If you enjoy playing football, practice sessions, training drills and exercising are welcome additions to your day and a great way to improve your skills. However, when it’s cold, snowing or raining, the last thing you want to do is put on your shorts and t-shirt and head out onto the pitch.
Attending training sessions is very important for your fitness levels and skills, and is vital for keeping you on top form during the footy season. So instead of wearing those knitted monstrosities, get prepared this winter with some base layers from the outdoor clothing range at Millet Sports. They are made from specially designed material that will work to regulate your temperature, so not only will you be nice and warm, you’ll look stylish when on the pitch.
Now that you’re ready to take on the winter weather, here are our top five training drills:
Speed Work
The aim of doing a speed workout is to develop explosive power, however you should only do this type of circuit once a week and never the day before the big match as it takes a few days to recover from.
In a match, most sprints last between six and 15 metres, so keep this distance in mind when doing your sprint training.
You should work your sprints from various starting positions. These include from a standing start, lying flat on your stomach and a running start. You should try not to do this in a straight line, but use a minimum of three markers placed in different areas to work towards.
Muscular Endurance
This type of circuit should be completed once a week to develop muscular endurance, and works best when performed alongside a skill session or the day after a match.
This training includes; a warm up and stretch, a drill with a football, high knee running, side stepping, heel to bum kicks, sprint to one side of the pitch and then jog backwards, as well as laps around the pitch. The most important thing is to make sure you do a cool down routine and stretch thoroughly to avoid any aches and pains the next day.
Leg Circuit
Keeping your legs in top condition when you’re a footballer is a must. To avoid any injuries, it’s best to keep them toned and well-stretched.
Start with two foot squat thrusts and try to aim for a 12 inch jump – the bigger the jump the better.
Then a walking lunge forward, changing the lead leg after every lunge is the next step, before finishing off with alternative leg squat thrusts.
Make sure you count the reps on each leg, so you don’t stain any muscles or overwork one side.
Upper Body
You may think that you don’t use your upper body a lot in football, but it’s still important to build your strength and keep every part of you flexible.
Start with a wide arm press-up, taking your elbows out to your sides. Standard press-ups are next; this time aim to keep as straight as possible. Finally, end with a close hand press-up with your thumbs touching each other.
Abdominal
Now it’s time to tone and work those abdominal muscles, starting with normal sit ups and keeping your chin off your chest. Mix it up with alternative elbows to knees to really test your abs.
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