In a recent Times feature by Peter Rutzler, Chelsea’s coaching and performance staff face a rare challenge—preparing for the new season in just 13 days after clinching the Club World Cup. With rivals already well into preseason, Chelsea has adopted a novel, science-led approach to avoid overloading players.
At the heart of the strategy is “microdosing”—highly individualized, bite-sized conditioning sessions tailored to each athlete’s age, fitness level, and match load. These short, focused workouts are designed to maintain intensity while reducing cumulative fatigue.
Stephen Smith, CEO of Kitman Labs, notes that delivering this level of precision at scale requires exceptional coordination and insight. While the compressed schedule limits full-match preparations, it may also reduce early injury risk—an advantage that could help sustain performance across the season.
Read the full Times article or view the full-page feature below.
