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Six-week off-season strength and conditioning programme
Covering strength, injury prevention and power transition, this six-week programme offers a comprehensive collection of exercises to support your players to get in shape and ready for the new season.
The goal for an off-season programme is to provide the time needed to both mentally and physically recover following a demanding season, whilst aiming to ensure that the player returns to pre-season training having conducted some prior conditioning work. This should reduce the risk of injury when pre-season begins, providing a platform to increase a player’s conditioning level.
Scientific studies have shown that an athlete’s strength and power can be maintained for approximately three weeks of detraining, yet small decreases in both aerobic and anaerobic physiological parameters may appear a fortnight in.
It is therefore important that towards the end of the rest and recovery period - in week 3 of the programme - players should balance time off and rest with recreational activities that they enjoy, such as golf, tennis, cycling or swimming.
Programme information
All players should follow a specific programme, addressing individualised weaknesses or areas for improvement, but the following general guidelines can be adopted:
- All players should have a minimum of two weeks of rest and recovery.
- Players who have been injured or missed large parts of the season can begin work in week 3 (by using week 4 in the programme below).
- All other players should follow the calendar below and begin work in week 4.
- Any players that have had groin or hamstring injuries during the preceding season should complete the appropriate groin or hamstring injury prevention sessions on their strength days.
- If the player does not have access to a gym, follow the bodyweight strength session instead.
If the goal is to gain lean muscle mass (hypertrophy), perform an extra strength session on Saturday and increase to 8-12 repetitions per exercise, selecting an appropriate resistance.
If the goal is to gain whole body strength, perform an extra session on Saturday with an extra set of each exercise (four sets), reducing the number of repetitions to five per exercise, with an appropriate load. Use ‘spotters’ if required. For safety, ensure that technical proficiency is mastered before adding further resistance to each exercise.
Programme overview
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
|
| Week 1 | Rest and recovery | ||||||
| Week 2 | Rest and recovery | ||||||
| Week 3 | Rest and recovery - alternative recreational activities | ||||||
| Week 4 | Strength and extensive endurance | Rest | Extensive endurance and core strength | Rest | Strength, core or bodyweight strength | Rest | Rest |
| Week 5 | Strength, core or bodyweight strength | Intensive endurance | Rest | Strength, core or bodyweight strength | Intensive endurance | Rest | Rest |
| Week 6 | Strength, core or bodyweight strength | Intensive endurance | Rest | Strength, core or bodyweight strength | Intensive endurance | Rest | Rest |
Strength
How do I set it up?
To perform this session appropriately, access to a gym is required.
What do I get the players to do?
Following a dynamic warm-up, the player selects the appropriate resistance and performs the desired number of repetitions for each pair of exercises, before resting for 90 seconds then completing again. Complete three sets of each pair, then move to the next exercises.
Exercise plan
These exercises will not be performed until week 4.
Week 4
Eight reps for each exercise or eight reps for each limb for single arm/leg exercises, resting for 90 seconds between pairs.
Week 5
Increase the resistance if comfortable and perform six reps for each exercise, or six reps for each limb for single arm/leg exercises. Rest for two minutes between pairs.
Week 6
Again increase the resistance further and perform six reps for each exercise, or six reps each limb for single arm/leg exercises ensuring the same two-minute rest between pairs.
Core strength
How do I set it up?
If a player is away on holiday and doesn’t have access to a gym, this session can be done in a small space such as a hotel room.
What do I get the players to do?
Perform the desired number of repetitions of each exercise as a circuit, taking little or no rest between each exercise. Rest for two minutes following the completion of each circuit.
Exercise plan
These exercises will not be performed until week 4.
In week 4, begin with three sets of the desired number of repetitions of each exercise. Increase the number of repetitions each week during weeks 4-6.
Bodyweight strength
How do I set it up?
Similar to the Core strength programme, this session is designed for players who have limited gym access, and therefore the exercises can be performed anywhere.
What do I get the players to do?
Perform the desired number of repetitions of each exercise as a circuit, taking little or no rest between each exercise. Rest for two minutes following the completion of each circuit.
Exercise plan
These exercises will not be performed until week 4.
Begin with three sets of the desired number of repetitions of each exercise. Increase the number of repetitions each week during weeks 4-6.
Hamstring strengthening
(for players who have suffered injuries in this area in the preceding season)
What do I get the players to do?
Perform the desired number of repetitions of each exercise, resting for 60 seconds between sets.
