ACE QB — In-Season Maintenance System

ACE

ACE QB & WR · Coach Abe

In-Season
Maintenance

The complete system for protecting your arm, managing your body, and staying sharp from Week 1 to the championship.

What's Inside

Interactive Game-Week Clock — day-by-day plan for arm, body, and mind

Throw count targets by level — Youth, Middle School, High School, College

Full arm care protocol — activation, ice, long toss, pain vs. soreness

Body recovery system — sleep, lower body, post-game 30-minute window

Mental reset playbook — the 24-hour bad game reset and in-game adversity responses

Fuel & hydration targets — meal timing, game day, and recovery nutrition

Weekly habit checklist — 14 items to run every single week

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ACE QB & WR — Athletes Creating Excellence

In-Season
Maintenance
System

How to protect your arm, manage your body, reset your mind, and stay sharp from Week 1 to the championship — for every level of quarterback.

Arm Care Throw Count Body Recovery Mental Reset

The Weekly Rhythm Game-Week Clock

Everything you do in a week either prepares you for Friday or Saturday night — or costs you on it. Tap any day to see exactly what your arm, body, and mind should be doing.

Your In-Season Week — Click a Day

Sun

💤

Full Rest

Mon

❄️

Recovery

20–30

Tue

🎯

Install

80–100

Wed

🔥

Heavy

100–120

Thu

🧠

Film + Light

40–60

Fri

⚡

Sharpen

30–50

Sat

🏈

Game Day

—

The Core Principle Protect the Asset

🎯

Peak on Game Day

Your arm should feel its best on Saturday — not Tuesday. Every decision you make during the week either builds toward that or steals from it.

📉

The Fatigue Trap

Most QBs throw too much mid-week and arrive at Friday practice with a dead arm. Wednesday should be your heaviest day — not your sharpest. Save sharp for game time.

♻️

The 7-Day Loop

In-season is not 10 weeks. It's 10 individual 7-day cycles. Nail the rhythm of one week and you've built the template for every week that follows.

Protect the Weapon In-Season Arm Care

The arm that wins the championship is the one that was maintained week to week — not the one that was pushed hardest mid-season. These are non-negotiables at every level.

🟡

Pre-Throw Activation

5 minutes every single day before you throw. The shoulder needs to be ON before it's loaded — without exception.

External rotation — band, 2×15 each arm
Internal rotation — band, 2×15
Scapular pulls — slow and controlled, 15 reps
Arm circles — 10 forward, 10 back
Wrist flexion/extension — 10 each

❄️

Post-Practice Ice

10–15 minutes of ice on the shoulder and elbow after every throwing practice. Recovery happens here — not during the session.

Ice within 15 min of last throw
Cover shoulder AND elbow — both every time
Elevate arm slightly — reduce swelling
Follow with light stretch: pec minor, posterior capsule
Rate arm feel 1–10 in your throw journal

🔵

In-Season Long Toss

1× per week, Monday or Tuesday. Not for distance — for tissue maintenance. A completely idle arm loses elasticity.

Start at 30 yards — easy, no effort
Build to 50–55 yards over 10–12 throws
Come back in smooth — no rainbow arcs
20–25 reps total — this is maintenance, not training
Ice after. Done.

🧘

Sunday Arm Reset

Game day was Saturday. Sunday is not a throw day — it's an arm reset. Zero throws, full mobility work.

No throws — protect Sunday every week
Shoulder mobility: cross-body stretch, sleeper stretch
Foam roll upper back and thoracic spine
Light heat on shoulder (not ice) to promote blood flow
Rate arm vs. this time last week — trending up or down?

⚠️

Pain vs. Soreness

Knowing the difference protects your season. Dull = normal. Sharp = stop immediately.

Dull ache after 100 throws = normal muscle fatigue
Sharp or electric pain = stop throwing now
Pain at release = nerve or tendon issue — see trainer
Pain increasing week over week = overuse signal
Never hide arm pain from your coach or trainer

📓

Arm Journal

Track arm health the same way you track stats. Patterns tell you where the problems are coming from before they become injuries.

