The off-season is the perfect time to reset, recover, and rebuild.  NetballSmart calls this phase the General Preparation Phase (GPP), it is essential for maintaining fitness and preparing the body for the demands of next season. 

1. Fix Your Body: Use this time to address any niggles or injuries picked up during the season. Prioritise mobility, stretching, and recovery to ensure your body is moving well and ready to train again. Overuse injuries won’t heal without attention, so now’s the time to act. LISTEN TO THE ADVICE OF THE EXPERTS!!!!!!!!!!! 

2. Build Strength: With less pressure to perform, players can focus on full-body strength, upper, lower, and core. Strength training now will pay off in pre-season, improving performance and reducing injury risk.  

3. Maintain Fitness: Keep your cardiovascular system active with a regular mix of fitness that taps into your anaerobic, aerobic systems and ATP-PC (e.g. SPEED!!!!) whether it’s running, swimming, biking, or interval training. Staying fit ensures you’ll hit the ground running when pre-season begins. 

Off-season doesn’t mean inactivity, it’s a chance to train smarter, recover well, and enjoy movement in new ways. Stay active, stay strong, and enjoy the break while preparing for the 2026 season. 

Article added: Wednesday 01 October 2025