Hi John,
I have been CrossFitting for 6 years, but I am looking for a change. I would like to start adding in some CrossFit Football, but I am not sure where to start. What are the main differences between “In Season” and “Off Season”? I am not training for anything in particular. I will most likely do the open again, and I was a member of the CrossFit Omaha affiliate team in 2010. I am looking to gain some size and strength. Please let me know your thought
73.5 inches, 200 lbs
Thanks!
Nick
Nick,
Not be a dick, but this is directly from the FAQ on CrossFit Football.
Why are there two programs? In-Season and Off-Season?
CrossFit Football is a strength & conditioning program designed for power athletes. These athletes use the CrossFit Football program to compete in their chosen sport. Since most contact sports are not played year around, we have designed an In-Season program for athletes that are in practicing and competing in their sports. The Off-Season programming is for those athletes that are in their off-season and/or not in the midst of competing their sports.
The in-Season training program takes into account a grueling practice schedule and a 3 hour game. As a result, the training load is reduced to account for the extra volume. The off-season makes no provision for the increased volume of practice or training, as football and contact sports are not played year around.
When does the In-Season program start and finish?
The In-Season workout will start the 3rd week of July or when most NFL teams go to training camp and will finish the last week of November. This will coincide with the football season.
Around the 3rd week of July I start getting antsy. I wake up early, find myself eating too much and am always thirsty. Once Thanksgiving rolled around I knew the season had about a month left and I just had to survive in the weight room. I knew I had taken a beating and I wouldn’t be making gains till next off-season. I liken the month of December to the scene in Cliffhanger where Stallone is hanging over the cliff with one hand. Just holding on…
Will there still be Off-Season workouts during football season?
Yes. The Off-Season program will continue during the football season for those athletes that are using the program to train for other sports who are not in-season or who do not have a season to compete in.
Originally, I planned to only program an in-season and an off-season workout. In-season would run from July through November and off-season December to the middle of July. When I realized the program was being followed by more than just football players, I decided to offer off-season workouts all year around.
What I find even more strange is people following the in-season program that are not playing football or competing in a sport. The in-season program has significantly reduced volume to take into account practice and game day. Go figure.
Where should you start?
When asked where to start, I like to paraphrase Steve Prefontaine…”It is going to take a suicide pace, and today is a good day to die”.
If I could just add one more:
” Most people run a race to see who is fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts.” -Pre
John,
I just recently started playing football for an amateur team in Hungary. The question I have is: What do I do if we are playing year round? The team I currently play for has a year round schedule. They have two seasons, both arena and outdoor. I think it would be cool to have both In-Season and Off-Season year round on your site. There are surely other people/sports during the year that would benefit from having both workouts on the site year round.
Anyway, just my 2 cents. If you are ever in Hungary, let me know and I will show you around Budapest or something. Take care man and thanks for the info.