Off Season Development

By: Kyle Spears

The age-old question: “Should I work on strength this year, or should I work on conditioning?”

The answer is yes.

Since this is a capacity-based sport, we need to drive up several different metrics throughout the year to ensure the next season is a success. While higher volumes work well for achieving this, we can set a strong foundational base in the off-season that allows us to push intensity as the competitive season ramps up.

So what does this look like? We can break the off-season down into three main elements:

1. Structural/Skill Development

2. Strength/Positional Development

3. Aerobic/Capacity Development

Let’s take a look at each of these and the reasoning behind them.

Structural/Skill Development

Throughout the course of the season, our bodies take an absolute beating. We perform thousands of contractions—squats, pulls, presses—and absorb high contact forces from cleans and snatches. While these movements help build tendon and ligament strength, the sheer volume combined with high intensity can also create excess tension and poor movement mechanics.

In strength training, it is widely believed that we are ultimately limited by our Golgi tendon organs in terms of how much we can lift. These receptors, located between the muscle and tendon, act as a protective mechanism: when tension becomes too great, they inhibit further muscle contraction. For this reason, we must develop strong, resilient tendons to maximize strength and avoid injury.

Most of this work consists of static holds and time-under-tension movements. A lower-body example might look like this:

• A. Tempo Front Squat – 8 reps @ 3331 tempo, rest 2 min × 5

• B1. Dumbbell Box Step-Down with 5-second eccentric, rest 1 min × 3

• B2. Copenhagen Plank – 60 seconds each side, rest 1 min × 3

• C. Fire Hydrant End-Range Lift-Off – 20-second hold, rest 1 min between sides × 3–4 sets

We are accumulating significant time under tension while simultaneously developing strong positional strength. In upper-body sessions, we can use handstand holds and drills to build time under tension along with shoulder stability and walk-specific skills. We can also use pull-up and ring muscle-up negatives to develop strength, as well as straight-arm negatives to build transition strength through the bar and rings while improving overall structural strength for upper-body pulling.

Strength & Positional Development

This phase looks a bit different from a traditional strength program. The goal is volume accumulation combined with time under tension. The structural work from the previous phase often bleeds into this one.

Our primary objective is to build a large amount of quality volume so the athlete can recover better and develop higher capacity later in the season. This allows them to handle higher intensities without breaking down. We also target weak points in the major lifts—particularly the snatch, clean, and overhead positions—which can be attacked from multiple angles.

A thorough assessment of the athlete before the off-season begins is critical so you can accurately address movement patterns and identify weaknesses.

A sample strength-specific training day might look like this:

• A. Power Snatch – Catch above parallel with a 1–3 second hold before descending below parallel. 15–20 singles @ 50-60% 1RM, rest 90 seconds

• B. Pause Power Snatch Cluster (1.1.1.1.1) – 2-second hold below the knee on each pull, @ 60-70% 1RM, rest 2 min × 4

• C. Hang Snatch Pull – 5 reps @ 110% 1RM @ 3030 tempo, rest 2 min × 3 (use straps)

• D1. Deficit Dumbbell RDL – 12-15 reps with 3-second eccentric, rest 1 min × 3

• D2. Nordic Isometric Hold – 30 seconds, rest 1 min × 3

  
  

This session targets the catch and pull in different positions, builds strength through the middle of the lift, and includes posterior chain hypertrophy work. The overall intensity should remain manageable, allowing the athlete to accumulate solid volume. The goal is to gradually progress intensity after building this base.

Aerobic/Capacity Development

The goal here is to raise the athlete’s overall engine—improving heart rate efficiency, capillary density, oxygen delivery, and breathing mechanics. We aren’t pushing high intensity in this phase. Instead, we focus on building volume, especially while simultaneously developing strength.

These sessions can feel tedious, but they lay the foundation for how much work—and how much work at intensity—the athlete can handle as the season ramps up. This is also the time to identify and address any specific movement deficiencies by building volume around them and aligning them with positional and capacity work.

An example aerobic session might look like this:

45 minutes @ 180 – age BPM

10-20-30-40-50-40-30-20

Cal Row / Cal C2 Bike / Cal Ski / Cal Echo Bike

Run 400m after each round

While this is relatively basic early on, we can progress to more advanced mixed-energy system and pacing work as the season continues.

If you found this helpful, reach out so we can help make your next season a success. Your progress toward next season shouldn’t begin in 6–8 months—it needs to start now. A proper plan and structure can set you up for long-term success in the sport. Shoot us an email and let’s get your journey started today!