Strength training can sometimes be tricky to schedule in the dense practice and match schedule of professional footballers. We know it needs to be done but how do you balance adaptation and recovery time frames with the overall load of the practice sessions? We try to ensure that we provide at least one strength session per week to our teams all year long. We view this as non-negotiable. Some times we’re able to get in 3 sessions, sometimes we get 2, but we never get less than one. Now the format that this strength stimulus comes in is flexible based on the time of the year, the acute:chronic load, the time between the previous and subsequent strength sessions, etc. But we’re careful to never go more than a couple days without at least a micro-dose of strength. These can be as short as 15-20 minutes and even take place on the field after practice or in a hotel lobby.?Here’s an example of one such session.

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Mike Young

Director of Performance at Athletic Lab

Mike is the Head Fitness Coach for the North Carolina Courage and North Carolina FC. He is also the owner and Director of Performance at Athletic Lab sports performance training center. He previously served as the fitness coach for the Vancouver Whitecaps and Carolina Railhawks. He has a PhD in Biomechanics, an MS in Coaching Science, and a BSS in Exercise Physiology and has coached Olympic and professional athletes in Skeleton, Track & Field, MLS and NASL Soccer, PGA Golf, NFL Football, MLB Baseball and Olympic Weightlifting. He has lectured around the world and authored 2 books and dozens of research and coaching articles.

Latest posts by Mike Young (see all)

• Brilliant Hamstring Injury Observations from Dave Joyce - September 26, 2018
• Sprint exposure for speed enhancement AND injury reduction - April 4, 2018
• Variance in the Soccer Warmup - April 3, 2018