How do I Plan my Strength Training for the Football Season?

Do you want to train like a professional football player?
Then strength training is something you have to start incorporating into your training.

How often do serious football players strength training?
Although it’s team and individual dependent, as a rough guide most players will strength train 3-4 times per week in the off-season, 2-3 times per week in the pre-season and 1-2 times per week in the in-season.

How can you incorporate it?
Off-season is different from pre-season which is going to be again different from in-season.

Why?
The workload is varied during these times of the season.

Players have less running/more recovery time in the off-season so have time to build some strength and expose their body to weight training with more time left over to recover.
Pre-season there is a higher workload on the pitch so you may not be able to dedicate as much time to strength training so you do a little less, however pre-season is an excellent time to build a foundation for the season so it still plays a crucial role.

In-season the priority is game performance so again you focus even less on strength training to ensure you are fresh as possible for game day. However, you still keep it in your training to maintain (and sometimes improve) what you gained in off-season and pre-season.

Having strength training for the season is important for a number of reasons:

1. ) Stronger muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments will allow your body to tolerate the accumulated load of training over the season. Meaning, your fitness will last longer
2. ) Your body doesn’t have to work as hard running as you need less effort to apply the force you previously found hard
3. ) You can run faster – more strength = more force. More force you put into the ground = more speed.
4. ) Reduce risk of injury. Stronger body means you are more likely to be able to deal with knocks, tackles, niggles and hard training sessions.
5. ) You have potential to be more powerful. Strength is the basis of power. Without strength your power is limited.

How To Use Strength Training for the Season:
If you have no idea how to piece together even a basic strength training program. You can use the one below and slot in exercises you like to perform. Keep it simple and keep it to the main physical movements in the gym which get the best results.

For lower body exercises use things such as squat, deadlift, trap-bar deadlift, hip thrusts.

For single leg use lunges, split squats, single leg squats, step-ups

For power use weighted jumps, unweighted jumps, medicine balls and/or Olympic lifts

For upper body use things like bench press, , rows, pull ups or standing press

For core use things like ab-rollouts, plank variations, pallof presses and/or heavy carries.

Off-Season 3 weeks (A)
3 full body per week
2-4 sets 8-12 reps

Lower Body exercise
Single Leg Lower Body Exercise
Upper Body Exercise
Core

Off-Season 3 weeks (B)
3 full body per week
3-5 Sets 6-8 Reps

Lower Body exercise
Single Leg Lower Body Exercise
Upper Body Exercise
Core

Pre-Season (A)
2 Full Body Per Week
4-6 Sets x 4-6 Reps

Power Exercise Lower Body (3-6 sets x 1-3 reps)

Lower Body exercise
Single Leg Lower Body Exercise
Upper Body Exercise
Core (Higher Reps)

Pre-Season (B)
2 Full Body Per Week
4-6 Sets x 2-4 Reps

Power Exercise Lower Body

Lower Body exercise
Single Leg Lower Body Exercise
Upper Body Exercise
Core (Higher Reps)

In-Season (A)
2 Full Body Per Week

Session 1

Strength
(low volume, heavier weight – furthest from match day as possible)
3-5 sets x 2-6 reps

Lower Body exercise
Single Leg Lower Body Exercise
Upper Body Exercise
Core (Higher Reps)

Session 2
(low volume, move the weight fast as possible – 48-72 hours before match day)
Power
2-4 Sets x 2-4 Reps

Power Exercise Lower Body

Lower Body exercise
Single Leg Lower Body Exercise
Upper Body Exercise
Core (Higher Reps)

There are of course lots of ways to do this and individual player requirements have to be taken into consideration.

However, if you are completely unsure then the above template will keep help you start incorporating strength into your football training and get all the benefits that come with it.

Enjoy this article? For more keep an eye out for our IN-SEASON 8-WEEK TRAINING PLAN.

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