Football / Soccer

Soccer / Football players will require high levels of fitness that enable them to run long durations with small rapid sprints throughout a 90 minute period or even longer in match finals if extra time awarded.

The statistics prove that the final periods of any football match will show a great importance on the fitness levels of both sides - if your teams too tired to run back to defend, then goals will be going in your net and not your opponents, likewise if you're too tired to chase the ball, then how are you going to score goals?

Football training is a key element in today's modern game, with professional players needing to be of a higher level of fitness in order to keep their place on the team for 90 minutes.

A tired player regardless of their skill ability will quickly become a liability to any team and as such the player will find themselves either substituted or not even in the first 11.

Football players should look at all areas to improve their game, focusing just on skills on the pitch is a big mistake - quality time needs to be in to increasing all round strength and fitness to improve the lifespan of the player and the players ability throughout the game.

Football is a sport that requires a multitude of athletic abilities, aim to make improvements in the following to improve your game:

Explosive acceleration and fast sprinting speed.

Muscular endurance and strength in the lower body.

Muscular balance and high levels of neuromuscular co-ordination.

Body awareness and agility, the ability to know where your body is, and be able to move it.

Discipline to take orders and decisions, as well as putting the team first.

Good flexibility to avoid injury, football players are prone to poor hamstring flexibility.

Correct balance between your quadriceps and hamstrings, as well as strength imbalances between your left and right leg.

Your fitness training should take the following form:

Speed work Speed work

Look at the plyometric circuit to developing explosive power, aim to do this circuit no more than once a week, and certainly not on days before a match, as this type of circuit takes a few days to recover from.

Shuttle sprints, most sprints last for between 6 and 15 metres in a match, so look at this distance for your training. Work your sprints in the following form, standing start, lying flat on your stomach start, running start, sprint forward with run back and then repeat all with a ball. Aim to have a minimum of 3 markers to turn around, not necessarily in a straight line.

Muscular Endurance Use this circuit once a week to develop muscular endurance, best performed alongside a skill session or on a day after a match.

LEG CIRCUIT
Two footed squat thrusts - aim for a 12 inch jump.	Walking lunge forward - changing lead leg.	Alternate leg squat thrusts - count reps on 1 leg only.

UPPER BODY CIRCUIT
Wide arm press-up. Take elbows out to your sides.	Normal press ups, aim to keep a straight line through your back.	Close Hand - Aim to keep your thumbs touching each other.

ABDOMINAL CIRCUIT
Normal sit ups, keep your chin off your chest.	Alternate elbows to knees - count reps on one side only.	Alternate hand to foot - count reps one side.

	Seated leg extension machine Quads. Keeping your back firmly into machine, place your feet under the foot pad, about shoulder width apart, just above your ankle level. As you develop your leg strength, aim to work for 3 sets of 10 - 12 reps, followed by 1 - 2 sets of 50% weight, using 1 leg for 4 - 8 reps.
	Calf machine. Most modern gyms will have a calf machine, if not that use either a Smith Machine or Barbell across your shoulders. Stand straight with the balls of your feet on the platform, with the shoulder weight cushions comfortably placed on your shoulders, - avoid being bent up, or straining to reach the supports. Lift and lower slowly for 2 - 3 sets of 10 - 12 reps working for a full range.
	Cable adductor and abductor pulls, Inner / Outer Thighs. Aim for 2 sets 0f 10 - 12 reps with a suitable weight. Work one leg, then simply turn around to face the other way, in order to work the abductors. Repeat on the other leg. Count the number of reps that you can do, in order to gauge the difference if any in strength in each leg.
	Leg Press Quadriceps. There are a number of foot positions you can use to work the different muscles of your quadriceps, you can have your feet close together - wide or shoulder width apart. Work for 3 sets of 10-12 reps, for first set work with your feet close, then normal and finally wide, with toes pointing outwards.
	Hamstring Curl Machine. Use a suitable weight and perform smooth reps. Avoid pushing yourself on this exercise, as most peoples hamstrings will tend to be tight, and can easily be damaged. Aim for 2 - 3 sets of 10 - 12 reps, using a light weight for your first set.
	Gluts / Hip Flexor Cable Pull Connect a foot strap around a leg, just above the ankle joint, and attach this to a low cable pulley. Aim to keep your legs and back straight throughout the exercise, to help isolate the gluts, holding a secure object for balance. Work for 2 sets of 10 - 12 reps, on each leg - facing forward (gluts) and rearward (hip flexors).
	Complete Lower Body. A combination of either front or rear lunges can be performed using a Smith Machine, however always make sure that you perform with a lightweight, enabling your leg muscles to get use to the movement prior to increasing the weight. Aim for 2 sets of 10 - 15 reps each leg, using a light weight, however aim for a full range of movement.
	Adductor Machine. Aim to keep your legs and back in contact with the machine at all times. Some machines will have a combination of settings, allowing the legs to be taken wider, avoid taking your legs out too far, especially for beginners. It may be useful to warm up your muscles with a lightweight prior to your training weight. Aim for 2 sets 0f 10 - 12 reps with a suitable weight.

