Regardless of your sport, to improve strength, speed, agility and athleticism, your conditioning needs to be at its peak during your off-season. This is because all of your sport-specific activities are at their lowest level, giving you ample time to hit the weight room and the track. Here’s a generic strength and conditioning workout to get you started on your way to some big time gains. (Get the most out of your off-season workout.)

Warm-Up

Barbell Complex
Perform six repetitions of each of these exercises with a light barbell.

• Deadlift
• Romanian Deadlift
• Bent-Over Row
• Jump Shrug
• Hang Clean
• Pushup

Bonus: If you’re short on time, perform a dynamic warm-up and increase the weight in the exercises to make your barbell complex a killer workout.

Power Exercise

Sets/Reps: 3 x 4 with heavy weight and one minute rest between sets

• Jump Shrug
• High Pull
• Hang Clean

Strength Exercises

Each of these exercises is part of a superset, meaning no rest between exercises (the first superset is actually a triad).
Sets/Reps: 3×6 with 6RM weight; rest one minute after completing all four supersets
Superset 1

• Barbell Back Squat
• Squat Jump (body weight)
• Glute-Ham Raise

Superset 2

• Barbell Bench Press
• Dumbbell 3-Point Bench Row

Superset 3

• Barbell Push Press
• Lat Pull-down or Pull-up (body weight)

Superset 4

• Seated Weighted Twist (feet elevated)
• 4-Point Plank (60 seconds)

Plyometrics

Set up three plyo boxes in a straight line at one-yard intervals, the first two 12 inches high and the third 18 inches high.

• Begin by jumping from ground onto box one
• Jump down to ground between boxes one and two
• Jump onto box two
• Jump down to ground between boxes two and three
• Jump onto box three
• Stick all landings with knees bent, butt down and hips back

That’s one repetition.
Perform six repetitions after each completed superset (all sets and reps). You will do a total of 24 reps.

Ankle Strength and Stability

Toe Raises

Sets/Reps: 3×25
These are great for strengthening the muscles and connective tissue around the feet and ankles. Use a weight equal to your body weight.

Airex Balance Pad

In your socks, stand with one foot on pad and one foot elevated. Do not use your arms for balance; keep them at your sides. Balance for one minute on each foot.

Cool Down

Use a foam roller for a full-body massage after your workout.
Photo: catalystathletics.com