Game-day lifting has gotten a lot of attention on social media, which means it's making its way into athletics and strength and conditioning programs. For the most part, the advantages can be favorable. However, like with most things in the strength and conditioning field, some people believe that more is better, which can lead to a slew of issues. I thought I'd add my two cents with some thoughts and examples of how it might be useful—or not—as well as some rules.
Before I begin, I'd like to clarify the distinction between game-day and pre-game lifting. After games and contests, lifting or training is not unusual. Individual sports and team sports that are scored individually are where I've seen it the most. Lifting after track and swim meets, as well as golfers and tennis players coming in after tournaments, has happened to me several times.
This article focuses on pre-game lifting by athletes who are participating that day, not non-competing athletes. Pre-game lifting takes place some hours before the competition or right before the start of the game.