Rate arm 1–10 before and after every session
Log any soreness location specifically
Note sleep hours and hydration
Review weekly — is trend going up or down?
Share with trainer if 3+ days below 6/10

⚠️ Biggest in-season arm mistake: Throwing through sharp pain because "the team needs me." A QB who plays hurt and loses effectiveness does less for the team than a QB who rests a week and comes back 100%. Know when to protect the long-term asset.

Volume Management In-Season Throw Count

Every level has different demands. The goal is the same across all levels: peak on game day, not Wednesday. Select your level for your weekly throw targets.

Day	Throws	Type	Focus
Sunday	0	Rest	Full rest. No ball. Let the arm breathe after the game.
Monday	10–15	Recovery	Light catch only. Under 15 yards. Band warmup before. Ice after. Feel the arm reset.
Tuesday	30–40	Arm Work	Short route tree. Footwork fundamentals. Focus on mechanics, not velocity.
Wednesday	40–50	Arm Work	Heaviest day of the week. Full practice reps. All your routes. Keep effort at 80%.
Thursday	20–30	Light	Timing and touch only. Review game plan. No heavy effort — arm is tapering toward game day.
Friday	10–20	Sharpen	Pre-game walkthrough. Crisp, sharp throws only. 70% effort. Arrive at Saturday fresh.
Saturday	Game	Game Day	Warmup protocol only before kickoff. Compete. Ice immediately after. Write arm rating tonight.

💡Youth tip: At this level, arm health matters more than throw count. If your arm ever feels tight or tired, tell your coach immediately. There is no game worth injuring a developing arm. Fun and fundamentals first — every single week.

Day	Throws	Type	Focus
Sunday	0	Rest	Full rest. Band mobility only. Let the shoulder recover from the week.
Monday	20–25	Recovery	Active recovery. Light catch under 20 yards. Band warmup. Ice and stretch after.
Tuesday	40–55	Long Toss	Maintenance long toss (30–45 yds). Then short route work. Build arm elasticity.
Wednesday	60–70	Heavy	Peak practice day. Full install. Route tree. Read progressions. 85% effort on throws.
Thursday	30–40	Film + Light	Film review then light throwing. Situational reps only. Arm should feel good — not taxed.
Friday	15–25	Sharpen	Walkthrough + 15–25 crisp throws. Timing routes only. Arrive at game day sharp, not tired.
Saturday	Game	Game Day	Full warmup protocol (bands → short → long → routes). Compete. Ice immediately post-game.

💡Middle school tip: This is the level where mechanics become habits — good or bad. Use mid-week practice to build clean mechanics under light to moderate throwing, not just to throw more balls. Quality reps at 85% beats sloppy reps at 100% every time.

Day	Throws	Type	Focus
Sunday	0	Rest	Mandatory rest. Film study optional — review your last game for 10 minutes max. No ball.
Monday	25–35	Recovery	Active recovery day. 25 light catches under 20 yds. Full arm care protocol. Ice after. Journal arm feel.
Tuesday	80–100	Install + LT	Maintenance long toss (30–50 yds) to start. Then full install — all concepts for this week's opponent.
Wednesday	100–120	Heavy	Your hardest practice day. Full team reps. Every route. Film immediately after — study while arm is fatigued.
Thursday	50–70	Film + Situational	Opponent-specific situations only. 3rd down, red zone, 2-minute. Quality over volume. Ice after.
Friday	30–45	Sharpen	Walkthrough pace. Crisp timing routes only. 80% effort max. Leave the arm fresh for tomorrow.
Saturday	Game	Game Day	Bands → 15 short → 10 mid → 5 deep → timing routes. Compete. Ice and journal within 30 min of final whistle.

💡HS tip: Wednesday is your Tuesday. Don't peak too early in the week. The biggest in-season mistake at this level is carrying Wednesday intensity into Thursday and arriving at Friday's walkthrough with a heavy arm. Thursday is mental, not physical.

