Sports Performance: What Coaches Get Wrong in the Off-Season

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Between 2 Racks, the KILO Crew breaks down sports performance training through the lens of off-season program design, and why coaches often rush toward specificity before building the qualities that actually support performance.The conversation starts with one of the most common mistakes coaches make when they only have 8 to 12 weeks with an athlete: skipping the general preparation phase. From there, the episode clarifies the difference between GPP and SPP, how those phases shift depending on timeline and training age, and why “general” training is not the same thing as random training.Pauric, Steph, and Kelsey also discuss why simply getting athletes stronger is not a complete strategy. Strength matters, but so do rate of force development, tissue tolerance, joint integrity, movement quality, and the athlete’s ability to express force within the time constraints of sport. They cover practical standards like strength reserve, the role of relative strength, when hypertrophy helps or hurts, and why volume has to drop as athletes get closer to the season.The episode also tackles one of the most misused phrases in performance training: sport-specific. The weight room should support the athlete’s ability to perform, not imitate the sport poorly.For coaches working with athletes, this episode is a reminder that better off-season training comes from understanding principles, not chasing drills.Build the qualities first. Specificity only works when the base can support it.0:00 Sports Performance Training1:19 Biggest programming mistakes with 8-12 week timelines2:40 GPP vs SPP explained (general vs specific preparation phases)8:54 Why just getting stronger isn't a complete off-season strategy12:59 Assessing a new athlete: what to look for before programming21:47 Strength reserve: what it is and why it matters27:59 When to convert strength into power (the 2x bodyweight squat standard)30:47 Does the strength standard apply to both male and female athletes?33:39 Tissue tolerance and joint integrity in off-season training36:31 When hypertrophy helps vs. when it becomes a distraction44:33 Why training volume must drop as the season approaches47:38 Why "sport-specific" training is often misused in the weight room51:08 Wrap-up / closing notesStay Connected with KILO: Have a question? ⁠Submit it for a Rapid Fire episode⁠.Learn more at ⁠trainkilo.com⁠Follow KILO on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠.