Curling Off-season 8 week training program

Please consult with your physician before embarking on an excise program. This is the time of season to address specific weaknesses, aches, and injuries that you felt throughout last season. Do not let last year’s aches turn into next year’s injury. Injury rehab exercises should be incorporated in your strength-training program.

Based on your schedule of work, school, family, sport, travel and other time consuming activities, choose a plan that best suits your needs.

Option A Typical Arrangement of Weekly Workout schedule

Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3 / Day 4 / Day 5 / Day 6 / Day 7
Cardio
Strength / Off / Cardio
Strength / Off / Cardio strength / Off / Off

Option B Typical Arrangement of Weekly Workout schedule

Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3 / Day 4 / Day 5 / Day 6 / Day 7
Cardio / Strength / Cardio / Strength / Cardio / Strength / Off

Your cardio program must reflect your current aerobic state and progress in a gradual manner. Your strength training program needs to address location and equipment availability. Injury rehabilitation exercises and prehabilitation exercises should be incorporated in your strength-training program. If specific areas of strength need to be developed, then that area must be stressed three times per week in order to attain optimal benefits. During a stretching routine occasionally get into your delivery position to maintain delivery specific range of motion.

In order to account for all physical activity, you can substitute specific cardio times and intensities with leisure cross training activities such as roller lading, biking, or playing squash. You can also substitute a strength day with leisure activities such as water skiing, wake boarding, wind surfing, or baseball/softball. Below is an example of another option that would balance training:

Option C Typical Arrangement of Weekly Workout schedule

Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3 / Day 4 / Day 5 / Day 6 / Day 7
Waterskiing
+
Cardio / Off / Squash
+
Strength / Off / Cardio strength / Off / Off

Level 1 Aerobic Endurance Workouts

Workout (time) / Workout (time)
Week 1 / Session 1 – run 1 min. – walk 4 min. – X5
Session 2 – run 1 min. – walk 4 min. – X6
Session 3 – run 1.5 min. – walk 3.5 min. – X5 / Week 5 / Session 1 – run 4 min. – walk 1 min. – X5
Session 2 – run 4 min. – walk 1 min. – X6
Session 3 – run 5 min. – walk 1 min. - X5
Week 2 / Session 1 – run 1.5 min. – walk 3.5 min. – X6
Session 2 – run 2 min. – walk 3 min. – X5
Session 3 – run 2 min. – walk 3 min. – X6 / Week 6 / Session 1 – run 5 min. - walk 1 min. – X6
Session 2 – run 6 min. – walk 1 min. – X5
Session 3 – run 6 min. – walk 1 min. – X5
Week 3 / Session 1 – run 2.5 min. – walk 2.5 min. – X5
Session 2 – run 2.5 min. – walk 2.5 min. – X6
Session 3 – run 3 min. – walk 2 min. – X5 / Week 7 / Session 1 – run 7 min. – walk 1 min. – X4
Session 2 – run 7 min. – walk 1 min. – X4
Session 3 - run 8 min. – walk 1 min. – X4
Week 4 / Session 1 – run 3 min. – walk 2 min. – X6
Session 2 - run 3.5 min. – walk 1.5 min. – X5
Session 3 – run 3.5 min. – walk 1.5 min. – X6 / Week 8 / Session 1 - run 8 min. – walk 1 min. – X4
Session 2 – run 10 min. – walk 1 min. – X3
Session 3 - 30 minutes

Level 2 Aerobic Endurance Workouts

Workout (time & intensity) / Workouts (time and intensity)
Week 1 / Session 1 - 20 minutes
Session 2 – 20 minutes
Session 3 – 25 minutes
75% intensity / Week 5 / Session 1 - 30 minutes
Session 2 – 30 minutes
Session 3 – 35 minutes
First and last 10 minutes 70%
Middle part at 85%
Week 2 / Session 1 - 25 minutes
Session 2 – 25 minutes
Session 3 – 30 minutes
75% intensity / Week 6 / Session 1 – 35 minutes
Session 2 - 40 minutes
Session 3 – 40 minutes
First and last 10 minutes 70%
Middle part at 85%
Week 3 / Session 1 - 30 minutes
Session 2 – 30 minutes
Session 3 – 35 minutes
75% intensity / Week 7 / Session 1 – 40 minutes
Session 2 – 45 minutes
Session 3 - 45 minutes
First and last 10 minutes 70%
Middle part at 85%
Week 4 / Session 1 – 35 minutes
Session 2 - 35 minutes
Session 3 – 25 minutes
75% intensity / Week 8 / Session 1 - 45 minutes
Session 2 – 35 minutes
Session 3 - 30 minutes
First and last 10 minutes 70%
Middle part at 85%

