The Off-Season
The off-season is a very important period for conditioning: because there are no scheduled games, more
time can be devoted to this aspect of training without jeopardizing technical and tactical preparations. The
length of off-season can vary, depending on the team, but is usually divided in multiple phases. For the
purpose of this book, we have chosen to further divide the off-season into an early and late period, each
ranging from 4 to 6 weeks in length.
The major conditioning objective for this phase of the season is to establish a base level of conditioning
that will increase a player’s tolerance for more intense training. As such, fitness training during this phase
should be higher in volume, but lower in intensity. During the initial stages, or early off-season, coaches
should focus on improving aerobic endurance; build basic strength; and reacquire basic speed and agility
techniques. The latter stages of the off-season should build on the initial objectives and also prepare the
players for the pre-season phase, which involves more intense training.
The Pre-Season
Session planning during the pre-season can be challenging as players need to be conditioned for the high-
intensity nature of games, but priority also has to be given to technical and tactical preparation. This
training phase usually lasts three weeks, regardless of the league, and must be well planned. The main
conditioning objective during this phase is to prepare the body for match play, which is accomplished by
developing explosive power, anaerobic and strength endurance, as well as starting speed and acceleration.
The In-Season
Achieving and maintaining a peak level of match fitness for the competitive season is what soccer
conditioning all comes down to. This is no easy feat, especially for teams with an extended playing
season that can last up to six months. During this phase, fitness activities have to be carefully planned and
executed in order to allow for optimal recovery for games. As such, conditioning drills should be low in
volume but high in intensity.
Regardless of its length, the main conditioning objectives for the in-season are to maintain the fitness
levels acquired during the off and pre-season phases. However, it will be extremely difficult to target all
conditioning components within a twice-a-week training schedule. We therefore recommend a rotational
system that covers all the components within a three-week cycle (discussed below).
Injury prevention should also be a major focus during this phase, further highlighting the need for a low
volume/high intensity training format. Additionally, the coach should ensure that balance and flexibility
training are not neglected.