General vs Specific Prep After Competition | St Kilda Gym

Expert strength and conditioning guidance from The Hunt SC

After competing, it's tempting to jump straight back into hard training at your St Kilda gym - chasing that next goal, PB, or event. But the smartest athletes (and coaches at The Hunt SC) know that what you do after competition sets up the quality of your next performance block.

General Prep Phase: Rebuilding the Base in St Kilda

Think of the general prep phase as your rebuild period. After competition, the body's taken a hit - physically, hormonally, and mentally. At The Hunt SC in St Kilda, we understand that the goal here isn't to break records; it's to restore function and capacity.

Our St Kilda strength and conditioning coaches focus on:

Movement quality: Fix imbalances and reset your patterns with expert personalised coaching
Aerobic base: Easy zone 2 work, longer sessions, or steady intervals to restore conditioning
Strength foundation: Sub-max lifting, tempo work, unilateral movements, and higher-rep sets to build back robustness
Volume over intensity: You're reloading, not testing

This phase usually runs 3-6 weeks depending on your sport and how cooked you were post-event. At The Hunt SC St Kilda, our experienced trainers tailor this timeline to your individual recovery needs.

Specific Prep Phase: Sharpening the Blade

Once your base feels solid again at our St Kilda facility, it's time to move into specific prep - where training starts to look more like competition. You bring back intensity, sport-specific patterns, and energy system work that matches your event.

Here's where The Hunt SC coaches help you:

Reintroduce max strength, power, and speed safely with our strength training programs
Build competition-specific conditioning with HIIT workouts, sled pushes, intervals, and metcons
Gradually tighten your rest, load, and intent with precision programming

Think of it as turning the volume down on variety and turning the focus up on precision - something our high performance coaching specialists excel at.

Easing Back Post-Competition: The Hunt SC Approach

Start lighter than you think. At The Hunt SC in St Kilda, we recommend dropping load and volume by approximately 30-40% for your first week back. Prioritise mobility training, recovery sessions, and sleep. Don't be afraid to feel flat - that's normal and expected.

Within 2-3 weeks of training at our St Kilda gym, your body and nervous system recalibrate, and you'll be ready to ramp up again with purpose and professional guidance.

Why Choose The Hunt SC St Kilda?

The key is patience and expert programming. Training smarter post-comp with St Kilda's premier strength and conditioning coaches sets you up to push harder later. Our experienced team understands the science of periodisation and recovery, ensuring you build the base, sharpen the edge, and repeat the cycle effectively.

Whether you're training for HYROX, AFL preseason, marathon preparation, or serious about your athlete conditioning in St Kilda, The Hunt SC provides the expertise, equipment, and environment to optimise your post-competition recovery and future performance.

Our facility offers group classes, personal training, and semi-private training options to suit your goals and preferences.

Ready to train smarter in St Kilda?

Visit The Hunt SC at our St Kilda location or book a free trial class to learn how our strength and conditioning programs can elevate your performance after competition.

The Hunt SC - St Kilda's Premier Strength & Conditioning Facility

Serving athletes and fitness enthusiasts in St Kilda, Melbourne, and surrounding areas including Elwood, Balaclava, Windsor, Albert Park, and South Yarra.