Sport-Specific Program

An off-season and in-season template for team sport athletes. Built on the principle that strength is the base, power is the application, and in-season training is maintenance, not development.

Overview

This program is a framework, not a fixed routine. It adapts to:

• The sport and position
• The phase of the season
• The athlete’s current strength level

The goal is not to build the strongest athlete in the weight room. The goal is to build the strongest, fastest, most powerful athlete on the field.

Phases:

• Off-season (12-16 weeks): Build general strength, size, and work capacity
• Pre-season (4-6 weeks): Develop sport-specific power, speed, agility
• In-season (season length): Maintain strength with minimal volume
• Post-season (2-4 weeks): Rest, recover, rebuild

Who It Is For

• Team sport athletes (football, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, hockey, etc.)
• Individual sport athletes (baseball, track, swimming, wrestling)
• High school, college, or adult athletes with a competitive season

Not for:

• Beginners (build a strength base first with Starting Strength or StrongLifts)
• Off-season athletes with no competitive season — use a strength or hypertrophy block instead

The Framework

Off-Season (12-16 Weeks)

Goal: build the biggest general base possible.

Weekly structure: 4 days per week, upper/lower split.

Day	Session
Mon	Lower + power
Tue	Upper + grip
Wed	Rest / mobility
Thu	Lower + speed
Fri	Upper + core

Main lifts: Back squat, front squat, deadlift, press, bench, Olympic derivatives

Volume: 4-6 sets per lift, RPE 7-8

Accessory work: carries, sled work, unilateral work

Speed/agility: 2x per week, low volume, high quality

Conditioning: 2-3x per week, aerobic base

Pre-Season (4-6 Weeks)

Goal: convert strength into sport-specific power and speed.

Weekly structure: 3-4 days per week, mixed.

Main lifts: same as off-season, reduced volume (3-4 sets), higher intensity (RPE 8)

Power work: Olympic derivatives, jumps, throws — increased volume

Speed/agility: 3x per week, sport-specific drills

Conditioning: 2x per week, sport-specific intervals

In-Season

Goal: maintain strength, stay healthy, don’t add fatigue.

Weekly structure: 2 days per week, 45-60 min sessions.

Day	Session
Mon	Lower + core
Tue	Rest
Wed	Upper + power
Thu	Rest
Fri	Practice or game
Sat	Game
Sun	Rest

Main lifts:

• Back squat: 2-3 sets x 3-5 @ 80-85%
• Deadlift: 2-3 sets x 3-5 @ 80-85%
• Press: 2-3 sets x 3-5 @ 80-85%
• Olympic derivative: 3-4 sets x 2-3 @ 70-80%

Accessory work: 2-3 exercises, low volume

No soreness-inducing work. Never train to failure.

Post-Season (2-4 Weeks)

Goal: rest and rebuild.

Activity: light training, mobility, general physical preparedness

No heavy lifting. Focus on sleep, food, and mental recovery.

Sport-Specific Examples

Football — Lineman

Off-season: heavy strength focus. Back squat, deadlift, front squat, press, bench. Low aerobic volume. High caloric intake to support mass.

Pre-season: heavy strength + explosive power. Add sled pushes, sled drags, med ball throws. Speed work minimal (linemen don’t sprint far).

In-season: 2x per week maintenance. Squat, deadlift, press. No conditioning beyond practice.

Football — Skill Position

Off-season: strength base + speed development. Back squat, deadlift, power clean. Sprint work 2x per week. Moderate aerobic base.

Pre-season: speed emphasis. Sprints, plyometrics, change-of-direction drills. Strength maintained.

In-season: 2x per week maintenance. Focus on speed and health.

Basketball

Off-season: strength + vertical jump development. Back squat, trap bar deadlift, front squat, Romanian deadlift. Jump work 2x per week. Moderate conditioning.

Pre-season: jump + speed. Plyometrics, sprints, change of direction. Strength maintained.

In-season: 2x per week maintenance. Focus on squats, single-leg work, core.

Baseball / Softball

Off-season: strength + rotational power. Back squat, deadlift, bench, row. Add med ball throws, rotational work.

Pre-season: rotational power + arm health. Band work, med ball throws, sprint work. Strength maintained.

In-season: 2x per week maintenance. Focus on core, arm care, lower body.

Pitcher-specific: shoulder health is critical. Never train through shoulder pain. Rotator cuff and scapular work every session.

Soccer / Field Hockey

Off-season: strength + aerobic base. Back squat, deadlift, hip thrust. Long runs and tempo runs.

Pre-season: speed + sport-specific conditioning. Sprints, change of direction, interval work.

In-season: 2x per week maintenance. Focus on lower body strength, hip stability.

Wrestling

Off-season: strength + power. Back squat, deadlift, power clean, press. Moderate weight management.

Pre-season: strength maintained, conditioning emphasized. Sport-specific drills, grip work.

In-season: 2x per week maintenance. Focus on strength preservation during weight cutting. Never cut weight while training heavy.

Progression Rules

Off-season:

• Add 5-10 lbs per week to main lifts
• Add 1-2 reps per set when close to top of rep range
• Add volume only every 3-4 weeks

Pre-season:

• Maintain main lift loads
• Increase power work volume
• Increase speed work intensity

In-season:

• Hold the weights steady. Do not chase PRs.
• If a lift stalls, drop 5-10% and hold

Deload Protocol

Off-season: deload every 4-6 weeks (cut volume 40-60%)

Pre-season: deload 2 weeks before season starts

In-season: deload every 4-6 weeks (cut volume 40%, keep intensity)

Post-season: full rest for 2-4 weeks

Common Pitfalls

• Training too hard in-season. The season is not the time to build. Maintain.
• Skipping off-season work. This is when you actually get stronger.
• No sport-specific speed work. Strength doesn’t transfer to speed without speed training.
• Ignoring position differences. A lineman and a receiver need different programs.
• Training through pain. In-season athletes must protect their health first.
• No sleep. Everything else is rounding error if you don’t sleep.

Testing

Test at the start and end of each phase:

Test	Metric
Back squat	3RM or 5RM
Deadlift	3RM or 5RM
Press	5RM
Vertical jump	Height
Broad jump	Distance
10m sprint	Time
30m sprint	Time
5-10-5 shuttle	Time

Improvements of 5-10% in any of these over 12 weeks are meaningful.

When to Switch

• After off-season: transition to pre-season
• After pre-season: transition to in-season maintenance
• After in-season: post-season rest, then repeat

Journal

Uses the Training Log — Sport-Specific template. Track phase, session type, and how training connects to on-field performance.

Related Resources

• Sport-Specific Training (concept)
• Progressive Overload (concept)
• Power (concept)
• Speed (concept)
• Conditioning Methods (concept)