Hey {{First_Name|mate}},

Off-season conditioning doesn’t mean smashing yourself until you’re sick.

That’s not a plan.

That’s just punishment.

And it’s where a lot of players go wrong.

They either avoid conditioning completely…

Or they go straight into brutal sessions every week and wonder why their legs are cooked, their gym numbers stall, and they feel flat.

You need to build conditioning properly.

Start with a base.

Easy aerobic work.
Tempo runs.
Bike, rower or circuits if needed.
Low intensity work that helps you recover, not destroy you.

Then add harder work as you get closer to pre-season.

Repeated efforts.
Intervals.
Change of direction.
Rugby-specific conditioning.

But build it.

Don’t just throw yourself into the hardest session you can find.

Your conditioning should support your rugby.

Not wreck the rest of your training.

And the same goes for nutrition.

You can’t train hard all off-season while eating like you’re still winging it.

If you want to build muscle, you need to fuel it.

If you want to drop body fat, you need control.

If you want to perform better, you need consistency.

Start with the basics.

Protein with every meal.
Carbs around training.
Enough calories for your goal.
Water through the day.
A weekend plan that doesn’t undo Monday to Friday.

It doesn’t need to be perfect.

But it does need to be consistent.

That’s the real off-season win.

Not doing one heroic week.

Not smashing yourself for a few sessions.

Not pretending you’ll sort it when pre-season starts.

The players who get ahead now are the ones who build properly.

Strength.
Speed.
Power.
Conditioning.
Nutrition.
Recovery.

That’s what carries into next season.

So don’t waste this window.

Use it.

Train like a player,
Craig Jones
Rugby Performance Coach

P.S. If you want structure with this, my Complete Rugby Performance programme gives you the plan, support and accountability to build properly through the off-season — without guessing what to do each week.