The primary objective of any pre-season program is to prepare athletes for the demands of competition while minimizing injury risk. That does not happen by throwing athletes straight into full workloads on day one.

This plan begins with a dedicated Break-In Week: a reduced-schedule phase designed to reintroduce structured training, rebuild work capacity, educate athletes, and lay the foundation for the more demanding phases that follow.

Phase 1: Break-In Week

Regardless of the official start date, the first week uses only three training days. This reduced schedule provides more recovery, spreads stress evenly, creates space for athlete education, limits the risk of a sudden volume spike, and allows coaches to assess players returning from the off-season.

To reduce interference between training components, upper-body and lower-body sessions are separated into AM and PM blocks.

Education Before Intensity

The first week includes more than weight training. Athletes also participate in team meetings, monitoring education, skills sessions, speed introductions, rugby-specific training, and aerobic testing such as the Bronco Test.

Running loads are deliberately capped at approximately 60% of a normal in-season training week. Some athletes do more work than prescribed during the off-season, while others do less. A controlled opening week creates a more appropriate starting point for everyone.

Break-In Week Training Model

Athletes select one exercise from each category and complete three working sets using the classic Dan John 8-6-4 loading scheme.

Phase 2: Standard Loading Weeks

After the introductory week, most athletes move into the standard training schedule. A smaller number may remain on the three-day model depending on training age, injury history, positional demands, or individual development priorities.

The standard program is built around three key training qualities:

Rather than assigning athletes to a single category, every player receives exposure to all three qualities throughout the week. The result is a more complete athlete with no major physical quality neglected.

Neural Sessions: Speed and Power

The objective of neural sessions is to improve force production, acceleration, and explosive athletic performance. Athletes select exercises from two primary categories.

Where velocity-based training technology is available, target bar speeds should fall between 0.75 and 1.0 m/s. Without velocity tracking, use moderate loads (50-80% of 1RM) and terminate sets once movement quality declines.

Mechanical Sessions: Strength and Size

Mechanical sessions focus on maximal strength and muscle mass. The training day is divided into absolute strength work, secondary lower-body supersets, upper-body supersets, and optional hypertrophy finishers.

Lower-Body Superset Examples

Upper-Body Superset Examples

Pairing pushing and pulling movements increases training density, reduces session duration, improves posterior-chain development, and supports shoulder health.

Optional Hypertrophy Finishers

Athletes requiring additional muscle mass can finish sessions with targeted hypertrophy work such as squat variations to technical failure, deficit trap-bar deadlifts, triple-drop dumbbell bench presses, shoulder complexes, or arm finishers.

Metabolic Sessions: Conditioning and Work Capacity

Metabolic sessions develop fitness, muscular endurance, and recovery capacity. Coaches can rotate circuit options to target conditioning while keeping athletes engaged throughout pre-season.

CARE Program: Building Resilience

Every metabolic session concludes with the CARE Program: Core Accessory Rehab Exercise. Athletes select exercises from categories such as core stability, rotator cuff, scapular control, neck strength, groin and hip function, hamstring injury prevention, grip strength, knee stability, foot and ankle development, and thoracic mobility.

Phase 3: Shock Loading and Deload

The final stage of pre-season introduces a shock-loading week. During this phase, the standard training structure is performed three times within a single week, creating a concentrated training stimulus before athletes transition into a deload period.

Following the shock week, athletes return to the introductory training structure. At this point, the same three-day model serves as a recovery and regeneration week, allowing athletes to absorb accumulated adaptations before progressing to the next phase of preparation.

Shop the Plan: Equipment That Fits Each Training Quality

Product suggestions are selected to match the movements and training qualities in this program. Availability can change, so confirm the current status on the product page before ordering.

Browse related categories: Prowlers & Sleds, Bands, Medicine Balls, Posterior Chain Equipment, and Bars & Weights.

Successful pre-season preparation is not about maximizing workload from day one. It is about progressively exposing athletes to the physical demands they will face throughout the season.

By moving from a controlled break-in week to standard loading, then strategically applying shock and deload phases, coaches can develop stronger, faster, and more resilient athletes while minimizing unnecessary injury risk.