Exercise plan
These exercises will not be performed until week 4.
In week 4, begin with three sets of the desired number of repetitions of each exercise. Increase the number of repetitions each week during weeks 4 -6.
Perform more sets on a previously injured leg if it feels weaker when performing the exercises.
Groin strengthening
(for players who have suffered injury in this area in the preceding season)
What do I get the players to do?
Perform the desired number of repetitions of each exercise, resting for 60 seconds between sets.
Exercise plan
These exercises will not be performed until week 4.
Begin with three sets of the desired number of repetitions of each exercise. Increase the number of repetitions or resistance as appropriate each week during weeks 4-6. Perform more sets on the previously injured leg if it feels weaker when performing the exercises.
Extensive endurance
How do I set it up?
These are drills that are of moderate to hard intensity, thus they are performed for longer duration intervals. The sessions can be performed in a gymnasium on any machinery (bike, cross-trainer or treadmill) or on the football field. Always ensure a thorough and appropriate warm-up prior to each session. This training will not be undertaken until week 4.
Field-based sessions
Session 1
Pitch fartlek running
(work for 6-8 mins, then rest for 2 mins) – 4 sets
From the start position, the player walks to the edge of the box, jogs to the halfway line, then cruises to the opposite box.
The player then turns at the box, reduces speed back to a jog to halfway, cruises to the edge of box, and walks to the goal line to complete one run.
The aim is to keep moving throughout, repeating for the desired time.
Cruise pace is constant speed, medium to high intensity.
Jog pace is low to medium intensity recovery.
Session 2
30:30 drill
(work for 6 mins, then rest for 2 mins) – 4-5 sets
30sec work: The player starts on the halfway line and cruises to the edge of the box, turns, and cruises to the opposite box, turns and travels back to the start.
30sec recovery: The player jogs from the halfway line to the edge of the box and back, to complete one run.
1 set = 6 runs.
Gym-based sessions
Session 1 |
||||
| Exertion | % HR max | Duration | Mode | Details |
| Moderate to hard | 80-90% | 40 mins | Bike, row, cross-trainer, running on treadmill, track or pitch | 5x5 mins, work 2 mins AR* between sets |
Session 2 |
||||
| Exertion | % HR max | Duration | Mode | Details |
| Moderate to hard | 80-90% | 35 mins | Chose two exercise modes | 4 mins work, 90 secs AR |
| 4 mins work, 90 secs AR | ||||
| 4 mins work, 90 secs AR | ||||
| Repeat with different exercise mode | ||||
*AR = active recovery, low-intensity exercise following vigorous exercise
Intensive endurance
How do I set it up?
These are drills that are of high intensity, performed for shorter duration. Again, these sessions can be performed in a gymnasium or on the field. This training will not be undertaken until week 5.
Field-based sessions
Session 1
10:15 drill
(work for 2 mins, then rest for 90 secs) – complete 5-8 sets
10 secs work: The player starts on the goal line and runs to the halfway line.
15 secs recovery: The player must get back to the starting position in the desired time to complete one run.
1 set = 5 runs.
Session 2
12:8 drill
(work 2 mins 30 secs, then rest for 90 secs) - complete 5-8 sets
12 secs work: The player begins on the corner of the edge of box and goal-line, runs to the edge of the far six-yard box, then back to the start.
8 secs recovery: The player walks to near the six-yard box line to complete one run, and begins the next run in the direction they are facing.
After two runs, the player should be back at the initial start position.
1 set = 8 runs.
Gym-based sessions
| Exertion | % HR max | Duration | Mode | Details |
| Hard | 90-100% | 25 mins | Choose one mode of exercise |
12 x 1 min work 1 min AR* between sets |
*AR = active recovery, low-intensity exercise following vigorous exercise
Final preparations
As a general rule we do not test players before they leave for the off-season. However, if a player has a particular area they are attempting to improve, we will test this so we can track any performance changes.
All players will be thoroughly screened when they return for pre-season training. This will involve a number of health-related, musculoskeletal, functional and performance related assessments and will help drive their individual strategies for the upcoming season.
With this in mind, we do not have specific fitness targets, but expect all players to return in a condition that will enable them to meet the demands of our pre-season training schedule. As minimum criteria, this will have required them to maintain strength and body composition and to have done sufficient conditioning to prevent the deterioration of their aerobic and anaerobic energy systems.
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