The Three Training Seasons

Seasonal Aspects

Pre-season (preparation phase): This is the period up to the competition

➕ Training includes:

Develop techniques specific to the sport

• General fitness training such as continuous, fartlek, or interval training sessions to increase aerobic fitness
• Weight training to build up strength and muscular endurance

✔️ Benefits:

• Fitness and skills lost during the post-season can be regained

• Skills and techniques can be improved. This means matches at the start of the season are more successful

  

Competitive season (peak): This is the playing season

➕ Training includes:

• Taking part in matches every week
• Maintenance of fitness related to activity
• Limited training, as it may cause fatigue which would decrease performance
• Concentration on skills, set plays, and tactics to improve performance

✔️ Benefits:

• Fitness levels and quality of performance can be maintained throughout the season

Post-season (transition phase): This is the period of rest, active recovery, and light aerobic work after the competitive season

➕ Training includes:

• Rest to recover from the competitive season
• Light aerobic exercise, to maintain a level of general fitness

✔️ Benefits:

• Athletes are fully rested and ready for pre-season
• Not too much fitness is lost

⚽ Football Season: