Off-Season Football Training: What to Prioritise (and What to Drop)

Luca Feser
Jul 25
3 min read

Why Most Players Overtrain Post-Season

The season ends. You finally get a breather. Then you panic.

You scroll through fitness apps, chase big gym sessions, or follow a generic strength plan that doesn’t even consider you’re a footballer. Most players think more gym = more gains. But off-season football training isn’t about getting bigger—it’s about getting better.

We see it every year. Players return to pre-season sore, heavy, or carrying small injuries from off-season overload. Why? Because their training didn’t match the season they’re in—or the game they play.

Off-season is where performance is built. But only if you train with purpose.

The Four Pillars of Smart Off-Season Work

At CURVA, we don’t build off-season plans based on vibes. We build them around footballers’ actual needs—by position, by playing style, by goal, and by season phase.

Here’s what we prioritise:

1. Restore What Broke

Light mobility, movement work, and tissue care
Hamstrings, groins, and ankles—these are your high-risk zones
Our Mobility Hub leads with prehab to help you move well before lifting heavy

2. Rebuild the Base

Aerobic conditioning for midfield engines
Repeat sprint sessions for wide players and high-intensity movers
Speed mechanics to clean up acceleration and change of direction

Off-season is the only time you can train endurance and capacity without clashing with matches. Use it.

3. Get Stronger—Without Bulking Up

Heavy lifts at low volume
Position-specific strength (e.g. eccentric hamstring work for wingers, max strength for centre-backs)
We never throw you into bodybuilding splits. That’s not your sport.

4. Refocus on Movement, Not Just Muscles

Tempo drills, plyometrics, and controlled deceleration
Better movement efficiency = fewer injuries next season
Especially key if you had niggles or limited game time last year

We train with the season in mind—even when it’s not happening.

How CURVA Adjusts for Recovery and Rebuild

Most apps spit out the same plan every week. CURVA doesn’t.

Your off-season football training plan changes depending on:

How many sessions you can commit to per week
When your next season starts
Whether you’re recovering from an injury
Your primary goal—speed, power, strength, or endurance
Your position and playing style

So a goalkeeper doing a 6-week off-season block looks totally different from a winger prepping for pre-season trials. That’s the point. You don’t need more work. You need the right work.

Here’s how we deliver that:

Dynamic loading: You tell us how your body feels—we adjust weights and reps
Video-led sessions: Clean form and correct tempo, every lift
Progress tracking: See what’s working. Adjust if needed. Stay sharp.
Built-in deloads: We cycle intensity and volume so you’re ready, not wrecked, for pre-season

Off-season training should set you up, not set you back.