Off-Season Conditioning for Transition Team Sports
Chris Ullom, ATC, CSCS
This is a four week of a off-season conditioning program for transition field sports. A transition sport is defined as having continuous play (soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, etc.), unlike football or baseball where plays have a distinct initiation and completion. The off-season conditioning training cycle consists of Extensive Tempo Interval Runs (focus on your stride/mechanics, not the intensity of your sprint),low-volume shuttles to begin change of direction work, and Fartlek runs to build aerobic capacity. Week four is either cross-training or metabolic circuit training.
Week One
Session 1 - Extensive Tempo Intervals - performed on a 100 X 50 yard field, tempo run the length of the sideline (75-80% effort, tall posture, flick your heel to your butt, toes up towards your shin, good arm action), walk the endline.
- 6 reps (1 rep = (2) 100 yard runs/(2) 50 yard walks)
Session 2 - shuttles = 30 yard shuttle (10 yard course, 3 trips) - 5 reps, 4-6s work:30s rest
75 yard shuttle (25 yard course, 3 trips) - 5 reps, 12-14s work:45s rest
Session 3 - 25 minute Fartlek run - run based on how you feel, vary pace and terrain
Week Two
Session 1 - Extensive Tempo Intervals - performed on a 100 X 50 yard field, tempo run the length of the sideline (75-80% effort, tall posture, flick your heel to your butt, toes up towards your shin, good arm action), walk the endline.
- 8 reps (1 rep = (2) 100 yard runs/(2) 50 yard walks)
Session 2 - shuttles = 30 yard shuttle (10 yard course, 3 trips) - 6 reps, 4-6s work:30s rest
75 yard shuttle (25 yard course, 3 trips) - 6 reps, 12-14s work:45s rest
Session 3 - 30 minute stationary bike = medium pace
Week Three
Session 1 - Extensive Tempo Intervals - performed on a 100 X 50 yard field, tempo run the length of the sideline (75-80% effort, tall posture, flick your heel to your butt, toes up towards your shin, good arm action), walk the endline.
- 8 reps (1 rep = (2) 100 yard runs/(2) 50 yard walks)
Session 2 - shuttles = 30 yard shuttle (10 yard course, 3 trips) - 8 reps, 4-6s work:30s rest
75 yard shuttle (25 yard course, 3 trips) - 6 reps, 12-14s work:45s rest
Session 3 - 30 minute Fartlek
Week Four
3-4 sessions = some combination of swimming, bike, elliptical, Fartlek runs, or metabolic circuit training
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