THE OFFSEASON
PROGRAM
THE OFFSEASON
PROGRAM
CREATED, WRITTEN, AND DESIGNED BY
SPENCER MOELLER
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from the author. All copyrights are reserved.
DISCLAIMER
The information provided in this guide is for educational purposes only. I am not a
doctor and this is not meant to be taken as medical advice. The information provided in this guide is based upon my experiences as well as my interpretations of
the current research available. The advice and tips given in this download are meant
for healthy adults only.You should consult your physician to ensure tips given in this
course are appropriate for your individual circumstances. If you have any health
issues or pre-existing conditions, please consult with your physician before implementing any of the information provided below. This product is for informational
purposes only and the author does not accept any responsibilities for any liabilities.
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INTRODUCTION
T
he summer months give football players valuable time to commit to a full
offseason workout plan. As you know, the game of football is incredibly
demanding.You must be able to sprint, explode to the ball and change direction
while maintaining these skills for 90 minutes. The key to any workout plan is to
actually have a plan.Yes, any workout is better than no workout at all, but you will
severely limit your potential gains if you fail to follow a program designed to
maximize your performance on the pitch. What you do in the offseason will
ultimately impact how you perform next season. The old coaching adage that
"it is easier to stay in shape than it is to get in shape" is true, but most players
don't know how to improve their fitness without a coach present. We are not
trying to maintain in the offseason and come back in the fall as the same player.
We are going to use our 60 days of “rest” to turn ourselves into physical specimens. Take advantage of your time away from team training and begin to distance
yourself from your competition.
DETRAINING
You would be correct in guessing that
there is a lot of research on gaining
fitness, but you might also be surprised
that there has been a great deal of
study into losing fitness (detraining).
Training leads to two major adaptations in the body. First is the ability of
the cardiovascular
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system to deliver oxygen to the cells and the second is the ability of the
muscle cells to use the delivered oxygen. When training is stopped, the
muscle cells lose most of what they have gained fairly fast (10-14 days), but the
cardiovascular system detrains slowly.You may have experienced this when you
work out after being off for a short break. That first workout doesn't feel too bad.
During that workout, the cardiovascular system takes up the slack from the cells
that detrained so quickly. However, if you lay off for a month or more, you are starting back at ground zero in terms of endurance fitness.
Having said that, without proper rest there can be negative ramifications. Once the
season concludes you should recover and rejuvenate your body for 1-2 weeks before
beginning training again. Playing the same sport over a long period of time can
lead to a loss of interest and burnout so it will be crucial for you to perform a variety
of workouts in different environments in the offseason to keep yourself focused
and motivated.
DEVELOPMENT
It is important to understand that the
development process should not be
as extreme or intense as in season
practice. During the offseason, exercise and training should be held at a
lower intensity and volume. Slowing
down enhances an athlete’s focus on
the basics and on specific movements. Athletes who want to stay in
shape should decrease frequency and
duration of their training, but focus
on maintaining intensity. Exercise
lacking in intensity will result in a
loss of fitness, so the offseason is an
important time to shorten duration,
but maintain competitive effort.
IMPROVEMENT
The offseason is when athletes can
improve their power output and learn
how to correctly access this newfound strength on the pitch. Improving strength is the foundation of
further physical performance and
needs to be pursued equally. Footballers occasionally place unequal
pressure on different parts of body
and these imbalances can be dangerous if left unchecked. The offseason
gives an adequate amount of time to
either rest specific muscle groups or
strengthen them and doing so can
greatly improve an athlete’s health
and prevent future injuries.
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TOP 3 OFFSEASON
COMPONENTS
1.
AEROBIC CAPACITY
(ENDURANCE)
The importance of stamina/endurance in soccer is huge since the game lasts for 90
minutes. Endurance plays a crucial part in your performance during that time so the
level of physical exertion is in direct correlation with performing at your peak. Another important element that is a strong factor of performance in soccer is the speed of
recovery after intense bouts of actions. Following a pre-season regimen can build
aerobic capacity to a certain degree, but one major obstacle comes in the way and
that is time. There is simply not enough time and frequency of training stimulus to
use pre-season workouts in the offseason.
