As one season comes to an end, my thoughts turn to how to improve on what we did in the weight room for the next season. Often, this process is one of self-reflection and some looking back to what training I had done previously to bring a new program to light.
The roots of this program lie in a previous attempt to “surf the curve” of force and velocity to ensure all aspects were covered in the weekly plan. I also wanted to integrate more unilateral movements into the plan to ensure balanced development and awareness.
Here, then, is my plan of attack for next season:
Lower Body
1: Primary Lower Body Force Movement
2a: Bulgarian Sprinter’s Squat
2b: Borzov Hops/Knees to One Foot to Box Hop/Depth Jumps into Split Landing
2c: Hang Clean/Pull/Snatch
2d: Band Assisted Vertical Jumps/Band Assisted Long Jumps/Speed Box Hops (reps stay the same for 3 weeks)
3: 2 x Posterior Chain Movements (Bilateral & Unilateral)
4: Lower Body CARE Circuit
Exercise one, if the choice is a squat movement, will follow the following program:
Upper Body
1: Primary Upper Body Force movement
2a: Push Press
2b: Med Ball Drops/Clap Push-Ups/Upper Body Depth Jumps
2c: DB Single Arm Banded Bench/Incline Press
2d: One Arm Rotational Push to Wall/Half Kneeling MB Push to Wall/Standing MB Push (reps stay the same for 3-weeks)
3: 2 x Upper Body Pull movements (Bilateral & Unilateral/Horizontal & Vertical Plane)
4: Upper Body CARE Circuit
Full Body Power
1: Power Clean/Pull/Snatch from Floor/Blocks/Hang
2: Banded Box Squats or Banded Step Ups or Jump Squats
3: Banded Bench Press or Push Press/Jerk or One Arm Landmine Push Press
4: Hybrid CARE Circuit
Loading Cycle
My loading cycle is based on a three-week linear intensification model:
- Week 1: 4x6
- Week 2: 2x5, 3x3 OR 4x4
- Week 3: 4x2
This loading cycle complies with Prilepin's guidelines and allows for individual variation where required. I feel that this format allows each player the opportunity to enter into each game fresh and ready to express their abilities.
Here are some other options for a three-week progression for the plyometric components of the modified French Contrast Method programming for both upper and lower body.
Plyometric Programming Levels
Lower Body
| Level/Weeks | Option One | Option Two | Option Three |
| 1(Easy) | Repeat Hurdle Hops | Seated Box Jumps with Feet Stamp | Band Assisted Vertical or Horizontal Jumps |
| 2(Medium) | Kneeling Start to One Foot Landing | Knees to Feet Jump for Height | Borzov Hops |
| 3(Hard) | Single Leg Depth Jump to Split Landing | Depth Jump + Vertical or Horizontal Jump | Repeat High Hurdle Jumps |
Upper Body
| Level/Weeks | Option One | Option Two | Option Three |
| 1(Easy) | Med Ball Drops With Partner | Kneeling Med Ball Push to Wall | Band Assisted Plyo Push-ups |
| 2(Medium) | Clap Push Ups | Med Ball Crossover Push-ups | Box Jump Push-ups |
| 3(Hard) | Upper Body Depth Jumps | Wheelbarrow Arm Jumps | Feet Elevated Plyo Push Ups |
Unilateral Strength Extras
Here are a few options for unilateral movements that can be substituted into the programs or used as additional finisher movements as required.
Super Set Style
UB Vertical Push/Pull:
KB Single Arm Savickas (Z) Press s/s Half Kneeling One Arm Pull Down
Barbell Javelin Press s/s One Arm Barbell Shrug in Rack
UB Horizontal Push/Pull:
DB Single Arm Floor Press s/s KB/DB Gorilla Row
DB One Arm Incline Bench Press s/s DB One Arm 45 degree Incline Row
UB Hybrid:
Half Kneeling One Arm Landmine Press s/s One Arm Landmine Kroc Row
See Saw KB/DB Shoulder Press s/s DB Renegade Row
LB Squat s/s Hinge:
Step Ups s/s Reverse Lunge
Skier’s Squat s/s Single Leg Hip Thrust
Bulgarian Sprinter’s Squat s/s Contralateral KB Single Arm/Leg RDL
Gym Sessions in a Week Plan
There are often a variety of week plan options based on game days. Here is my plan for changing up the gym sessions based on the different number of days between games.
| Time | Saturday | Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| 7-Day | Game | Gym UB | Gym LB | Gym Power FB | Game | ||||
| 6-Day | Game | Gym FB Strength | Gym FB Power | Game | |||||
| 5-Day | Game | CARE | Gym Power FB | Game | |||||
| 4-Day | Game | Gym Power FB | Game | ||||||
| 3 in a week | Game | CARE | Game | CARE | Game |
Off Season Plan
My off-season plan has allowed me to return to my key concepts on Neural, Mechanical, and Metabolic programming, ensuring that each player gets what they need as a priority in their development.
I have summarized this program as either a three—or four-day-a-week plan with posters for the weight room. If you would like a copy of these, please email me, and I can send you a copy in a high-resolution format.
Ashley Jones has worked in three professional sports across 30 years and four continents. He was awarded the NSCA's Professional Coach of the Year in 2016. Ashley holds his CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) since 1988. Ashley is an honorary lecturer in the School of Therapeutic Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, SA.
