The Key To Your Breakthrough Year - What the Off-Season Is Really For
You want to come back stronger, faster, more dominant than ever before. But in the quiet of the off-season, when there’s no structure, no fixtures, and no coach telling you what to do — it’s easy to feel stuck.
What should I focus on?
What if I do all this work… and nothing changes?
What if everyone else knows what they’re doing, and I don’t?
If you want to change your level — not just to cope with next season, but shape it — that can’t be your approach. You need clarity, structure, and a clear hierarchy to work from. That’s exactly what the off-season gives you - if you use it well.
The Real Purpose of the Off-Season
Forget “maintaining fitness.” The real purpose of the off-season is to lay the foundation for your next breakthrough.
At Nth Degree Performance, we focus on four key outcomes in this phase of the year:
1. Clear Constraints - Fix the issues — niggles, weaknesses, movement inefficiencies — that have held you back or could in future.
2. Start Ahead - Show up to pre-season in better shape than ever.
3. Create Bandwidth - Build enough robustness and capacity that you can make in-season gains, not just survive game to game.
4. Amplify Your Game - Add new physical tools that directly enhance performance — explosiveness, endurance, repeat efforts, change of direction, and more.
This isn’t about generic fitness. It’s about specificity. About doing the right work that takes your performance somewhere new.
“I’ll Do It When Pre-Season Starts” — Why That’s Too Late
One of the most common mindsets we hear is: “I’ll get started when pre-season is closer.” It sounds reasonable. Once the team returns, there’s structure. A routine. Motivation.
But here's the uncomfortable truth - Pre-season isn’t built for you. It’s built for the team.
Coaches are preparing an entire squad. They’re focused on implementing tactics, establishing structures, and getting match ready as a group. That means:
Time is tight
Attention is divided
Sessions aren’t tailored to you & your needs
It’s where players get assessed — not developed
Waiting means giving your development over to chance. Starting now puts you in control.
This is your opportunity to be the player who takes the lead. To shape your own preparation. To walk into pre-season already fit, resilient, and ready to sharpen your game - not still trying to build your base.
The Physical Preparation Hierarchy
It's all well and good knowing you want to make the most of your off-season but what do you need to do and where do you even start?
At Nth Degree Performance we teach our players and coaches about the Physical Preparation Hierarchy where we build from the foundations upwards, ensuring players are built to cope with the real demands of top-level hockey.
*TO NOTE - For exclusive content through the Nth Degree x Grays Hockey partnership, make sure to sign up to our email subscriber list – including the FULL DETAILS of the Physical Preparation Hierarchy, all this sent directly to your inbox!
To read more about the work and support Nth Degree has to offer athletes at any level, visit their website.
