In-season strength and conditioning (S&C) is about maintaining and progressing key qualities like speed, stamina, strength and injury resilience as much as possible, whilst ensuring that players stay fresh and ultimately injury-free.
Each of these qualities is interlinked, and when strategically integrated into a programme, on-pitch performance and injury resilience can be elevated.
When approaching in-season S&C for football, it’s essential to remember that each component of fitness combines to develop different aspects of a player's athleticism, and all structures within the body are connected. For example pain or tightness in one area may originate from imbalances or weaknesses elsewhere, so a holistic approach is critical for both performance and injury prevention.
Speed: Building Explosiveness with a Strong Foundation
Speed is essential for footballers, not just for sprinting in a straight line but for making quick directional changes, accelerating past defenders, and reacting explosively in tight spaces. Developing speed involves much more than just running fast; it requires a coordinated foundation of strength, power, stability, and precise movement mechanics to achieve top performance efficiently and safely.
Strength as the Foundation: Lower body strength, particularly in the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves, is fundamental for speed. The stronger these muscles are, the more force they can produce, which directly impacts acceleration. Strength also provides a base for power, helping players push off the ground with more force in each stride. Without a solid strength foundation, speed gains are limited because players lack the raw force required to drive explosive movements.
Power for Explosive Acceleration: Whilst strength provides the base, power training bridges the gap between strength and speed. Exercises targeting explosive strength—like plyometrics and weighted jumps—train the muscles to activate rapidly, producing maximum force in minimal time. This explosive power is what allows players to take off quickly and cover ground rapidly in those critical first few steps.
Core Stability and Speed Control: Core stability plays a critical role in maintaining control and balance during sprinting. A strong core allows players to stabilise their torso and avoid excessive rotational movement, which can slow down their speed and impact running form. By enhancing core stability, players can maintain a streamlined, efficient sprinting posture, reducing wasted energy and improving their overall speed performance.
Joint Stability for Injury Prevention and Efficiency: Strong, stable joints—especially in the knees, ankles, and hips—are essential for safe and effective speed. Joint stability supports proper alignment and reduces the risk of injury when pushing off or landing. Stability training enhances the body’s ability to absorb and redirect force, allowing for rapid acceleration and deceleration without excessive strain on the joints. For footballers, this means they can sprint and change direction without compromising their body’s integrity.
Sound Movement Mechanics: Efficient movement mechanics underpin speed. Proper form ensures that players produce maximum force without unnecessary movements that slow them down or waste energy. For example, correct foot positioning, knee drive, and arm movement all contribute to stride length and frequency, which are critical for speed. Reinforcing movement mechanics in training helps players develop the neuromuscular patterns needed for fluid, powerful strides on the pitch.
By building speed through a structured combination of strength, power, core stability, joint stability, and movement mechanics, players can progress their explosive potential and injury resilience.
In-season, speed training should be approached with a focus on quality and controlled volume, allowing players to maintain and even enhance their explosive abilities without sacrificing readiness for matches.
Stamina: Building High-Intensity Repeatability for Game-Changing Moments
In football, stamina isn’t just about maintaining energy over the course of a match; it’s about being able to repeat high-intensity efforts consistently for when it counts. Whilst the continuous running in matches develops a solid aerobic base, supplemental in-season training should focus on building the ability to perform repeated sprints, accelerations, and intense actions with as little a drop-off in speed each time.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Short, intense interval sprints with brief recovery periods are ideal for developing this repeat sprint ability that football demands. These sessions train the body to recover quickly between bursts of effort, mimicking the stop-start nature of football and enhancing a player’s ability to execute high-intensity actions back-to-back.
Targeted Energy System Work: By training specifically for high-intensity intervals, players optimise the energy systems that fuel short, explosive movements. This not only keeps players sharper during game-defining moments but also reduces the likelihood of fatigue-driven mistakes throughout the game.
Avoiding Long Runs: Traditional long-distance runs can conflict with potential adaptations from speed and power training. Instead, focusing on shorter, more intense efforts in-season alongside regular match-play compliments these gym-based sessions and ensures players are arming themselves for greater success in those game-changing high intensity moments.
