Always On: Inside the Relentless Pre-Season of Cadan Murley

August 15, 2025

The season may end for the crowd. For Cadan Murley, it never does.

When the fixtures stop and the spotlight moves elsewhere, the work only sharpens. Pre-season is not a break; it’s a recalibration. Training shifts from the chaos of match weeks to a deliberate rhythm designed to build power, precision, and endurance.

“To me, Always On means a couple of different things. When I was younger, I thought it meant always training, always needing to be physically fit every single day. But as I’ve matured, I’ve realised it’s just as much about recovery - taking your down days as seriously as your hardest sessions.”

That balance fuels Murley’s off-season routine. Before the new campaign begins, he sets both short-term and long-term goals - markers that drive his preparation. Speed work, power work, and posterior chain strength dominate his personal programme, ensuring he hits Harlequins’ testing standards feeling light, fast, and resilient.

Training for the Margins

“There’s small margins when it comes to hamstrings. If you’re out by a small percentage, it can lead to you tearing one.” - Cadan Murley

Speed and power are the cornerstones of Murley’s game, but they don’t happen by accident. Pre-season becomes his laboratory, where details are tuned and refined. On the track—often in spikes—he works with speed coach James Wild to sharpen his mechanics, break down the first three strides of a sprint, and load the body to handle match intensity.

“In my off-season, I’ll do three on-feet running sessions - track, pitch, or treadmill - and two off-feet conditioning sessions on the bike, rower, or ski erg. The main thing is keeping my hips and posterior chain healthy - hamstrings, calves, lower back - that’s where I get my 1% gains.”

Every session is deliberate. Resisted sprints, reaction-based agility drills, targeted lifting for stability. Nothing is left to chance because small percentages can mean the difference between peak performance and injury.

Inside the Harlequins Blueprint

“I call it ‘win in the morning’. If I give myself that time before training to plan my day, fire up my body, and get in the right mindset, I know I’m ready to push.” - Cadan Murley

At Harlequins, pre-season is an orchestrated blend of physical graft and tactical alignment. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays form the core, beginning long before the official session starts. For Murley, the day starts at home - prehab stretches, hip activation, and a coffee before heading in.

Once at the club, mornings are split between analysis - studying footage, refining decision-making - and high-tempo training blocks. Harlequins’ expansive, fast-paced style demands conditioning above match intensity, so that in competition, the game feels almost easier.

“Our pre-season is one of the hardest - lots of ball-in-play time. But the boys secretly enjoy the graft. It builds camaraderie, especially with new players coming in. You go through those tough sessions together, and it brings the team closer.”

Kit with the Same Relentless Mentality

“I like to wear something that feels like you’re not wearing anything - light, free, and quick. Kit that lets me perform at my best.” - Cadan Murley

For an athlete who demands precision, kit is not just apparel - it’s part of the preparation system. Lightweight shorts for speed sessions, breathable vests for the track, and training tops that feel almost weightless keep him moving without distraction.

During heavy lifting cycles, Murley often wears the Flow Muscle Grip T-shirt, adapted from Castore’s elite rugby kits. Its over-shoulder and back grip technology - originally designed to secure ball control - creates stable contact between body and barbell during squats, cleans, and high-load lifts. It’s a small but crucial detail that prevents slips, protects form, and keeps the focus on output.

Relentless by Design

“The more you can stay in that little percentile - never too high, never too low - the more consistent your performance will be.”

The Always On mentality isn’t about chasing one peak - it’s about sustaining performance over the long haul. For Murley, that means knowing his body, trusting the process, and keeping preparation consistent whether it’s the middle of the season or the quietest point of summer.

For Cadan Murley, pre-season is not a return. It’s a continuation. The whistle never really blows. The next sprint, the next lift, the next gain - it’s all part of the same season. One that never ends.