A good example of this is a pre-season program that lasts for 6-7 weeks. Most clubs
only spend 2 weeks building up “the base”. The real question to be asked is: “Is this
enough to cause significant changes in aerobic capacity?”. The short answer: “No!”
The problem is not so much in the training methodology but more in the calendar of
competition. A simple solution for anyone seeking to level up their game is to take
advantage of the time available in the offseason to develop aerobic capacities. A
well designed program of 6 weeks can produce huge results without exerting your
body to more stress that is recommended during the offseason period.
GENERAL AEROBIC GUIDELINES
Training Frequency: every other day or 2-4 training sessions per week
Training Intensity: light-moderate; 6-11mph, 60-85% HRmax
Training Modes: continuous extensive, continuous intensive, interval, fartlek
Training Zone: aerobic recovery zone, aerobic extensive, aerobic intensive,
bellow anaerobic threshold; lactate threshold
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2.
STRENGTH/RESISTANCE
TRAINING
Soccer strength is one of the core components for performing at the top level.
Games during the season can interfere with program progression, however, most
players can maintain their strength during the season with 1 harder strength session
and 1-2 lighter workouts per week depending on their game schedule. Smart athletes
grasp the notion that systematic blocks of strength can produce huge improvements
in relatively short periods of time (4-5 weeks of planned strength training periodization).
STRENGTH PREREQUISITES
Be sure that you are using proper technique and movement patterns
Your body went through the anatomical adaptation phase
(getting ready to train)
You are not skipping steps and using too much too soon
(specificity and quantity wise)
3. PREVENTION
Prevention training is a very important element of offseason training that you should
seriously consider implementing into your own regimen. Everyone has a specific
weak spot in their body which is sometimes caused by repeating injuries, other times
by inadequate and poor rehab. There are many simple workout routines and drills
that you can perform during the offseason that can make a huge difference later in
the season.
MAKING YOUR
OFFSEASON
SCHEDULE
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Step 1: Determine what is going to be your GOAL
Step 2: Come up with a PLAN of action
Step 3: Decide on WORKOUTS and DRILLS you are going to employ
Step 4: Write your PERIODIZATION (weekly and daily plan and program)
Step 5: FOLLOW THROUGH ON YOUR PLAN
STEP 1 - GOAL
After discussing what your general considerations should be for the offseason, you
now need to begin to set your individual priorities. Each player has different
strengths and weaknesses and each position has specific demands that need to be
addressed during the offseason. It is crucial that you do not make mistakes in your
program as they will have consequences once the regular season begins.
Your individual priorities need to be focussed around your weaknesses on the pitch.
The offseason can have a positive impact on your game only if you focus on the
things that really matter specifically to you. As you read in the previous pages, the 3
main components that you should consider in your offseason program are aerobic
capacity, strength, and prevention.You need to consider what your top priority is out
of these 3 components. Depending on where you place your priorities, your program
will be predominantly filled with the component you want to specifically work on in
the offseason. Below you will find what a balanced system looks like.
STRENGTH
Week 1
AEROBIC CAPACITY
PREVENTION
Training 1
Training 1
Week 2
Training 2
Training 4
Training 6
Training 3
Training 5
Training 2
Week 3
Training 7
Training 9
Training 11
Training 8
Training 10
Training 9
Week 4
Training 12
Training 14
Training 12
Training 13
Training 13
Week 5
Training 15
Training 17
Training 16
Training 18
Week 6
Training 19
Training 20
Training 21
Training 19
Training 20
Training 21
Training 20
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STEP 2 - PLAN
It is very helpful to create a calendar that clearly shows your offseason schedule. In
order to fully understand your training program I recommend coloring your calendar
in a way that each component has its own color.
