This 6 month pathway is designed for players who want to prepare for football properly, rather than rushing straight into pre season workloads.

With more time available, this pathway allows strength to be built first, then layered into football specific conditioning as the season approaches.

It is ideal for players looking to improve durability, performance, and consistency across the year.

Who this pathway is for

This pathway is well suited if:

• You are in the off season or early pre season
• You want to build strength before football intensity increases
• You want structure around gym work across the year
• You want to reduce injury risk and fatigue

What the 6 month focus is

With a 6 month timeline, the goal is to build capacity before specificity.

Rather than jumping straight into football conditioning, this pathway allows:

• Strength to be developed properly
• Tissue tolerance to improve
• Conditioning to layer in at the right time

This creates better carryover into football training and competition.

How the 6 months are structured

The 6 month AFL pathway uses two sequential 12 week blocks.

The first block focuses on strength development.
The second block transitions into football specific preparation.

Training block 1
Off season strength development phase

This phase focuses on improving strength and resilience before football demands increase.

Programs used

Strength Foundation Barbell Focus
Three Day Split Program
Two Day Full Body Strength Program

Choose based on experience level and weekly availability.

Training block 2
Pre season football preparation phase

This phase aligns gym work with running, skills, and team training.

Programs used

AFL Pre Season Program
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced

Choose the level that best matches your playing level and training background.

The AFL 6 month preparation pathway helps players arrive at pre season stronger, fitter, and more prepared to tolerate football workloads.

By sequencing strength before intensity, training becomes more effective and sustainable.