WEEKS 1-6

THE
OFFSEASON
PROGRAM
BECOME ELITE
Matt Sheldon
 2018 OFFSEASON

The offseason for professional CONTENTS

soccer in the United States
starts at the end of October
and goes through January.
* 3 GOALS
Preseason for most clubs in the
US starts early February with
the first league games starting * 4 ABOUT BECOME ELITE
end of March or early April.

* 5 ABOUT ME

* 6 MAN IN THE ARENA

* 7 OVERVIEW

* 8 PROGRAM WEEKS 1-6

2 The Offseason Program

 GOA LS
1. Technical Progression: The main goal of this offseason is to continue
to develop my fundamental technical skills such as first touch, passing,
dribbling, ball control, shooting, and crossing. All training sessions will
be focused around technical development first and foremost.

2. Injury Prevention: The second goal of this offseason is to prevent

injuries for the upcoming preseason/season. The focus will be on func-
tional soccer specific exercises in the gym that aim to erase any muscu-
lar imbalances as well as a ton of mobility work to reduce muscles from
becoming overly tight.

3. Functional Strength and Athleticism: The third overall focus and

secondary focus in the gym is to improve strength and athleticism. This
was the primary focus of the first offseason series, but this year it’ll be
more maintenance and injury prevention work.

4. Tactical Progression: The fourth goal is to improve tactical awareness

by studying EPL or La Liga full-backs playing on the top teams in the
world. The goal is to study 2 games per week.

5. Fitness: Fitness will primarly be achieved through training with the

ball during the first couple months of offseason, but in the last 4-5
weeks of offseason I will focus on improving soccer specific stamina to
prepare for an upcoming preseason.

The Offseason Program 3

 B ECOM E E LI TE
ABOUT THE COMPANY

THE AIM OF BECOME ELITE IS TO SHOW ASPIRING PROFESSIONAL

SOCCER PLAYERS WHAT LIFE IS TRULY LIKE AS A PRO AS WELL AS HELP
PLAYERS ON THEIR JOURNEY TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS

YOUTUBE INSTAGRAM WEBSITE

BECOME ELITE @BECOME_ELITE WWW.BECOME-ELITE.COM

I use YouTube as my main form of social Instagram is more to show shorter train- My website is primarily there to sell
media to show longer day in the life type ing drill videos, inspirational quotes that I training programs as well as give out free
vlogs, training drill tutorials, or discuss find, and other random interesting posts samples of training programs. There is
topics with research and science. across the professional soccer world. some limited merchandise as well.

4 The Offseason Program

 MATT SHELDON

I was born in Seattle, WA, but moved to Portland, OR at age five and remained there through high school. I played
soccer for most of life, but struggled at the youth level to really gain any recognition. I felt I was constantly undervalued
and underrated, but continued to train and work hard to prove myself to my coaches. At age 17, everything started
clicking for me and I joined one of the top teams in the state where I quickly became the captain, leading goal scorer,
and MVP. It was during that year that I was recruited to play soccer at Oregon State, Gonzaga, and UC Davis.

I ended up attending UC Davis for four years where I had a very successful collegiate career notching 15 goals and 7
assists as well as various all conference selections. In the summer leading up to my senior year I was selected to play
for the SJ Earthquakes U23 team. After my senior year I dropped out of college in hopes to go pro, but I was undrafted
in the 2015 MLS Superdraft. I went on to spend time on trials in Iceland, Canada, and Sacramento, but was unable
to sign a pro contract. I was offered to train with the Sacramento Republic for the entire 2015 season as a practice
player. Following that season I left for Germany where I traveled around the country for 3 months trialing with various
teams. Ultimately, I signed a contract for SG Kinzenbach in the 6th tier of German soccer. Following that season, I left
Germany for an opportunity with the Orange County Blues in California and after a couple weeks I signed my first fully
professional contract in the 3rd tier of US professional soccer. I started the remainder of the season as a right back for
the Blues. After the 2016 season, I was offered a contract in the second tier of US professional soccer for Saint Louis
FC. I started 12 games and had 1 assist, but towards the end of the season I tore my left adductor and lower abdominal
muscle. It required two surgeries and months of rehab and I had to miss out on the start of the 2018 USL season.

