Athletically Related Activity for Student-Athletes
In-Season vs. Out-of-Season Periods
In-Season –
Definition: The time between the team’s first officially recognized practice session and the last practice
session or competition, whichever is later.
Time Restrictions:
 20 hours/week
 4 hours/day
 1 off day required
Out-of-Season –
Definition: The remaining days during the academic year not included in the “in-season” period.
Time Restrictions:
 8 hours/week
 Not more than 2 hours of skill instruction
 2 off days required
Note: All athletically related activities are prohibited during Dead and Finals weeks.
Time Limitation Exceptions – The time limitations above do not apply:
 During preseason practice prior to the first day of classes or first scheduled contest, whichever is earlier.
 During Stanford’s official vacation periods (e.g., Thanksgiving, spring break), and during the academic year
between terms when classes are not in session.
Countable vs. Non-Countable Athletically Related Activity
Note: the lists below are not exhaustive, but are intended to serve as examples of the types of activities that may or may
not count against daily and weekly time limits.
Countable Athletically Related Activity –
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Competition and associated activities (e.g., walk through, pre-game meeting);
o No countable athletically related activities may occur after the competition.
Practice;
Required weight-training, flexibility and conditioning activities held at the direction of or supervised by an
institutional staff member;
Athletics meetings with a coach or other institutional staff member, if initiated or required by a coach (i.e. end of the
season individual meetings);
Required participation in camps, clinics or workshops;
Film or videotape review;
Individual skill instruction, outside the regular season, conducted by a member of the coaching staff;
Visiting the competition site in the sports of cross country and golf.
Non-Countable Athletically Related Activity –
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Compliance Meetings;
Team meals or competition related meals;
Injury rehab;
Meetings with a coach initiated by a student-athlete;
Study hall or tutoring sessions;
Travel to and from practice and competition sites (unless travel includes watching film);
Public relations activities (media days, fan appreciation days, autograph signing sessions);
Fund-raising activities;
Recruiting activities (e.g., serving as a student host for a prospect during visits).
Out-of-Season Athletically Related Activities
The NCAA states that out-of-season conditioning activities may not include contact-related drills or activities, citing the potential for
injury. Training with equipment that is not specific to the sport is permitted in the interest of building general strength and stamina;
however, no equipment related to a sport may be used (e.g. football blocking sleds).
Permissible Out-of-Season Conditioning Activities
Simulation of game activities, provided no offensive or
Non-contact boxing or martial arts drills/activities (e.g.,
defensive alignments are set up and no equipment related
speed bag, heavy bag)
to the sport is used
Weight training (e.g., free weights, weight machines,
Running/sprints
kettlebells, medicine balls)
Obstacle courses
Agility/plyometric drills
Tug-of-war (e.g., rope, tire)
Battling ropes
Wheelbarrow races
Resistance springs (e.g., parachute, harness, sled, other
individuals)
Sledgehammer training
Ergs (rowing)
Conditioning Activities that May Not be Conducted Out-of-Season
Wrestling (Greco-Roman, freestyle, grappling)
Boxing
Mixed-martial arts
Blocking/tackling/checking drills (e.g., use of football sleds,
walls, or other individuals to develop contact-related
techniques
Martial arts (with contact)
Offensive or defensive alignments
Note: These activities apply to a student-athlete’s participation in voluntary conditioning activities conducted by strength and
conditioning staff, but not those that are only monitored by strength and conditioning staff for safety reasons or for sports during a
period designated as discretionary time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is it permissible to conduct conditioning activities outside of the playing season that simulate offensive or defensive
alignments by replacing sport-specific equipment with non-sport specific equipment?
Answer: No. It is not permissible to replace equipment specific to one sport with equipment specific to another sport, or nonathletic equipment, if the conditioning activity includes offensive and defensive alignments (e.g., using a rolled-up towel, tennis
ball to conduct receiving drills in football).
Question 2: Is it permissible to conduct conditioning activities outside of the playing season using non-sport specific equipment,
provided there is no simulation of offensive or defensive alignments?
Answer: Yes. It is permissible to replace equipment specific to one sport with equipment specific to another, provided no
offensive or defensive alignment is simulated (e.g., using tennis balls to conduct agility for sports other than tennis).
Question 3: May Stanford pay expenses for a student-athlete to participate in a ropes course for required conditioning activities
outside of the playing season?
Answer: Yes. Stanford may pay a fee related to the conduct of required conditioning activities outside of the playing season.
However, Stanford may not pay for any additional expenses (e.g., transportation, lodging, and meals) incurred in conjunction with
required conditioning activities outside the playing season.
Question 4: Is it permissible to post videos of conditioning activities outside of the playing season, required or voluntary, on public
websites (e.g., YouTube), GoStanford.com, or social media pages?
Answer: It is permissible to post videos of required conditioning activities. However, it is not permissible to post videos of
voluntary workouts.
Question 5: Is it permissible for a baseball student-athlete to run around the bases, or a gymnastics student-athlete to perform
stretching exercises (e.g., leg lifts), for conditioning outside of the playing season?
Answer: Yes, provided no situational activities occur (e.g., simulation of stealing bases, executing all or part of a routine).