Upper Body Circuit

session is designed to work all muscle groups of your upper body, as an endurance / toning circuit and also to increase the heart rate sufficiently to provide you with a sweat.

Aim to work at a fast comfortable pace within your own limits, taking minimal rest between the different exercises, this circuit is only suitable for persons used to weights.

Remember that by doing high reps 15+, you will build up muscular endurance, without increasing in size too much. Correct nutrition will help you build stronger leaner muscle tissue necessary for today's game.

Aim to fit 2 sessions in a week of strength training, as mentioned earlier, these can be combined with your C.V. sessions.

Use the weight training login sheet to monitor your progress, with the amount of weight that you can lift as well as the reps.

Co - ordination / Skills

Eye - Body - Brain, is the way we want to have our co-ordination and skills. Unfortunately many of us see the ball, and our body takes too long to react to it passing us. This area can be improved by developing what is called your motor skills, so that you see the ball, and your body automatically positions itself in the correct place.

With a complete variety of situations you can be in for a ball to pass you, you need to work on improving your total body, to react as one fast efficient machine.

FOOT DRILLS Used to gain speed in footwork, lay out a rope ladder, or chalk out an area with approximately 15 inch squares. Combining ladders so that you go both forward and sideways, will give you rapid results. The numbers indicate the order to run in.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Single leg run; aim to run on the ball of your foot, without catching the rope or chalk lines.

1    2

3   4

5   6

7   8

9   10

11   12

Double leg run; aim to run at speed through the rope ladder, pumping with your arms.

1     2

3     4

5     6

7     8

9     10

11   12

Double side step, run through the ladder in a sideways direction.

		6		12		18
2 1	4 5	8 7	10 11	14 13	16 17	Ickey Shuffle, As with the double run, but this time every third step comes outside the rope.
	3		9		15

1

2

3

4

5

6

Cross overs, Side step through the rope, taking your leading leg both in front and then behind the trailing leg.

By performing these drills in both directions, you will soon realize that you are better on one side than the other. Aim to work on your weaker side for greater improvement in your game.

Discipline

It's simple, whatever the referee says, it goes. Avoid getting yellow cards or getting sent off by learning to rise above poor decisions. If you get fouled, pick yourself up and get on with the game, lashing out at your opponent can end with your team playing with ten men, and you not being popular with your team-mates.

I'm personally not good at team sports, as I don't like to lose because of a weak link within the team. What I'm now learning to do, is to find that weak link and rectify it. If it means dropping a team member because there is a stronger player, then accept the coach's / managers choice and simply ask what you need to do to get your place back.

Too many players once dropped have a completely negative attitude, look upon it as a challenge to prove your coach wrong. Train wiser and smarter than before, show commitment to your team, and even if you don't make the first team, at least you can respect yourself for trying and giving 100 percent.

Stretching

As with most sports, people forget to stretch prior to the start of the game. With football having sudden bursts at any point in the game, it is vital to stretch the whole body in order to prevent injury. After a gradual warm-up spend time stretching, both statically; then Dynamically. The Netfit Members Stretching area has warm up and stretching advice designed for Football, to help improve your game and prevent injury.

Dynamic stretching involves slow controlled rhythmic movements progressing through the range of movements associated with your game. A section on dynamic stretching will be added to the site.

A key point to remember is at the half time stage in a match, keep warm, take in fluid and energy bars that you are used to, to help your energy and concentration levels. Whilst listening to any team tactics, keep stretching your muscles and if possible, learn how to massage your own legs to help prevent injury and prepare yourself for the start of the game.

At the end of your game, spend time again stretching after you have showered / bathed, paying particular attention to your hamstrings. Due to the nature of the game, you will always pick up injuries, avoid these as much as possible by wearing correct protection and footwear. Have any injuries looked at as soon as possible, as minor tears become major ones, resulting in fewer matches for you.

Take the time to train well, and you will get more out of your game!