You don't need a complex lifting split. Three movement patterns, done well and progressed smartly, build the strength base every athlete needs.
Athletes do not need bodybuilding splits. They need to produce force in the patterns their sport uses, stay healthy and still have energy for practice. Three lifts cover most of that.
1. A squat pattern
Back squat, front squat or goblet squat for younger athletes. It builds the legs and trunk you need to accelerate, jump and change direction.
Strength block: 4-6 reps, RPE 8-9, 2-4 minutes rest.
2. A hinge pattern
Trap-bar deadlift or Romanian deadlift. The posterior chain - glutes and hamstrings - drives sprinting and protects the hamstrings, the most commonly injured muscle in field sports.
3. A single-leg pattern
Rear-foot elevated split squat or step-up. Sport happens on one leg. Single-leg work fixes left-right differences and builds stability at the knee and hip.
How to progress them
We run blocks of 2-4 weeks: hypertrophy, then strength, then power, then power endurance, with a lighter deload week after each block. Volume goes up about 10% per week - not more.
| Block | Reps | Sets per body system per week |
|---|---|---|
| Hypertrophy | 8-15 | 12-20 |
| Strength | 4-6 | 10-12 |
| Power | 5+5 clusters | 8-12 |
More is not better. If you do 30 sets for your legs in a hypertrophy week, you will not recover for the pitch.
Add upper push and pull work around these three and you have a complete, efficient program.
Train with a plan built around your season
Programs, load monitoring and a yearly plan for your sport.
