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Off-Season Strength Training - 4-Week Cycle

entrenamiento de fuerza 4ta swmana

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Valentina Batero
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244 views3 pages

Off-Season Strength Training - 4-Week Cycle

entrenamiento de fuerza 4ta swmana

Uploaded by

Valentina Batero
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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4-Week Sample Off-Season Strength Training

For every sport, race, and competition, the season has an end. However, the period between the post-season
and the 6 weeks (this time may be varied) before the first competition of the season is called OFF-
SEASON. This phase includes most of the preparatory period and can be divided into several short
mesocycles, for example 8 to 12 weeks, in some cases even 2-3 weeks for elite athletes. The duration depends
on the individual athlete, particularly age, gender, acquired skills and training experience. For example,
younger and less developed athletes may spend a good portion of time in general physical preparation and then
move on to a strength or hypertrophy phase if needed. On the other hand, for the athlete with a stronger training
background who is offered a full postseason phase, devoting even just 2 or 3 weeks of general physical
preparation may be sufficient before moving on to the next microcycle. Although during this phase athletes
are free from games and competitions, I definitely want to mention that this does not mean having full time off
and vacations.
...but then what are the goals of this phase?
The purpose of an off season training program is to prepare the athlete

• to tolerate the intensity of future competition


• reducing the probability of preventable injuries
• Optimizing athletic performance
Warning! Many of you will say that the last 2 points are the ultimate goal of any good training and not just
the off season, that is true! Is there then a specific phase of the year called off season? Theoretically yes, but
in practical terms I think not. Whether we are in season with our team or in the post season or "off season...to
sustain the intensity in a gradual way, reduce where possible the probability of injury and improve the athletic
performance of the individual or the team, are the result of a good training at any stage of the year in which
we are. Nothing else! So, let's not focus so much on the division of periods or phases, but on the principles
of sports physiology that govern training!
In fact, the off-season endurance training plan must address the physiological demands of the sport with the
physical strengths and weaknesses of each individual athlete. A well-planned off-season endurance training
program will have a profound positive effect on the athlete's athletic development, unlike a non-planning plan.
Where I am, who I am with, and what I am going to do are the questions I need to answer before writing a
reasonable training program.
Have clear ideas with 3 simple questions!
Returning to the topic at hand...
The primary goal of the off-season phase is to maximize strength and power, and especially if there is a need
to give importance to hypertrophy ... especially for young athletes with little muscle mass! Quality of
movement, mobility, flexibility, and core strength are also goals to aim for in this phase...but you'll agree
with me that this is always the goal. So I say again: is there such a thing as a real off-season? Think about it!
Now I don't want to get too theoretical and talk a lot, better to share with you a practical example that I used
with my basketball team during off-season.
Session A Session B
Low Plyo Low Plyo
A1. Goblet Squat or Barbell Front Squat A1. Pull ups o Inverted lat machine
A2. Db’s Straight Leg Deadlift A2. Db’s bench press
B1. Db’s Step up B1. Alterning Db’s incline bench press
B2. Hamstring slider slow eccentric B2. Tripod Kb row
C1. Lateral lunges C1. Lateral raise
C2. Isometric calf raise C2. Db’s triceps
C3. Db’s biceps
D1. Bench press D1. Hip thrust iso 5’’ at top
D2. Pulley D2. Leg curl
E1. Seated Db’s press E1. Reverse lunge
E2. Upright row E2. Walking calf raise
F1. Triceps cable • Core anti-rotation
F2. Biceps cable • Core abs
• Core anti-extension
• Core anti-flexion

The program is developed on 3 weekly sessions with ABA BAB schedule, performed on Monday, Wednesday
and Friday. Example: Monday A, Wednesday B, Friday A. The following week will be: Monday B,
Wednesday A, Friday B. The muscle groups we train in session A are the same as in session B, what changes
are the exercises, in this way we offer different stimuli but with the same objective. As you can see the program
seems a little long, which is why I thought of working with the superset method.
Example: A1 exercise + A2 exercise + pause. Repeat the sequence for the number of times indicated.
This method in addition to making the workout faster, increases conditioning levels, provides proper muscle
balance, offers cleaner neuromuscular and recruitment signal and function, and increases blood flow to body
segments. The duration of this program is 4 weeks: week 1 with low load, week 2 with medium load, week 3
with high load and week 4 with low load. Regarding the number of reps, it is recommended to go down from
20-12 reps to 6-10 reps as the weeks progress, with a buffer being 1 rep before exhaustion or at exhaustion.
Example: week 1 4x15, week 2 4x12, week 3 4x10-8, week 4 3x6-8
Each exercise can have a minimum of 2 to a maximum of 4 sets.
Example: Session A= A1 4x12 + A2 4x12, B1 3x10 + B2 3x10, F1 2x15-20 + F2 2x15-20.
Regarding the percentage of load used we recommend intensities between 60-80% 1RM. The recovery time
at the end of each superset is 60'’-120'', while the recommended mode of execution is a slow eccentric, a
possible break between eccentric and concentric and a fast concentric.
This progression of SeriesXRepetitions and the mode of execution allow us to prepare the body for the next
phase: strength or hypertrophy (if necessary) are the recommended choices.
To conclude…
Increasing performance potential in the off-season has many benefits and is the foundation of personal athletic
growth. All in all, off-season training is important regardless of the sport because it is a time not only to rest,
but also to develop, improve, and focus on skills that directly and indirectly affect competitive performance.
References
1. Bompa,T. Periodization:Theory and Methodology of Training.4th rd.Champaign,IL: Human
Kinetics,1999.
2. Stone, MH, Stone, M, and Sands, W.Principles and Practice of Resistance Training. Champaign, IL;
Human Kinetics, 2007.
3. Williams, TD, Tolusso, DV, Fedewa, MV, and Esco, MR. Comparison of periodizen and non
periodizen resistance training on maximal strength: A meta-analysis. Sport Med 47:2083-2100, 2017.
4. Zatsiorsky, V, and Kraemer, W.Science and Practice of Strength Training. 2nd ed. Champaign, IL;
Human Kinetics, 2006.

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