Lipa wrote it with Caroline Ailin, Danny L Harle, Tobias Jesso Jr., Martina Sorbara, Nicholas Gale, Shaun Frank, Steve Francis Richard Mastroianni, Yaakov Gruzman, and its producer, Kevin Parker.

A disco-pop song with influences of Eurodisco, "Training Season" details Lipa's demands from romantic partners as she chides bad dates and underscores her self-worth.

It reached number one in the Commonwealth of Independent States, Turkey, Latvia, and Lithuania and the top ten in several other countries, receiving platinum certifications in Australia and Canada.

Vincent Haycock directed the music video for "Training Season", which depicts Lipa listening to voicemails from former partners in a cafe, while surrounding men try to capture her attention.

[9] They wrote the song "Training Season" with Harle, Parker, Martina Sorbara, Nicholas Gale, Shaun Frank, Steve Francis Richard Mastroianni, and Yaakov Gruzman.

[10] Lipa was inspired by the title's dual meaning, stating that it is about both informing men that she will no longer be training them about how to treat her as well as the completion of her own personal growth.

[7][16] Warner Records released "Training Season" as the second single from the album 11 days later, accompanied by its extended, instrumental, and a cappella versions.

[23] In March 2024, "Training Season" was supported by the release of its Live at the Brit Awards 2024,[24] extended instrumental,[25] London sessions,[26] acoustic,[27] and Chloé Caillet mix versions.

[40][41] Consequence's Mary Siroky believed the song's disco-pop sound kept with that of "Houdini" and Future Nostalgia, while Beats Per Minute's Lucas Martins thought it was "a better representation of [Radical Optimism's] sonic palette of synths, organic basslines, and guitar flourishes".

[44] The lyrics of "Training Season" are about Lipa's demands from her romantic partners as she chides bad dates and underscores her self-worth,[45][46] highlighting the importance of boundaries and ideals in relationships.

[34][51] Alex Gonzalez of Uproxx called it a "bouncy bop" that could potentially become "the ladies anthem of summer 2024", and Steffanee Wang of Nylon believed it was one of Lipa's best singles in a while.

[57] Lisa Wright of DIY believed the singles constituted the more assertive and "after-hours" segment of Radical Optimism, which otherwise focused on turbulent romantic experiences, and Variety's Steven J. Horowitz thought they enhanced the fleeting and feel-good quality of the album.

Aimee Phillips of Clash thought the beats were deeper, more layered and sensual, while the lyrics carried greater intent, reinforcing the bold and self-assured pop star persona that Lipa had consistently embodied.

[55] Variety's Jem Aswad believed ABBA's influence was initially subdued but later realised by the piano flourishes, which formed "the best kind of tribute: nothing overt, but a sly, fun wink for fans who notice it".

[39] Rania Aniftos of Billboard ranked it seventh among the album's eleven songs, claiming "if the lyrics aren't motivating enough, the thumping bass should do the trick.

[105] Lipa opened the 66th Annual Grammy Awards with the first live performance of "Training Season" on 4 February 2024, as a mashup with "Houdini" and "Dance the Night" (2023).

[16][121] The Telegraph's Sanghamitra Chatterjee and Parade's Matthew Huff included it among the night's highlights,[112][119] whereas USA Today's Patrick Ryan ranked it ninth among the ceremony's twelve performances.

[124][125] Lipa began by singing alone, but background dancers descended from the top during the second verse and performed Cirque du Soleil-inspired acrobatic tricks in the air.

[126] Critics believed the performance captivated the audience,[124][126] and Uproxx's Flisadam Pointer thought the aerial dance moves were impressive and Lipa displayed stamina.

[135][136][137] On 28 June 2024, she opened her Glastonbury Festival 2024 set with "Training Season";[138][139] it began with stationary dancers, evoking a dystopian montage reminiscent of The Running Man (1987), before Lipa walked out to a clip of Peter Fonda from the 1966 film The Wild Angels.

[140][141] NME's Liberty Dunworth praised the atmosphere created just a few minutes into Lipa's set, and BBC News's Mark Savage believed the choreography was on the level of a proper award show performance.