How to Keep Fitness Levels High During Fixture Breaks
CREATED BY: The Non-League Network
Intro
Fixture break?
Some lads treat it like a holiday — beers Friday, kebab Saturday, hungover Sunday.
Then the first game back… they’re blowing out their backside after 20 minutes.
You don’t need to go full pre-season bootcamp — but you do need to keep the engine ticking over so you’re ready to go when football’s back.
Here’s how to do it without living in the gym.
1. Keep the Football Movements In
You don’t have to be on a pitch to train like a footballer:
5m-10m shuttle sprints (in a car park if you have to)
Ball mastery drills in your garden or hallway
Quick feet ladder work with chalk lines if you’ve no ladder
The goal: keep your legs sharp, not just fit.
2. Use “Mini-Sessions”
Fixture breaks are perfect for shorter, more frequent workouts:
15–20 mins, 4–5 times a week
Focus on explosive moves — jumps, sprints, change of direction
Add core work to keep stability strong
Think of it as topping up, not building from scratch.
3. Don’t Bin the Strength Work
Strong players get injured less and recover quicker.
2 sessions a week of squats, lunges, hip thrusts, calf raises
No gym? Do bodyweight versions or load up a backpack with bottles
If you let strength drop, the next 50/50 challenge could be the one that wrecks you.
4. Match Intensity Once a Week
Pick one day and make it hurt.
30–45 mins of high-intensity work — intervals, small-sided games, or hill sprints
This keeps your heart rate used to match demands so the first game back doesn’t kill you
5. Keep the Lifestyle Tight
Sleep like you’ve still got a game
Stay on top of hydration
Eat like an athlete, not like you’re on holiday
You can’t out-train three nights on the beers.
Bottom Line:
Fixture breaks are when pros separate from passengers.
When the games start again, you’ll either feel sharp and ready… or like you’re starting pre-season all over again.