The Off-Season
*No Training Or Matches With Club
*After Competitive Season, Before Pre-Season
*Usually 4-12 Weeks
Speed Training: Short distances, to limit the speed you are able to reach (due to an increased risk of injury at the beginning). Heavier loads, with shorter distances (emphasises force production).
Change-of-Direction Training: Since athlete has no training/matches in off-season, implementing COD Training is key so the athlete adapts to moving to different planes of motion , allowing them to be physically ready for pre-season.
Plyometric Training: Use longer ground contact times to emphasise force output (e.g., Broad Jumps).
Power Training: Use heavier loads to emphasise force output (e.g., Squat Jump, Step-Up Jump).
Strength Training: Higher reps, lighter loads, to emphasise structural adaptations. This will build a structural foundation to allow higher forces to be produced, later on in the season (e.g., Trapbar deadlift).
Hypertrophy Training: Should use 6-15 reps, with relevant loads.
Conditioning: Not necessary to perform, since every practice/match acts as specific conditioning training. Since there are no matches during off-season, it is a good idea to implement conditioning. General aerobic endurance is best as it will build an aerboic capacity foundation, which will help the specific conditioning work, during pre-season, and in-season.
Day Number
Objective(s)
1: Field Training
*Speed, Resisted Sprints, Change-of-Direction, Conditioning
2: Gym Training
*Power, Hypertrophy, Strength
3: Field Training
*Speed, Resisted Sprints, Change-of-Direction, Conditioning
4: Gym Training
*Power, Hypertrophy, Strength