Strength: Developing Force Across the Full Force-Velocity Curve
Strength training for footballers goes beyond simply lifting weights; it’s about developing strength across the entire force-velocity curve, from maximal strength to explosive power.
This allows players to excel across a range of on-pitch actions, from explosive sprints and quick changes in direction to holding their ground when trying to protect the ball. Therefore, in-season strength work should be periodised to cover these different points on the curve whilst also avoiding unnecessary fatigue.
Building a Foundation: Before moving to heavier loads, players must develop a foundation of strength and stability. This begins with mastering bodyweight and lighter resistance exercises to ensure proper movement patterns, balance, and control. A solid base prevents compensation patterns and thus reduces injury risk, setting players up for successful and consistent progress in heavier training phases.
Progressing Loads Intelligently: Implementing heavier loads is only effective when players have mastered form and stability with lighter weights. Each phase of strength training should be introduced gradually, ensuring players can maintain proper mechanics under load. Moving through these stages systematically reduces injury risk and maximises the effectiveness of each training session.
Seasonal Periodisation: Throughout the season, the emphasis within the force-velocity curve gradually shifts to focus on developing new qualities whilst continuing to maintain others. A player should always be building on the work they have previously completed whilst preparing themselves for what's to come next.
By covering the entire force-velocity curve over a season, players not only develop the strength required to underpin increased performance in a vast array of football actions, but also the ability to apply higher levels of force at greater speed - which translates into increased explosiveness and power on the pitch. Smart periodisation, paired with an incremental approach to increasing loads, ensures that players can progress in strength and power whilst staying fresh and ready to compete.
Injury Resilience: Building Durability for Long-Term Success
In-season S&C is a dynamic process that carefully balances building athleticism with enhancing resilience. The right approach ensures players stay fresh, fit, and injury-free, maximising their time on the pitch while steadily improving athleticism. A balanced S&C programme allows players to step out each week stronger and fitter, sustaining performance over the long season.
Mobility & Flexibility for Injury Prevention
Mobility work for key areas like the hips and ankles enhances range of motion, allowing players to reach, control, and manoeuvre without overstretching or straining. Flexibility in muscles like the hamstrings, quads, and hip flexors is equally crucial, reducing the chance of injury during dynamic football movements.
Ideally, players should perform these exercises multiple times a week during warm-ups, cooldowns, or dedicated sessions, creating lasting benefits that support durability.
Warm-Ups & Cooldowns: Preparing & Recovering Properly
Warm-ups with dynamic stretching, mobility exercises, light cardio, and activation drills (such as glute bridges and banded lateral walks) get muscles firing, boost circulation, and activate stabilising muscles. This primes players for quick pivots, tackles, and explosive movement.
Cooldowns that include static stretching and foam rolling can help reduce stiffness and soreness, helping players stay flexible and ready for the next session. Consistency with these routines is essential for visible and lasting improvements.
Joint Stability for Strength & Balance
Joint stability in areas like the knees and ankles underpins agility, control, and injury resilience. Stability exercises, such as single-leg deadlifts, balance holds, and core work (like planks and Pallof presses), protect joints from high-impact actions like rapid stops, turns, and shifts.
Core stability supports controlled movement and balance, reducing unnecessary strain in quick, unpredictable plays. Building these stabilising muscles consistently provides a protective base that enhances injury resilience.
Why Professional Guidance Matters
Managing all these components in-season is clearly a challenging task. Working with a qualified coach can ensure that a player avoids the pitfalls of poorly planned sessions, such as excessive fatigue, missed gains, and increased injury risk. With a carefully periodised plan, players can build a durable athletic foundation, enhance performance, and maintain peak condition throughout the season whilst avoiding burnout and reducing injury risk.
If your son or daughter is a talented footballer and you would like help applying all of the above to their season, click the image below:
References:
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Bishop, C., Read, P., Lake, J., Chavda, S., & Turner, A. (2018). Inter-limb asymmetries: Understanding how to calculate differences from bilateral and unilateral tests. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 40(4), 1-6.
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Haff, G.G., & Triplett, N.T. (2015). Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (4th ed.). Human Kinetics.