Level 3 Aerobic Endurance Workouts

Workout (time & intensity) / Workouts (time and intensity)
Week 1 / Session 1 - 25 minutes
Session 2 – 28 minutes
Session 3 – 25 minutes
85% intensity / Week 5 / Session 1 – warm up 10 minutes slow
Increase pace 30 seconds, decrease 1.5 minutes, repeat 5 times
Cool down 10 minutes slow pace
Session 2 – 35 minutes – 70-80%
Session 3 – warm up 10 minutes slow
Increase pace 30 seconds, decrease 1.5 minutes, repeat 5 times
Cool down 10 minutes slow pace
Week 2 / Session 1 - 28 minutes
Session 2 – 32 minutes
Session 3 – 30 minutes
85% intensity / Week 6 / Session 1 – warm up 10 minutes slow
Hill repeats – 15 seconds up, 45 seconds relax down and recover – X8
Cool down 10 minutes slow pace
Session 2 - 40 minutes
Session 3 – warm up 10 minutes slow
Hill repeats – 15 seconds up, 45 seconds relax down and recover – X10
Cool down 10 minutes slow pace
Week 3 / Session 1 - 30 minutes
Session 2 – 35 minutes
Session 3 – 32 minutes
85% intensity / Week 7 / Session 1 – warm up 10 minutes slow
Increase pace 1 minute, decrease 2 minutes, repeat 5 times
Cool down 10 minutes slow pace
Session 2 – 45 minutes
Session 3 - warm up 10 minutes slow
Hill repeats – 25 seconds up, 1 minute and 35 seconds relax down and recover – X6
Cool down 10 minutes slow pace
Week 4 / Session 1 – 35 minutes
Session 2 - 40 minutes
Session 3 – 38 minutes
85% intensity / Week 8 / Session 1 - 30 minutes
Session 2 – 35 minutes
Session 3 - 30 minutes
70-80%

Muscular Strength/Endurance Home Program

Exercise: no equipment / In the gym / Ball + light free weights
Squats / Squats / Lunges-raise ball overhead while lunging out
Lunges / Lunges / Hamstring curls
Prone overhead arm raises / Lateral raises / Hands on ball pushups
Push ups / Lat pulldowns / Reverse flys
Dips / Reverse flys / Lateral raises
Crunches / Pec flys or dumbbell bench press / Kneeling rollouts
Side planks / One arm rows / Shoulder flexion/back ext’n
Plank creepers / Pushup position – t-twists / Wheelbarrel kneetucks
Side lying leg raises / + 2 of the last 4 exercises from the first list / + 2 of the last 4 exercises from the first list
Injury rehab/prehab exercises / Injury rehab/prehab exercises / Injury rehab/prehab exercises

This program is a guideline of activity that can be done on a regular basis depending on the accessibility of equipment. The volume (# of exercises, reps, and intensity) depends on time available and current physiological status. The ideal situation would be to complete 4-6 sets of legs, 8-12 sets of upperbody, and 6-10 sets of core work in total, following the periodized model on the following page.

Sequencing of weekly changes in volume and intensity
Week 1 and 2

-attempt 10-12 reps per exercise

-adjust weight or intensity of exercise to complete maximum repetition

-start with very light weights or low intensity

- complete 2-3 sets of each exercise

Week 3 and 4

- adjust weight or intensity on all exercises to complete 15-20 reps maximum

- complete 2-3 sets of each exercise

Week 5 and 6

- adjust weight or intensity on all exercises to complete 20 reps maximum

- complete 2-3 sets of each exercise

Week 7 and 8

- increase weight or intensity of exercise to complete 8-10 reps maximum

- complete 2-3 sets of each exercise

- option to maintain 20 reps on core exercises

At the end of this 8 week program, there is a 1 week transition period of active rest, followed by a start to the Pre-Season Training Program. At that time, you will be 8 weeks from the start of your season.

Stretching Program

Complete at least one repetition of each stretching exercise. Time your stretches and hold them for 30 seconds. Repeat stretches if you lack full range of motion.