Football Speed Work

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.
 

DISTANCE	SPEED	DRILL / NOTES
2 X LAPS	LIGHT RUN	WARM UP & STRETCH
3 X LAPS	JOG / RUN	PACE YOURSELF
3 X 1/2 LAPS	AS ABOVE	DO DRILL WITH FOOTBALL
1 X LAP	RUN PACE	HK - SS - HTB -SS *
4 X 1/2 LAPS	FAST RUN	LEG CIRCUIT AFTER EACH 1/2 LAP
4 X 1/2 LAPS	FAST RUN	AS ABOVE PLUS UPPER BODY CIRCUIT
4 X 1/2 LAPS	FAST RUN	AS ABOVE PLUS ABS CIRCUIT
4 X LAPS	SPRINT / JOG	SPRINT ONE SIDE THEN JOG BACKWARDS *
4 X 1/2 LAPS	FAST A	DO DRILL WITH FOOTBALL
5 X LAPS	FAST RUN	LEG CIRCUIT AFTER EACH LAP
2 X LAPS	LIGHT RUN	COOL DOWN & STRETCH

HK = HIGH KNEE RUNNING SS = SIDE STEPPING HTB = HEEL TO BUM
 

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.

Along with this session you can do straightforward cardiovascular training in the form of running, rowing and steppers. Aim to build up to doing sessions that last a minimum of 45 minutes either 2-3 times a week. You can also do your weight training after your C.V. workouts, in order to give your body a chance to rest and recover for key matches.

Every football player will benefit from lower body strength training sessions, the next few pages will help you gain all-round strength, essential for improving your footballing ability.

Perform 8-15 of each exercise as fast as possible, remember first time around to perform just the leg circuit, then the leg and upper body and finally all three. Make sure that you do the lap run after each circuit.
 

• AIM TO SPRINT THE WIDTH OF THE PITCH, THEN JOG BACKWARDS ALONG THE LENGTH BEFORE SPRINTING AGAIN.



• ONCE YOU GET FITTER, YOU CAN THEN SPRINT THE LENGTH AND JOG ON THE WIDTH.