Day	Throws	Type	Focus
Sunday	0–20	Recovery	Film review (opponent + self) for 60–90 min. No structured throwing. Optional walk-around band work only.
Monday	30–50	Recovery + LT	Active recovery. Maintenance long toss 1× (20–25 reps, 40–55 yds). Arm care full protocol. Ice. 8 hrs sleep.
Tuesday	100–120	Install	Full game-plan install. Every concept for this week's opponent. Protection ID + hot routes. Film after.
Wednesday	130–150	Heavy	Peak volume day. Scripted team periods. Full live look situations. Film immediately post — train brain under arm fatigue.
Thursday	60–80	Situational	Opponent-specific situations only. No wasted reps. Every throw has a purpose tied to a game scenario.
Friday	30–45	Sharpen	Walkthrough + 30–45 crisp, sharp timing routes. 75% effort max. Game-day feel. Light, fast, sharp.
Saturday	Game	Game Day	Full pre-game protocol. Compete. Ice and nutrition within 20 min of final whistle. Film review Sunday AM.

💡College tip: At this level, Wednesday practice will be physically demanding regardless of what you do individually. Control what you can: your pre-throw activation, your post-practice ice routine, your sleep, and your nutrition. Those four habits separate the QBs who finish the season strong from those who fade in November.

Full-Body Maintenance Physical Recovery System

A QB's arm is attached to a body. When the legs are tired, the hips don't fire. When the hips don't fire, the mechanics break. When mechanics break, the arm pays for it. Full-body recovery is arm care.

🦵

Lower Body — Game Day Foundation

Every throw is generated from the ground up. Legs that are too sore to generate hip rotation kill arm velocity and accuracy before the shoulder ever gets involved.

Sunday: full rest — no lower body work
Monday: light foam rolling — quads, IT band, glutes, calves
Tuesday–Wednesday: normal football movement is sufficient
Thursday: no heavy lower body lifts this close to game day
Friday: walk-through pace only — protect the legs
Pre-game: dynamic warmup — high knees, leg swings, hip circles

🔄

Core — the QB's Engine

The core is the transfer point between the lower half and the throwing arm. A weak or fatigued core causes the arm to compensate — and that's how injuries happen.

2× per week in-season: core activation (planks, pallof press, dead bugs)
Avoid heavy oblique work within 48 hrs of game day
Rotational stability > rotational power in-season
5 min of core activation before every throwing session
If core is fatigued — your mechanics are compromised. Rest it.

😴

Sleep — The Real Recovery Tool

No ice bath, no supplement, no treatment replaces sleep. This is when the arm repairs itself. QBs who sleep 6 hours during a 10-week season accumulate damage. QBs who sleep 8–9 repair it.

8–9 hours minimum every night during the season
Sunday night is the most important — sets the tone for the week
Night before game day: 9 hours if possible
No screens 30 min before bed — affects sleep quality
Track sleep in your throw journal — the correlation to arm feel is real

🛁

Post-Game Recovery Protocol

The 30 minutes after the final whistle determine how your body enters the next week. Don't just walk to the bus.

Ice shoulder and elbow: 10–15 min — immediately
Eat within 30 minutes — protein + carbs
Hydrate: minimum 20 oz immediately post-game
Light stretch: hamstrings, hip flexors, posterior shoulder
Rate arm + body feel 1–10 before you sleep
Identify anything that felt different — sharp, tight, new

🚶

Active Recovery Days

Doing nothing is not the same as recovering. Active recovery promotes blood flow, reduces soreness, and primes the body for the next heavy day.

10–15 min light walk or bike — moves blood without stress
Dynamic mobility: hip circles, t-spine rotation, band work
Light foam rolling on major muscle groups
Not a throw day — the arm rests while the body moves
Drink 20+ oz of water throughout the day

⚡

Game-Day Warmup

The game-day warmup is the last prep window. Too short and you're cold. Too long and you've spent throws you need in the 4th quarter.

Band activation: 5 min — external/internal rotation, scapular
15 short throws under 15 yds — feel the snap
10 intermediate (15–30 yds) — timing patterns
5 deep — one shot to feel the arm out at full distance
5–8 route-running reps with WR — timing, trust
Total: 30–40 throws. Any more is waste before the game even starts.

⚠️ The late-season trap: Weeks 7–10, the body is beat up and the temptation is to push through everything. That's when overuse injuries spike. The QBs who win in November are the ones who managed October. Scale back throw count as the season progresses if arm feel is trending down — not up.

Between the Ears Mental Reset Protocol

The season is not 10 individual games. It's 10 opportunities to reset. A QB who carries last week's bad game into this week has already lost a rep. These protocols end the last game and start the next one.

