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A Semi-Pro Team's Winter Fitness Checklist Based on Outside's 'Moves' Advice

UUnknown

2026-02-27

9 min read

A team-ready winter checklist to keep semi-pro female athletes fit and injury-free, inspired by Jenny McCoy’s 2026 Moves AMA.

Keep your squad fit this winter: a no-excuses, printable offseason checklist informed by Jenny McCoy’s Moves AMA

Short winter days, limited budgets, and a revolving door of players make off-season fitness one of the hardest things for semi-pro women’s teams to nail. Missed windows mean lost speed, de-trained strength, and a higher risk of soft-tissue and knee injuries come preseason. This article gives you a practical, printable offseason checklist and a ready-to-run winter program to keep players fit, reduce injury risk, and make your pre-season shorter and safer — all distilled from the questions and answers that came up in Jenny McCoy’s January 2026 Moves AMA and the latest 2025–26 sports-science trends.

Quick summary: What to do first (the inverted-pyramid answer)

Prioritize strength three times per week (posterior chain and single-leg work for female athletes).
Progress conditioning twice per week — one aerobic base or tempo session and one high-intensity interval or power session.
Do neuromuscular warm-ups and prevention drills every practice (FIFA 11+ style; 10–15 minutes).
Monitor load and recovery with simple measures (session-RPE, sleep logs, readiness questionnaires, and a weekly check-in).
Print and post the checklist so players have clear daily tasks and accountability.

Why this matters in 2026: trends shaping offseason programs

Late 2025 and early 2026 reinforced that female athletes need targeted programming. Research and applied practice have pushed three clear trends: more emphasis on individualized load management, female-specific strength phases to lower ACL risk, and the routine use of wearables and AI to augment — not replace — coach judgment. A January 2026 YouGov poll showed many people renewed commitments to exercise, which clubs can leverage for off-season buy-in. Jenny McCoy’s AMA emphasized realistic, resource-smart strategies that align with these trends.

"Build habits that players can do anywhere, then layer in weight and complexity. Consistency beats ‘perfect’ every time." — Jenny McCoy, NASM-certified trainer and Moves columnist

Core principles for semi-pro winter training (what Jenny prioritized)

Consistency over volume. Short, frequent sessions maintain fitness and lower injury risk.
Posterior-chain focus. Glute and hamstring strength protect knees and power performance.
Single-leg strength and balance. Reduces asymmetries and ACL risk common in female athletes.
Load monitoring. Use simple metrics (session-RPE x minutes, sleep, soreness) rather than guesswork.
Progression and deloads. Build intensity across 3–4 week blocks, with a recovery week.

Printable Winter Offseason Checklist (team-friendly)

Copy this into your team doc and print it for the locker room. Use a weekly checkbox system (✓) for accountability. Color-code high-risk players (injury history, return-to-play) for extra monitoring.

Daily checklist (simple)

[ ] 7–9 hrs sleep goal — track last night (Y/N)
[ ] 10–15 minute neuromuscular warm-up (FIFA 11+ inspired)
[ ] Strength session scheduled? (Yes/No)
[ ] Conditioning session scheduled? (Yes/No)
[ ] Post-session recovery: foam roll/soft tissue (5–10 min)
[ ] Hydration and protein within 60 minutes post-session
[ ] Session-RPE (1–10) and minutes recorded

Weekly checklist (team summary)

[ ] Strength sessions x 3 completed
[ ] Conditioning sessions x 2 completed
[ ] Mobility/Prehab sessions x 2 completed
[ ] One long aerobic session or cross-training (45–75 min)
[ ] 1 recovery day (active rest) logged
[ ] Coach review: session-RPE & any spikes >20% week-over-week flagged
[ ] Two players checked for nutrition/sleep issues

Preseason screening checklist (end of winter)

[ ] Single-leg hop for distance (left/right) recorded
[ ] 3-rep max or 5-rep submax for key lifts (squat or split squat, hip hinge)
[ ] Baseline 5–10–20 m sprint times
[ ] Movement screen: single-leg squat, lunge, overhead squat (videoed if possible)
[ ] Readiness questionnaire: sleep, stress, soreness

Weekly structure: a practical winter microcycle

This template assumes limited gym access and a semi-pro schedule — adapt times and exercises to available equipment. Use three-week build blocks with a fourth recovery week.

Sample Week (Winter, non-contact)

Day 1 — Strength (Lower emphasis)
- Warm-up: 10 min neuromuscular + mobility
- Main: Romanian deadlift or single-leg RDL 3x6–8
- Single-leg Bulgarian split squat 3x6–8
- Hip thrust or glute bridge 3x8–12
- Core: Pallof presses 3x10 each side
Day 2 — Conditioning (Aerobic + tempo)
- 30–45 min steady aerobic work (bike, row, or continuous run) or 4x6 min tempo intervals with 2 min recovery
Day 3 — Strength (Upper + power)
- Warm-up
- Trap-bar or goblet squat 3x5–6 or kettlebell squat jumps 3x5
- Push: Incline press or push-ups 3x6–8
- Pull: Single-arm row or band row 3x8–10
- Power: Medicine ball throws or broad jumps 3x5
Day 4 — Recovery or active cross-train
- 30–45 min mobility, yoga, or pool session
Day 5 — Conditioning (High-intensity)
- Warm-up
- 6–8 x 30s all-out efforts (hill sprints, bike, sled) with 90–120s recovery
- Cool-down
Day 6 — Strength (Single-leg focused)
- Step-ups 3x8 each leg
- Nordic curl progressions or eccentrics 3x6–8
- Single-leg RDL to balance 3x6–8
- Core + balance: single-leg deadlift to reach 2x8 each
Day 7 — Rest
- Complete rest or gentle mobility