Prevention
MONDAY
1
TUESDAY
2
WEDNESDAY
3
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
5
4
Aerobic
Strength
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
6
7
13
14
20
21
WEEK 1
Training 1
8
WEEK 2
9
Training 3
Training 2
15
WEEK 3
10
16
Training 7
11
Training 4
17
12
Training 5
18
Training 8
Training 6
19
Training 10
Training 11
Training 9
22
WEEK 4
Training 12
29
WEEK 5
6
Training 13
30
Training 15
5
WEEK 6
23
Training 20
Training 16
6
24
25
26
27
28
1
2
3
4
10
11
Training 14
31
Training 17
7 Training 21
Training 18
8
Training 19
9
Training 22
STEP 3 - WORKOUTS
At this point, you need to decide what exercises you’re going to use. This depends on
your goals and what you want to accomplish during your offseason. Another important factor you need to take note of is your playing level and knowledge of exercising.
This means if you have experience in advanced strength training than you should be
performing more difficult exercises when compared to a beginner.
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It is critical you organize your exercises prior to beginning your program.You
can make a simple list that you can update as you gradually progress with
your skills and abilities. Update your list each year as you become stronger.
EXERCISE MENU
WARM UP
Dynamic Warm Up
High Knee Walking
Walking Lunges
Running Backwards
Heels
High Knees
Straight Leg
Open/Close Gate
A-Skip
Progressive Running
Warm Up For
Strength/Power
Jumping Jacks
Skip Rope
Bodyweight Squats
Lunges
Wide Push-Ups
Knee Rotations
Leg Swings Backward
Leg Swings Side to Side
EXPLOSIVE POWER
Olympic Lift Variations
Hang Clean Progression
Jump Shrugs from Hang Position
High Pull from Hang Position
Hang Clean
Power Clean Progression
Olympic Clean Progression
Clean Pulls
Power Clean
Push Jerk Progression
Standing Military Press
Push Press
Push Jerk
Power Snatch Progression
Snatch Grip Jump Shrug from Hang
Snatch Grip High Pull from Hang
Hang Snatch
Snatch-Grip Olympic Deadlift
Snatch-Grip Clean Pulls from floor
Power Snatch
Explosive Power Variations
STRENGTH
CORE
Back Squat Variations
Abdominal
High Bar Olympic Style
Low Bar Powerlifting Style
High Box Squat
Front Plank
Back Plank
Side Plank
Bicycle
Pikes
Lawn Chairs
Bird Dog
Glute Bridge
Leg Raises
Flutter Kicks
Front Squat Variations
Squat Machine
Pit Shark Machine
Leg Press Machine
Lower Body (Isolateral)
BB & DB Box Step Ups
BB & Db Stationary
Lunges
BB & DB Walking Lunges
BB or DB Single Leg Squat
Single Leg Leg Press
Upper Body (bilateral)
Bench Press Variations
Mobility
Walking hip openers
Neck half circles
Arch and Curl
Scapulae Push-Ups
Dynamic Frog Stretch
Supine Bench Board Press
Power Rack Partial Bench
Lockouts
Incline Bench Press
Decline Bench Press
Bench Press Machine
Back Squat With Smith Machine
Explosive Machine Jumps
Explosive Box Step Ups
Vertimax Machine Jumps
Plyometric Box Jumps
Hammer Jammer Machine
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STEP 4 - PERIODIZATION
We have come to the second to last point of your offseason workout plan and that is
making your global plan (periodization). Periodization is simply the systematic
planning of athletic or physical training. In order to reach your highest level of performance during the season, you need to divide your training into phases during the
offseason. The best periodization plan looks extremely simple. Here’s an example of
a basic soccer strength exercise periodization.
Squat; Bench Press; Deadlift
Week 1
70% - 15, 12, 10 reps
Week 2
70% - 15, 12, 10 reps
Week 3
75% - 12, 10, 8 reps
Week 4
80% - 10, 8, 6, 10 reps
Week 5
85% - 10, 8, 6, 5, 8 reps
Week 6
90% - 10, 8, 6, 4 reps
STEP 5 - WORK
This is the hardest part. Grinding through your plan. It takes persistent action and
hard-core dedication to complete a full offseason program. Just remember that you
are the only one that can influence whether this plan will be realized or not. Make
your decision now.
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