After a Bad Game The 24-Hour Reset

Feel It — Don't Bury It

Saturday night, give yourself permission to be frustrated. Don't fake it. Don't perform positivity. Process the emotion first — bury it and it comes back in the pocket on 3rd and 8 next week.

One Film Session — Sunday Only

Watch the film once on Sunday. Take notes. Identify the 2–3 specific corrections you need to make. Then close the film. You cannot fix the game — you can only fix what it taught you.

Write the Lesson, Not the Loss

In your journal: write what you learned, not what you lost. "I learned that when I feel pressure, I tend to throw off my back foot on the dig route." That's a correction. "I sucked" is not.

Monday: Show Up Differently

Monday practice is the first day of the next game. Walk in with the corrections from Sunday, not the feelings from Saturday. Your teammates need you present — not replaying what happened.

Short Memory Rule

Good QBs have short memories — for both bad games and good ones. Hanging on to a great performance is just as dangerous as hanging on to a bad one. Both take you out of the present moment.

In-Game Adversity When It Goes Wrong Mid-Game

You Just Threw a Pick

The sideline is quiet. You can feel everyone looking. The next series is 3 minutes away.

The fix: Take one deep breath. Walk to your coach, not away from him. Get the correction. Write it on your wristband or hand. When you go back out — your only job is the next play. Not the last one. The pick is over. The next series isn't.

You're Getting Pressured Every Play

The protection isn't holding. You're taking hits. Rhythm is gone. Confidence is slipping.

The fix: Shorten your drop. Trust your hot route. Get the ball out fast. Quick completions rebuild rhythm faster than anything else. 6-yard completions on 3 straight plays do more for your confidence than one 30-yard shot.

You're Missing Throws You Never Miss

Third straight incompletion. The ball isn't coming out right. Mechanics feel off.

The fix: Check your feet. Are you setting before you throw? 90% of arm issues in-game trace back to footwork. Get your base right. Short, simple, complete. Reset the rhythm with a 5-yard out. Then breathe.

You're Losing the Battle at Halftime

Down 14. First half felt out of control. You're tight. The team is flat.

The fix: In the locker room — be the most composed person in the room. Not fake. Composed. "We've been here. We know what to fix. Let's go do it." The team follows the QB's emotional temperature. Set the right one.

Weekly Mental Habits Between Games

🎯

Pre-Practice Visualization

5 minutes before every practice, eyes closed. See yourself executing. Not hoping — executing. Rep the throws in your mind before you rep them on the field.

📺

Opponent Study Limit

Cap opponent film at 45 minutes per day. Overloading creates confusion, not confidence. Know their 3 biggest tendencies and your answers to each. That's enough.

🗣️

Lead the Huddle

Practice being calm in the huddle every rep — not just when it matters. The voice you use in Tuesday practice is the voice that shows up on 4th and 2 on Friday.

Performance Fuel In-Season Nutrition & Hydration

The arm runs on fuel. Dehydration accelerates fatigue faster than anything else. Poor nutrition mid-week means a depleted body on Saturday. These habits are part of the training.

HydrationDaily Water Targets

Your Daily Baseline

Body weight (lbs) ÷ 2 = minimum daily oz. A 160 lb QB needs 80 oz per day — before accounting for any physical activity.

Practice Days

Add 16–20 oz per hour of throwing or practice. Don't wait until you're thirsty — thirst means you're already behind.

Game Day

Start hydrating 24 hours before kickoff. Arrive at the stadium already hydrated. Drink 8 oz every quarter minimum throughout the game.

Warning Signs

Dark yellow urine = dehydrated. Headache + arm fatigue mid-practice = dehydration. These are performance signals, not just health ones.

NutritionWhat to Eat and When

🍳

Pre-Practice (90 min before)

Complex carbs + lean protein. This fuels the session without sitting heavy in your stomach during throws.

Oatmeal with eggs and fruit
Brown rice with grilled chicken
Whole wheat toast with peanut butter + banana
Avoid: high-fat, fried, or very high-fiber meals before throwing

⚡

Mid-Week Heavy Days

Wednesday is your heaviest day. Fuel it accordingly — your body needs more on heavy practice days to support recovery overnight.

