Strength training often gets pushed aside once the football season starts.
Between training, matches, school or work, adding gym sessions can feel like another source of fatigue. But dropping strength training altogether can also mean losing some of what you built during the off-season.
So, should footballers lift during the season?
Generally, yes. The important part is getting the dose right.
How many times per week should I lift?
For most footballers, 1–2 strength sessions per week is plenty during the season.
One good session each week may be enough to maintain strength, while two sessions can allow athletes to continue developing if their football schedule and recovery permit.
More isn’t necessarily better. The gym needs to fit around football, not interfere with it.
When should I schedule my gym sessions?
This depends on when you train and play.
I generally avoid placing a demanding lower-body session immediately before a match. Earlier in the week usually gives you more time to recover.
For someone playing on Saturday, for example, a main strength session might sit on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on how they recover from the previous game and when football training occurs.
There isn’t one perfect weekly schedule.
What should my sessions look like?
In-season training doesn’t need to involve enormous workouts.
I generally prioritise a handful of useful movements, such as squatting, lunging, hip hinging, single-leg movements, and upper body strength.
The aim is to maintain enough intensity to challenge the muscles while controlling the overall volume so you aren’t unnecessarily sore for football.
During the season, my athletes’ workouts will generally target upper body, lower body, and core, to ensure they get the most out of their sessions.
Should I be trying to improve every week?
Not necessarily.
During the off-season, there may be more opportunity to progressively increase weights, repetitions and training volume.
During the season, maintenance can be a win.
If you’re playing well, staying healthy and maintaining your strength across a long season, your gym program is doing its job.
That doesn’t mean you can’t get stronger. It just means adding weight to the bar every week shouldn’t be the priority.
When should I skip or modify a session?
Some fatigue during a football season is normal.
However, I would consider reducing or changing a session if an athlete has significant muscle soreness, unusual fatigue, an injury developing, illness, or a particularly congested week of matches and training.
Sometimes the right session is a shorter one. Sometimes it’s recovery. Good programming needs some flexibility.
Making strength training work around football
A good in-season program shouldn’t leave you constantly sore or exhausted.
It should help maintain the strength and physical qualities you’ve worked hard to develop while keeping football as the priority.
