Introduction
This essay outlines a four-week strength and conditioning programme for a female university football player. The population is clearly identified before the programme is presented in a format that allows self-tracking. Justification draws on established principles of periodisation and injury prevention, with supporting evidence from the field of exercise prescription. The discussion evaluates the programme’s suitability while acknowledging limitations inherent in a short timeframe.
Population Selection
The programme targets a 22-year-old female university football player competing in the British Universities and Colleges Sport league. She trains four times weekly, plays one competitive match, and has no current injury but reports occasional knee discomfort after heavy fixtures. This demographic typically exhibits lower baseline strength in the posterior chain compared with male counterparts of similar training age, supporting a focus on controlled loading and recovery (Emmonds et al., 2019).
The 4-Week Programme
The programme is divided into three sessions per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) with at least 48 hours between sessions. Each session begins with a standardised warm-up of five minutes light jogging and dynamic mobility drills. Sessions are recorded in a simple table noting sets, repetitions, load used, and rate of perceived exertion (RPE, 1–10 scale).
Week 1 establishes technique: goblet squat 3×8, Romanian deadlift 3×8, dumbbell bench press 3×8, inverted row 3×8, and plank 3×30 s.
Week 2 increases volume slightly: goblet squat 4×8, single-leg Romanian deadlift 3×6 each leg, push press 3×6, single-arm row 3×8 each arm, and dead-bug 3×10 each side.
Week 3 introduces moderate intensity: barbell back squat 4×6, hip thrust 4×8, bench press 4×6, pull-up or assisted pull-up 4×5, and Pallof press 3×10 each side.
Week 4 emphasises power and recovery: box jump 4×4, trap-bar deadlift 4×5, medicine-ball slam 4×6, and single-arm dumbbell row 3×8. Core work progresses to 3×40 s side plank each side. Rest intervals are 90–120 s for strength work and 60 s for core stability. Load is selected so the final repetition feels challenging yet maintains form, RPE 7–8.
Justification of the Programme
The structure follows a linear progression model, increasing load or complexity each week while allowing adequate recovery for a female athlete whose oestrogen fluctuations can influence ligament laxity (Emmonds et al., 2019). Emphasis on hip-dominant and single-leg exercises addresses the higher incidence of anterior cruciate ligament injury observed in female footballers. The inclusion of upper-body pushing and pulling maintains balanced development, countering the common forward-leaning posture developed in match play. RPE tracking empowers the athlete to adjust load subjectively, accommodating daily variations in menstrual-cycle symptoms without external supervision. Limitations include the short duration, which precludes full block periodisation, and the absence of position-specific speed work. Nevertheless, the programme supplies a safe, progressive foundation that can be repeated or extended with coach input.
Conclusion
The four-week plan provides a practical, evidence-informed starting point for the selected athlete. By combining lower-limb strength, posterior-chain emphasis, and self-monitoring tools, it balances performance gains with injury-risk reduction. Future iterations could incorporate more individualised data such as menstrual-cycle tracking or force-plate testing to refine load management.
References
- Baechle, T.R. and Earle, R.W. (2008) Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. 3rd edn. Champaign: Human Kinetics.
- Emmonds, S., Heyward, O. and Jones, B. (2019) ‘Seasonal changes in the physical performance of elite youth female soccer players’, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 33(7), pp. 1891–1898.
- National Strength and Conditioning Association (2016) NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training. 2nd edn. Champaign: Human Kinetics.
