The goal
By week 6, every player can run 30–40 minutes continuously at game pace without excessive fatigue. You have aerobic foundation. Now you build tactics on top of it.
Week-by-week structure
Week 1: Activation and mobility
Games-based (small-sided, no pressure on fitness). Distance running: none. Focus on movement quality, not volume.
Week 2: Aerobic introduction
Small-sided games 3x/week (each 20 min). One day: 20-minute continuous run at easy pace. Getting the body used to sustained effort.
Week 3: Aerobic build
Small-sided games 3x/week (each 30 min). One day: 25-minute continuous run. Add interval work (one day): 6× 2-minute efforts at 75% intensity with 2-minute recovery.
Week 4: Power introduction
Small-sided games 3x/week (each 30 min). Add 1–2 days of power work: explosive movements (bounding, jump squats, sprint repeats). Short bursts, full intensity, lots of recovery.
Week 5: Competition prep
Friendly matches 2x/week (70 min each). Small-sided games 1x/week (30 min). Power work 1x/week. Starting to look like match day.
Week 6: Taper and team building
Friendly matches 1–2x/week. Light training. Focus on recovery and team cohesion. Reduce volume 20–30% compared to week 5.
The golden rule: progression not perfection
Each week is slightly harder than the last. But not so hard that players are injured or burned out. Listen to their feedback. If someone is persistently fatigued or injured, dial it back.
Nutrition and recovery
Pre-season is when injuries spike because bodies are under-recovered. Emphasize sleep, hydration, and post-training nutrition. A player who sleeps 8 hours and eats well recovers in 1 day. A player on 6 hours sleep and skipped dinner needs 2 days.
Common mistake: too hard, too fast
Coaches often push pre-season intensity too high thinking it "builds mental toughness." It builds injury rate instead. Progressive is always better than aggressive.