Fitness for Football

Fitness for Football

Professional Football players have a strict regime to ensure they capable of delivering their skills. Here are some tips for keeping football fit...

The Full Monty

(Thompson, 2008)

  1. "Start with 10 push-ups. Make sure your hands are in line with your chest and your body is in a straight line from shoulders to feet. Lower your chest slowly to the floor and back to the start."
  2. "Follow this with 10 sit-ups. Strong abdominals are important for running. Remember to sit up in a slow and controlled manner to get the full benefit."
  3. "Next roll on to your front for 10 back extension. Focus on lifting your chest off the floor rather than tilting your head backwards, you should feel this exercise in the small of your back. Pause at the top of the movement for one second, then lower."
  4. "Lastly, return to the push-up position for 10 treadmills - this will enhance leg and core endurance. Jump each leg as far forward as you can with every rep (bring your right foot forward, then left foot forward and right foot back - this counts as one rep)."

"Repeat all four exercises performing 9 repetitions of each, then 8, and so on down to 1 rep - without resting."

Illustration by Katy Leigh

Stair running

"Stairs are great for building leg endurance. Find a set of stairs and run up as fast as you can, then jog down and repeat." (Thompson, 2008)

Agility Run

"Lay out six markers, five metres apart. Starting at marker one, sprint to each of the markers in turn. Then, walk slowly back to the start, allowing at least 30 seconds' recovery before repeating. Next, run the drill facing straight ahead (back-pedalling between even and odd-numbered markers), then facing to the right, and finally to the left (side-stepping between markers)." (Thompson, 2008)

Soccer Suicide Runs

"Start on one goal mouth, sprint to the edge of the penalty box and back, halfway line and back, other penalty box and back, and finally other goal mouth and back. Pure evil." (Thompson, 2008)

References

Thompson, Kristoph (2008). Personal Training Tips. [printed edition] ShortList, unknown date, p.44a.