you have an early or late game, but don’t overdo it

Remember:
Sleep is part of training.
You are not lazy if you sleep enough; you’re preparing like an athlete.

2.7 Between Games (Tournament Days)

If you have 2–3 games in a day:

• Do a short cool-down after the game (easy swimming, relaxed legs).

• Rehydrate and eat a light snack.

• Don’t spend 4 hours straight on your phone between games – move a bit, stretch, stay present.

• Mentally reset by reviewing:

  • One thing you did well

  • One thing you will improve in the next game

You don’t need to obsess over mistakes. Just adjust and move forward.

3. If You DON’T Have Games This Weekend

No games doesn’t mean “do nothing.”

It means you have a perfect opportunity to build your base without the stress of competition.

Here’s how to structure a no-game weekend.

3.1 Dryland Training: Make Your Body Stronger

This is the best time to use dryland training:

• Bands + bodyweight are enough to make a big difference.

• Focus on:

  • Shoulder health (external rotation, rows, band pull-aparts)

  • Core (planks, dead bugs, leg raises)

  • Legs (squats, lunges, wall sits)

Inside Waterpolo University, you already have water polo courses and water polo classes dedicated to dryland for all positions

Plan:

• 2 dryland sessions over the weekend (for example, Saturday and Sunday morning)

• 30–45 minutes each
  Then you’re done – you don’t need to train all day.

3.2 Self Game Analysis: Coach Yourself

A free and powerful tool: self video analysis.

On a no-game weekend, do this:

1. Take video from your last game or scrimmage.

2. Watch only your actions (not the entire game like a fan).

3. Use a simple checklist:

   • Where are my hips?

   • What are my legs doing?

   • Where is my elbow and wrist when I pass or shoot?

   • On defense, am I over the hips and in front?

Inside the school, we have a full Self Game Analysis / How to Do Game Analysis course that shows exactly how to do this step by step.

You don’t need 5 hours – 30–45 minutes of focused analysis is enough to give you 2–3 concrete things to work on next week.

3.3 Use the Time to Finish Homework

One of the biggest mistakes young players make:

Leaving all schoolwork for the week and then skipping practice “because of homework.”

A no-game weekend is the time to get ahead:

• Block 1–2 hours each day (morning or early afternoon) for homework and projects.

• Put your phone away, focus, and finish as much as you can.

If you do this:

• You won’t need to skip water polo practices during the week.

• You’ll feel less stressed going to training.

• You’ll prove to yourself (and your parents) that you can be organized and serious.

You can be both a good student and a good athlete – it’s about planning, not about magic.

3.4 Relax, See Friends – But Don’t Lose the Whole Day

You’re still a human being. You should:

• See friends

• Go outside

• Play games

• Watch movies

Just remember:
Don’t let any of this take the whole day.

Example:

• Dryland + homework done by early afternoon.

• Then meet friends, go to the beach, play video games, whatever helps you relax.

• In the evening, have a normal meal, stretch a bit, sleep on time.

Balance:

• Train hard for a block of time

• Relax fully for a block of time

• Repeat

This is how you avoid burnout and still grow as a player.

3.5 Sample No-Game Weekend Schedule

Here’s an example you can adapt:

Saturday:

• 09:00–09:45 – Dryland (bands + bodyweight)

• 10:00–11:30 – Homework / school projects

• 11:30–13:00 – Lunch + free time

• 13:00–13:45 – Self game analysis (video)

• Rest of the day – relax, friends, hobbies, family time, light walk or stretch

Sunday:

• 09:00–09:45 – Light technical work (if you have access to a pool) or another short dryland session

• 10:00–11:30 – Homework / planning for the week

• Afternoon – free time, recharge, get to bed on time

You can adjust times based on your family and training schedule, but keep the structure: training + school + rest.

4. Using Waterpolo University to Guide Your Weekends

Everything we’ve talked about in this blog connects directly to what we build inside Waterpolo University:

• Water polo courses on:

  • Eggbeater & hips up

  • Body position for passing and shooting (starting without the ball)

  • Passing & catching fundamentals

  • Over-hips defense and staying in front

  • Spacing in offense and defense

  • Pre-game & in-water warm-up

  • Dryland for different positions

  • Self game analysis

• Water polo classes you can follow in short sessions, perfect for weekend blocks:

  • 20–40 minute lessons

  • Clear demonstrations

  • Routines you can copy directly

If you’re a player or parent

You can join with a personal membership and:

• Follow a clear path through the fundamentals

• Use game-day routines and off-day dryland

• Rewatch lessons as many times as you need

If you’re a coach or club director

You can get a club license so your entire team or club:

• Has access to the same fundamentals system

• Uses the same language for eggbeater, body position, defense, spacing

• Can do homework between practices (analysis, dryland, warm-up routines)

Final Message

Whether you have games or no games this weekend, you have a choice:

• Let the weekend just “happen” to you

• Or use it with intention – to train, recover, study, and still live your life

Set up a simple plan:

• Sleep enough

• Eat for performance

• Do your bands and warm-up

• Train dryland on off days

• Analyse your own game

• Finish your homework so you don’t miss practice

• See friends and enjoy yourself – but not all day, every day

If you combine this with the structure of the water polo courses and water polo classes inside Waterpolo University, your weekends will become one of your biggest advantages over other players.

That’s how you stop just “being busy” and start truly improving.

Whether you’re an individual player, a parent, or a coach, you can train with us inside Waterpolo University. If you’re a player or family, you can join with an individual membership and get full access to all online water polo courses and water polo classes, so you always know what to work on each weekend. If you’re a coach or club director, you can get a club license and put your entire program on the same development system – one platform where all your athletes learn the same fundamentals, routines, and game habits, from beginners all the way to advanced groups.