The off-season is the best time of year for a young athlete to get stronger, move better and fix weak spots. It is not a time to switch off, and it is not a time to cram in more matches. A good plan runs for around 8 to 12 weeks, uses two to three focused sessions a week, builds general strength and movement skill, and keeps plenty of rest in the mix. This guide explains how to set that up in plain terms.
The off-season is the period when your child is not competing. The IYCA training guide describes it as a chance for low-intensity, low-volume skill work, plus a focus on basic movement patterns, general strength and conditioning, aerobic fitness and movement quality.
In simple terms, you are building the engine and the chassis. Matches and fixtures then test them.
The same guide gives three common goals for a typical 4 to 12 week off-season:
There is a good reason to do this now and not later. Jim Kielbaso of the IYCA explains that stronger athletes have the potential to sprint faster, jump higher and throw harder, but you cannot build those qualities in the middle of a busy competitive season. You build them in the off-season so they show up on match day.
There is a bonus too. Time away from the pressure of fixtures lets a child work on their own skills, and it gives their mind a break. A good plan keeps a sense of play in it.
Parents often ask whether training should stop once the season starts. It should not stop, but it should change. The UKSCA position statement says in-season strength work for young people should be seen as essential to keep strength levels up and lower injury risk, with 1 to 3 sessions a week depending on the demands of the sport. It also says this work should replace some sport-specific sessions or fixtures, not be piled on top.
Here is how the two phases compare.
| Off-season | In-season | |
|---|---|---|
| Main aim | Build general strength, movement and fitness | Perform well and keep strength |
| Sessions a week | Usually 2 to 3, sometimes more for older teens | 1 to 3, depending on fixtures |
| Volume and variety | Higher, with more exercise variety | Lower, simple and focused |
| Sport practice | Light, relaxed, skill-based | The main focus |
| Feel of the training | Learn, build, try new things | Maintain, stay fresh |
One more point from the research is worth knowing. Barbell Medicine, a company blog, suggests that strength gained in a well-designed 8-week off-season can likely be kept going with one or two sessions a week in season. That is one reason a solid off-season block pays off for months.
The UKSCA statement points to an off-season block of around 8 to 12 weeks. The 2014 international consensus on youth resistance training found that programmes lasting more than 8 weeks tended to work better, and that muscle fitness can slip back towards where it started after 8 to 12 weeks of stopping. That is why many coaches prefer year-round training, with the load going up and down through the year.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that youth strength sessions last at least 20 to 30 minutes and happen 2 to 3 times a week on non-consecutive days. That is a good starting point for most children. Older, more experienced teens may do more in the off-season, but only when the coach can see they are recovering well.
The UKSCA statement gives a clear picture of how loading can grow as a young person gains skill:
The key phrase is “once technique is very good”. The UKSCA also says programmes should be planned around growth, maturity and training age, not just the child’s birthday. Two 13-year-olds can be in very different places. A good coach looks at each one.
If you want a worked example for teenagers, our safe strength plan for teens sets out an 8-week structure in plain steps.
A session should not be a random mix of hard exercises. The AAP lists what a safe, age-appropriate programme looks like:
For rest between sets, the 2014 consensus says about 1 minute is enough for most children, going up to 2 to 3 minutes when exercises are more demanding, such as jumps or weightlifting movements.
The IIHF, the international ice hockey body, gives a handy template that works for most sports. Each off-season session should have a warm-up, core control, coordination, mobility, strength work and a conditioning part, then a cool-down.
This is an example, not a prescription. Every child is different.
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Monday | Full-body strength: squat, hinge, push, pull, core |
| Tuesday | Rest, or a walk and play |
| Wednesday | Speed and agility, with light jumps and landings |
| Thursday | Rest |
| Friday | Full-body strength, plus some easy conditioning |
| Saturday | Fun sport or free play, nothing forced |
| Sunday | Rest |
Notice the days off. They are there on purpose.
Speed and agility work belongs in this block too. Our guide to safer, game-ready agility for youth shows how to build it over 7 to 8 weeks.
Parents sometimes worry that rest means falling behind. The opposite is true. The NSCA position statement says rest and recovery should be built in as required blocks of the training plan, whatever pressure comes from sports coaches or parents. It also says that ignoring rest is likely to hurt young people’s physical and mental function.
The AAP recommends at least 1 to 2 days off a week from competitive sport, sport-specific training and practice. It also reminds us to count strength work as part of the total training load, so overuse injuries do not creep in.
Two more useful numbers:
The start of the off-season is a natural place for that break. Many coaches begin with one to two weeks of easy movement before building up. For ideas on what easy days can look like, read about planning active recovery for young athletes. Our own rest day routines are also a good template for 20 to 40 minutes of low-load work.
The LTA also says that playing several sports, free play and age-appropriate athletic development sessions with a qualified coach are best for younger players. Other sports help all-round development and take some of the pressure off specialising early. If your child plays one sport all year, the off-season is a good time to try another.
Doing too much sport-specific practice. Extra team sessions in the off-season can leave a child just as tired as in-season. The off-season is when general strength and movement take priority.
Copying an adult programme. Young bodies are still growing. Plans should be built for the child in front of you.
Chasing heavy weights too soon. The NSCA says younger children should spend a large share of their time on fundamental movement skills and basic strength, with more sport-specific time added as they get older. Technique first, load second.
Skipping supervision. The 2014 consensus reports that most strength-training injuries are accidental, and that most are avoidable with good supervision, sensible progress based on technique and a safe space to train.
Making it joyless. If every session feels like punishment, motivation fades. Games, variety and small wins all count.
For more on keeping young athletes robust, see our parent guides on injury prevention for young athletes and improving youth sporting performance.
We see the off-season as the most valuable stretch of the year for a young athlete. It is the one time there is room to build without fixtures getting in the way.
At Unit Health & Performance, our youth athlete development work is led by an experienced strength and conditioning coach. We focus on speed, agility, strength and power, and we teach the movements properly before we ask for more load. We design our training to be tailored and science-backed, and we want it to be non-intimidating, so young people turn up wanting to come back.
We would also say this to every parent: the aim is not a bigger programme, it is a better one. Good technique, sensible rest and steady progress will beat a packed schedule every time. We want our young athletes strong, confident and still enjoying their sport years from now.
Vitalij
If you would like expert help, our youth athlete programmes are built for this. The SpeedAcademy focuses on speed and agility, and The SuperStrong focuses on strength and power. Both run in our supportive Sheffield facility with a coach who plans around each young person.
You can see how they work on our youth athlete programme page. For more local detail, read our guides to youth athlete training in Sheffield and teen athletic training in Sheffield.
It starts when the competitive season ends. Many coaches open with one to two weeks of easy movement, then build into the main training block. That block usually lasts 8 to 12 weeks before the focus moves to sport-specific preparation.
Two to three strength sessions a week on non-consecutive days is the standard advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Older, experienced teens may add speed or conditioning work. They still need at least 1 to 2 days off a week from competitive sport and sport-specific training.
Yes, when it is well supervised and well planned. Research on youth strength training shows that most injuries are accidental and can be avoided with qualified coaching, steady progress and a safe space. If your child has a medical condition or an injury, speak to your GP or a physiotherapist first.
Off-season training builds general strength, movement and fitness with more sessions and more variety. In-season training keeps those gains going with fewer, shorter sessions, so your child stays fresh for matches. The UKSCA suggests 1 to 3 in-season sessions a week, depending on fixtures.
Not necessarily. Light, fun and skill-based play is welcome, and trying a different sport can help all-round development. What they should avoid is a full competitive schedule with no break, as rest is part of the plan.