Increase carbs on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning
Protein at every meal: 25–40g per sitting
Post-practice: protein + carb within 30 min
Don't undereat on heavy days — arm recovery depends on it

🌙

Friday Night (Pre-Game Eve)

This meal sets the fuel tank for tomorrow. Not a time to experiment — eat what you know and what your body responds well to.

Complex carbs: pasta, rice, sweet potato
Lean protein: chicken, fish, turkey
Vegetables — not too much raw fiber tonight
Avoid: new foods, heavy fat, alcohol (always)

🌅

3–4 Hours Pre-Kickoff

Your largest pre-game meal. Enough time to digest fully before warmups.

Rice or pasta: 1–1.5 cups cooked
Lean protein: 4–6 oz chicken, turkey, or fish
Fruit or light vegetables on the side
16–20 oz of water with this meal

⏰

1–2 Hours Pre-Kickoff

Light top-off only. By now your tank should already be full — this is just maintenance.

Banana or apple with peanut butter
Granola bar or rice cake
8–12 oz water
No heavy food — stomach needs to be comfortable at warmup

🏈

During the Game

Short games (HS): water is enough. Longer games (college): supplement with fast carbs at halftime.

Water every sideline break — 4–6 oz minimum
Halftime (college): banana, orange slices, or sports chews
Avoid anything new or heavy during the game
Sports drink OK if sweating heavily — for electrolytes, not sugar

🥩

Post-Game (within 30 min)

The most important nutrition window of the week. Muscle repair starts here — don't miss it.

25–40g protein immediately — shake if no food available
Fast carb: banana, white rice, sports bar
20 oz water minimum
This window accelerates recovery into next week

🍽️

Post-Game Full Meal (1–2 hrs)

Full recovery meal. Your body is in repair mode — feed it accordingly.

Protein: 6–8 oz meat or fish
Complex carbs: rice, potato, pasta
Vegetables and healthy fat (avocado, olive oil)
This meal sets up your Sunday recovery quality

💊

Supplements (Keep It Simple)

The basics consistently beat the exotic inconsistently. Don't overcomplicate the shelf.

Protein powder: if real food isn't available post-practice
Fish oil: supports joint and shoulder health in-season
Magnesium: supports sleep and muscle recovery
Vitamin D: especially important in fall and winter months
Talk to your trainer or doctor before adding anything else

Every Week In-Season QB Checklist

Run this checklist every week. These are the habits that compound over a season. Miss them once — no big deal. Miss them consistently — your arm and body will show it by Week 8.

Did band activation before every throwing session

5 min of external/internal rotation, scapular pulls, arm circles — every time.

Iced shoulder AND elbow after every heavy practice

10–15 min. Shoulder and elbow — both, not one.

Did 1× maintenance long toss session this week

20–25 reps, 40–55 yards. Arm tissue needs it even during the season.

Stayed at or under my weekly throw count target

Volume managed. Didn't over-throw mid-week and arrive at game day heavy.

Protected Sunday as a full rest day

Zero throws. Mobility only. Let the arm reset for the full week ahead.

Rated arm feel in my throw journal every session

1–10 before and after each throwing day. Know the trend week over week.

Slept 8+ hours at least 5 nights this week

Night before game day: 9 hours if possible. Sleep is the recovery tool.

Hit daily water intake target every day

Body weight ÷ 2 = minimum oz. Practice days: add 16–20 oz per hour of activity.

Ate pre-practice meal 90 min before every session

Complex carbs + protein. No skipped meals on heavy practice days.

Ate protein within 30 min of post-game or heavy practice

25–40g. Recovery starts immediately — don't leave a gap after heavy sessions.

Watched film purposefully — not just passively

Wrote 2–3 specific corrections or confirmations after each film session.

Reset mentally from last week's game (good or bad)

Took the lesson. Let go of the result. Arrived Monday focused on this week.

Arm felt same or better than last week

Trending up = habits are working. Trending down = something to adjust.

Arrived at game day with a fresh arm and a clear mind

The goal of the entire week. If this is yes — the week was a success.

0 / 14

Weekly Habits Completed

🏆 The compounding QB: A QB who runs this checklist 9 out of 10 weeks finishes the season stronger than he started it. His arm is healthy. His mind is clear. His body has been maintained. That QB is a problem in the playoffs — because everyone else is managing decline while he's still building.

In-SeasonMaintenanceSystem

In-Season
Maintenance
System