I ended up signing a contract to play down in the Central League of New Zealand where I played for Waterside Karori
while I rehabbed and got back into form. After completion of the season there, I flew to Tulsa, Oklahoma where I
trained with the Tulsa Roughnecks again in the USL (US 2nd tier) for the remainder of the 2018 season. This brings us
to this offseason. Currently I am training and preparing for any opportunities that come up in 2019.

The Offseason Program 5

 NMa“ITIS NOT THE CRITIC WHO COUNTS; NOT THE MAN
WHO POINTS OUT HOW THE STRONG MAN STUMBLES,
OR WHERE THE DOER OF DEEDS COULD HAVE DONE
THEM BETTER. THE CREDIT BELONGS TO THE MAN WHO
IS ACTUALLY IN THE ARENA, WHOSE FACE IS MARRED
BY DUST AND SWEAT AND BLOOD; WHO STRIVES VAL-
IANTLY; WHO ERRS, WHO COMES SHORT AGAIN AND
AGAIN, BECAUSE THERE IS NO EFFORT WITHOUT ERROR
AND SHORTCOMING; BUT WHO DOES ACTUALLY STRIVE
TO DO THE DEEDS; WHO KNOWS GREAT ENTHUSIASMS,
THE GREAT DEVOTIONS; WHO SPENDS HIMSELF IN A
WORTHY CAUSE; WHO AT THE BEST KNOWS IN THE
END THE TRIUMPH OF HIGH ACHIEVEMENT, AND WHO
AT THE WORST, IF HE FAILS, AT LEAST FAILS WHILE DAR-
ING GREATLY, SO THAT HIS PLACE SHALL NEVER BE WITH
THOSE COLD AND TIMID SOULS WHO NEITHER KNOW
VICTORY NOR DEFEAT”.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT

6 The Offseason Program

TRAINING OVERVIEW
01
ON-BALL TRAINING
Majority of the training is going to be
done by myself. It’s always tougher to
train by yourself as you are limited on
what you can do. Whenever I have the
chance to train with other high level
players, I will, but for the most part I’ll
be focusing on drills that can be done
individually and work on improving my
fundamental skillwork.
The training will also vary depending on
the circumstances of that day. For ex-
ample, I might not have access to a goal
or I might only have one ball with me
during that training session, etc.
It’s for this reason, that I’m going to plan
out my training the morning of the ses-
sion or right before I start the training
session. I will then record what I did and
update this program after each workout.
The main areas of focus I want to im-
prove are first touch, longer range pass-
ing, and crossing.
02
GYM WORK
Last Offseason series I focused on a
strength specific gym routine and I had
tremendous results, but the heavier
weights were taxing on my body and lead
to some tendinitis issues. This year, my
main goal is to focus on injury prevention
and functional movements that strength-
en my body for actions I’ll perform on the
field.
I’ll still incorporate compound lifts and
weights into my routine, but it’ll be more
dynamic movements with slightly lighter
weights and I’ll really focus on imple-
menting rehab exercises that I’ve picked
up from the last year of recovering from
my two surgeries.
I’ll also throw in more plyometrics and
mobility work. I want to make it a priority
to dynamically stretch before every ses-
sion and statically afterwards.
03
FITNESS PLAN
I am going to tailor my gym routine
and on ball training to hit all of my fit-
ness maintenance requirements during
October, November, and December. I
believe that during the offseason your
time should be spent improving technical
skills and developing athletically in the
gym, then during the last 4-5 weeks of
offseason the focus should shift to ramp-
ing up the cardio to prepare for the start
of a new preseason.
When the fitness does start to pick-up
during the end of December/Early Janu-
ary, the focus will be on soccer-specific
stamina training involving HIIT cardio and
short sprints with changes of direction.
The Offseason Program 7
 F U L L GY M R OUTI NE
WEEK 1
DAY 1 (LEGS + PUSH)

Exercise Sets Reps Rest Weight RPE

Bike 1 5 min 10s N/A N/A

Activation Routine 1 10 min 10s N/A N/A

Run 1 10 min 60s N/A N/A

Trap Bar Deadlifts* 5 8 15s

Bulgarian Split Squats* 5 12 90s

RDLs** 4 8 10s

Step-Ups** 4 8 60s

DB Bench Press 5 7 90s

Explosive Landmine Press 5 7 90s

Calf Raises 4 12 45s

Hanging Leg Raise* 4 15 10s

Hanging Side Crunch* 4 15 60s

Foam Roll 1 10 min N/A N/A N/A

Stretch 1 10 min N/A N/A N/A

* or ** = Superset Exercises

8 The Offseason Program

 F U L L GY M R OUTI NE
WEEK 1
DAY 2 (PREHAB)

