System 4 Off-Season Athletic Strength

System 4 Off-Season Athletic Strength is a 9-week, 4-day-per-week program for intermediate lifters and field/court sport athletes who want strength that carries directly into acceleration, cutting, and on-field performance. The weekly split is Upper A, Lower A, Upper B, Lower B.

Early in the week (Upper A, Lower A) you train heavier strength work in the 3–6 rep range with moderate to heavy loads, focusing on crisp bar speed and clean technique. Later in the week (Upper B, Lower B) you shift toward movement quality, speed, and coordination with slightly lighter loads, more unilateral work, and athletic elements like sprints, change-of-direction drills, and loaded carries.

Every week includes: a squat or split-squat pattern, a hinge, a horizontal press, upper-back pulling, unilateral lower-body work, rotational or anti-rotational core, and either sprints, change-of-direction drills, or loaded carries. Accessories live mostly in the 6–10 rep range to build muscle and resilience without excessive fatigue.

Weeks 1–3 build a volume and technique base at moderate intensities, emphasizing consistent positions, smooth eccentrics, and controlled landings. Weeks 4–6 increase intensity slightly while trimming volume to keep bar speed high and movement quality sharp. Weeks 7–9 continue to emphasize heavy but submaximal work with more power and speed focus—more jumps, sprints, and fast submaximal lifting—without a formal peaking phase.

Fatigue is managed by limiting total volume on heavy lifts, avoiding failure, and placing higher-intensity strength early in the week and more athletic, lower-intensity work later. This keeps athletes strong, fast, and resilient throughout the off-season while preserving the ability to accelerate, decelerate, and change direction effectively.