The football off-season: a short yet crucial window of time that sits between one demanding campaign and the start of another. For many players, it’s seen as a chance to rest or reset, but here at King Performance Ideology (KPI), we believe the off-season is your secret weapon—if approached correctly.
In this article, we’ll outline what the off-season should look like, explain how to reduce injury risk before pre-season begins, and showcase the KPI philosophy and process that supports players of all levels, from top professionals to aspiring youth athletes.
What is the purpose of the Football Off-Season?
The off-season serves as a bridge between competition and preparation. At the end of a season, footballers will have endured high-intensity loads—physically, mentally, and emotionally. And very quickly, that is followed by the rigours of pre-season, where players face daily or double training sessions, high volumes of running, and a reintroduction to football-specific skills such as sprinting, shooting, and tackling.
The role of the off-season is to ensure you're not going from zero to 100 overnight. While some rest is needed, doing nothing at all—or the opposite, overtraining—can result in negative consequences come pre-season. A well-managed off-season can be the difference between a slow start and a standout campaign.
Injuries in Pre-Season: The silent threat
Pre-season is statistically one of the most injury-prone phases of the football calendar. Injury rates peak during this time, especially for players who haven’t maintained an adequate physical base.
According to research, overuse injuries make up around 21% of all injuries across a season, and a large proportion of these occur during pre-season (Weishorn et al., 2023). In particular, injuries to the Achilles tendon, soleus muscle, quads, hamstrings, ankles and knees are common—often due to the sudden increase in load and high volumes of sprinting, kicking, and change-of-direction actions.
One UK-based study cited 517 quad injuries in men’s professional football in a single season, with 58% of them occurring during pre-season.
This underscores just how critical proper preparation is for reducing risk.
The 3-Phase Off-Season Model at KPI
At KPI, our approach to the off-season is methodical, evidence-informed, and tailored to the athlete. Our mission is simple: help players return to pre-season better than they left the previous campaign, equipped both physically and mentally to succeed.
Ideally, prior to athletes going away on holiday, we begin with athlete profiling. This helps us understand their current physical state, track any deficits, and personalise their programme. We assess strength, mobility, speed, movement quality, and any recurring issues such as joint pain or muscle imbalances.
Phase 1: Recovery
- Duration: 7 to 14 days depending on the individual
- Goals: Switch off mentally, unwind physically
- Activities: Low-volume maintenance work, two training days per week, intensity stimulus to maintain performance levels.
While holidays and downtime are encouraged during this phase, complete inactivity isn’t ideal. We help players maintain key physical qualities without overloading the system.
Phase 2: Preparation
- Duration: 7 to 14 days depending on the individual
- Goals: Reintroduce structured training, pitch work, and progressive gym loading
- Activities: 3- to 4-day weekly schedule (pitch + gym), conditioning, strength development, movement skills, speed & agility drills
In this phase, we gradually increase volume and intensity, building a foundation to prepare the body to handle the loads that pre-season demands.
Phase 3: Optimisation
- Duration: Roughly 7 days depending on the individual
- Goals: Maximise sport-specific output, taper to optimise pre-season readiness.
- Activities: 4-day weekly schedule, maximum intensity gym- and pitch-based training, position-specific contextualised training demands.
This is where things get serious. The goal is to peak at the right time, so we also include a light taper at the end of this phase to ensure players begin pre-season feeling sharp, not fatigued.
Why Off-Season prep matters more than ever
In modern football, the days of showing up to pre-season undercooked are long gone. Competition is fierce, and coaches expect players to hit the ground running. And since being 5% more prepared for pre-season could be the difference between a regular starting 11 spot or a benchwarmer or loanee, the stakes are big.
A study referenced in the video shows that for every 10 pre-season sessions completed, injury risk across the season drops by 17%.
That’s a clear incentive to prepare properly—not just for your own health, but also to make sure you’re available to perform throughout the season.
What KPI offers this Off-Season
Whether you're returning from injury, looking to build on last season, or preparing for your next big opportunity, KPI offers full-spectrum support:
- Face-to-face coaching in our state-of-the-art Warrington facility
- Access to elite-level pitch spaces (3G and grass) in the North West
- Custom online programmes tailored to your current level and goals
- Club support – team-wide testing, training, and consultancy
- Abroad training camp – for players who want top-quality prep in better weather conditions
- Individual rehabilitation
- Bespoke packages available upon request
At KPI, we always say: “Your best season starts before it even begins.”
If you're a footballer who wants to take control of your off-season, minimise injury risk, and maximise performance potential, this is the moment. Let us guide you through a process that not only gets you ready for pre-season—but sets the tone for your entire year.
Ready to get started? Contact us today or explore our off-season services to take the first step.
References
Weishorn, J., Jaber, A., Zietzschmann, S., Spielmann, J., Renkawitz, T. and Bangert, Y., 2023. Injury patterns and incidence in an elite youth football academy—A prospective cohort study of 138 male athletes. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(19), p.6138.