Exercise Sets Reps Rest Weight RPE

Bike 1 20 min 10s N/A N/A

Monster Walks* 3 10 20s N/A N/A

Resistant Band Kicks* 3 10 20s

Groin Side Shuffle* 3 20s 15s

Swiss Ball Copenhagens** 3 20s 15s

Planks on TRX Band/Swiss 3 60s 60s

Ball**

Side Lunges on Swiss Ball* 2 15 10s

Side Plank Leg Raise/Twists * 2 60s 60s

Decline Eccentric Single Leg 3 20 20s

Squats

Adductor Machine* 2 15 20s

Abductor Machine* 2 15 20s

Bosu Ball Stabilizations 2 10 30s

Ankle Rehab 2 10 20s

Foam Roll 1 10 min N/A N/A N/A

Stretch 1vv 20 min N/A N/A N/A

The Offseason Program 9

 F U L L GY M R OUTI NE
WEEK 1
DAY 3 (PLYO)

Exercise Sets Reps Rest Weight RPE

Jog 1 5 min 10s N/A N/A

Activation Routine 1 10 min 10s N/A N/A

Yoga 1 60 min 60s N/A N/A

Foam roll 1 15 90s N/A N/A

* or ** = Superset Exercises

10 The Offseason Program

 F U L L GY M R OUTI NE
WEEK 1
DAY 4 (LEGS + PULL)

Exercise Sets Reps Rest Weight RPE

Bike 1 10 min 10s N/A N/A

Activation Routine 1 10 min 10s N/A N/A

Run 1 10 min 30s N/A N/A

Box Squats* 4 8 15s

Walking Lunges* 4 8 90s

DB Side Slider Lunge** 3 10 15s

Single Leg RDLs** 3 10 90s

Calf Raises 4 12 45s

Pull-Ups 4 MAX 60s

Row Variation 4 10 60s

Back Extensions 3 20 60s

Decline Ab Sit-Up* 3 15 10s

Decline Ab Twists* 3 20 60s

Foam Roll 1 10 min N/A N/A N/A

Stretch 1 10 min N/A N/A N/A

* or ** = Superset Exercises

The Offseason Program 11

 F U L L GY M R OUTI NE
WEEK 1-6
DAY 5 (PREHAB)

Exercise Sets Reps Rest Weight RPE

Bike 1 20 min 10s N/A N/A

Monster Walks* 3 10 20s N/A N/A

Resistant Band Kicks* 3 10 20s

Groin Side Shuffle* 3 20s 15s

Swiss Ball Copenhagens** 3 20s 15s

Planks on TRX Band/Swiss 3 60s 60s

Ball**

Side Lunges on Swiss Ball* 2 15 10s

Side Plank Leg Raise/Twists * 2 60s 60s

Decline Eccentric Single Leg 3 20 20s

Squats

Adductor Machine* 2 15 20s

Abductor Machine* 2 15 20s

Bosu Ball Stabilizations 2 10 30s

Ankle Rehab 2 10 20s

Foam Roll 1 10 min N/A N/A N/A

Stretch 1vv 20 min N/A N/A N/A

* or ** = Superset Exercises

12 The Offseason Program

 F U L L GY M R OUTI NE
WEEK 1-6
DAY 6 (PLYO)

Exercise Sets Reps Rest Weight RPE

Jog 1 5 min 10s N/A N/A

Activation Routine 1 10 min 10s N/A N/A

Sprint Intervals 1 5 min 60s N/A N/A

Sled Push* 5 1 90s

Sled Pull* 5 1 90s

Med Ball Slams 4 8 90s

Med Ball Twist Throws 3 8 90s

Med Ball Squat Throws 4 8 90s

Skater Jumps 4 5 90s

Foam Roll 1 10 min N/A N/A N/A

Stretch 1 15 min N/A N/A N/A

* or ** = Superset Exercises

The Offseason Program 13

BECOME ELITE
Matt Sheldon