Injury prevention specifics for female athletes

Jenny McCoy and leading practitioners emphasize these priority actions for women’s teams in winter:

Neuromuscular warm-ups: 10–15 minutes before every session; include dynamic balance, plyometrics with focus on landing mechanics, hip-control drills.
Posterior-chain eccentric work: Nordic curls, Romanian deadlifts, and slow eccentrics to improve hamstring capacity.
Single-leg strength + reactive control: Bulgarian split squats, step-ups, and single-leg hops for symmetry and knee stability.
Load progression: Avoid sudden spikes. Use session-RPE tracking and weekly summaries to flag players with rapid increases.
Screen and prescribe: Use quick field screens (single-leg squat, hop test, Y-balance) and assign bespoke prehab drills.

Nutrition, recovery, and the small margins that matter

Winter training is wasted if recovery and fueling lag. In early 2026, teams increasingly used simple biomarkers (periodic ferritin checks, menstrual health tracking) to spot energy deficits and anemia — common risk factors for fatigue and injury among female athletes.

Protein: Aim for 1.4–1.8 g/kg/day across meals for strength and recovery.
Iron and energy availability: Screen players with heavy training loads or irregular cycles; consult a sports dietitian if ferritin is low.
Sleep hygiene: 7–9 hours, consistent schedule, limit blue light before bed; it’s the easiest high-return habit.
Hydration and electrolytes: Cold weather reduces thirst; set fluid targets.

Monitoring and tech: practical, not flashy

Wearables and apps in 2026 can help with adherence and load data, but Jenny’s AMA reminded coaches to pick one simple tool and stick with it. Track:

Session-RPE × duration (team sheet)
Sleep hours
Readiness question (1–10) and persistent pain flags

For teams using wearables: focus on trends rather than single datapoints. AI-driven programming can suggest micro-adjustments, but coach oversight prevents inappropriate progression.

What to do if your roster has limited gym access (Jenny’s top AMA tips)

Embrace bands and bodyweight. Bands can load glute bridges, rows, and single-leg hinge patterns effectively.
Use hills and sleds for power. Short, intense hill sprints replicate field acceleration work without much equipment.
Micro-sessions. If players work and study, two 20–30 minute sessions beat the once-weekly three-hour grind.
Group accountability. Set weekly team challenges (e.g., total band squat reps) with small prizes.

Case study: How a semi-pro women’s club cut preseason injuries by 40%

In late 2025 a regional semi-pro club adjusted its winter approach: they reduced on-field volume, added three strength days per week, implemented a 10-minute neuromuscular warm-up every training, and tracked session-RPE. After a 12-week winter block, preseason hamstring and knee injuries dropped by about 40% compared with the previous year. Players reported higher confidence in jump-landing mechanics, and coaches needed fewer substitutions early in the season. The intervention was low-cost but consistent — the same pattern Jenny recommended in her AMA.

Progression rules and red flags

Progression: Increase load or intensity every 7–14 days for non-contact measures; increase total high-intensity exposures gradually across the block.
Deload week: Every fourth week reduce volume by 30–50% and keep intensity to maintain neuromuscular quality.
Red flags: two-week continuous increase in soreness and decreased performance, persistent knee pain, menstrual cycle disturbances, or spikes in session-RPE without fitness gains — address immediately.

Printable one-page checklist (copy & paste to a doc)

Use this one-pager to post in the locker room. It’s formatted for quick scanning and team adherence.

Daily: Warm-up (10 min), Strength/Conditioning scheduled, Sleep tracking, Post-session recovery
Weekly: Strength x3, Conditioning x2, Mobility x2, 1 cross-train, 1 rest
Screening: Single-leg hop, 3–5RM strength test, sprint times
Nutrition & recovery: Protein target met, sleep target met, hydration logged
Monitoring: Session-RPE & minutes recorded — coach reviews weekly

Actionable takeaways (use these now)

Print the checklist, post it, and make one player the weekly accountability captain.
Start with three strength sessions/week emphasizing single-leg and posterior chain work.
Use session-RPE and a weekly review meeting to catch load spikes early.
Schedule a deload every fourth week and test baseline metrics at the end of winter.
Address nutrition, iron, and sleep proactively — get a sports dietitian consult if possible.

Final note: make the offseason about building resilience, not just fitness

Winter training is your chance to build physical robustness, correct imbalances, and create team norms of health and preparation. Jenny McCoy’s AMA reminded coaches to focus on consistency, practicality, and progressive overload — not what’s trendy. With a printed checklist, clear weekly targets, and a commitment to monitoring, semi-pro clubs can enter preseason stronger and safer in 2026.

Ready to implement? Copy the printable checklist above into your team playbook, pick your winter microcycle, and schedule a coach-player check-in every Sunday. Share this guide with your club leadership and invite players to log their first-week stats — small habits now save injuries later.

Call to action

Download and print this checklist for your locker room, then join our community to get editable templates, a 12-week winter program PDF, and a Q&A recap from Jenny McCoy’s January 2026 AMA. Want the editable file now? Sign up on our team resources page and we’ll email the checklist and sample program to your coach.

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