Fitter teams win more games – it’s as simple as that. Of course, we know that most clubs will not have a fitness trainer or a well-equipped gym. But there is a lot you can do yourself. The drills in this section look at how you can help your players to get fit, stay fit, avoid injury and recover more quickly. How many times have you seen a close game decided in the last 10 minutes because one team is fit and the other is running out of energy?
in Fitness and Diet, Tips and advice
If you ask a budding footballer these days what they focus the most on, to reach the top of their game, you will hear most talk about hard work, training and exercise, but it is very rare to find a young player mention MORE
in Email newsletters, Fitness and Diet, Tips and advice
Getting and staying fit for the first part of the new season is vital to a successful coaching strategy. If your players are not fit enough to play the way you want it is a pointless beginning to your campaign. Here are 6 activities to help you. MORE
in Fitness and Diet, Pre-season
You don't have to be on a football pitch to start your pre-season – players and coaches alike can be a bit creative at the beach and set themselves some targets for the holidays. So put sunbathing on hold get yourself in shape for the coming season! MORE
in Fitness and Diet, Practice plans
Increasing the sprinting speed of your team will have them reaching the ball faster than their opponents all over the field and can change the outcome of a match. MORE
in Fitness and Diet, Tips and advice
This five minute fitness drill can be used during your training sessions for a quick break to help coaching points sink in, or as an incentive for a drinks break. Great for stretching calves. MORE
Get brains and muscles into gear with this quick warm-up for training. It works on movement, agility and vision. MORE
in Fitness and Diet, Tips and advice
Getting players back to fitness after a lazy summer is an important part of any pre-season checklist. This fun speed and agility exercise is great for developing quick footwork, acceleration and speed. MORE
in Email newsletters, Fitness and Diet, Tips and advice
Staying fit in the off-season is vital for players and coaches alike. Although the temptation might be to go on holiday and forget about fitness for a while, it's important to stay in good shape so that you're ready for pre-season training. MORE
in Email newsletters, Fitness and Diet, Warm Ups
The benefits of a dynamic workout to your team to get them ready to play a match cannot be ignored. Young players have to give their muscles a range of dynamic and progressive movements to prepare them for the game. If they don’t you’ll be risking them getting a injury when the game starts. Warm... MORE
in Fitness and Diet, Practice plans
This training session is designed to develop your players’ facility for intensive endurance. This could give you the advantage you need to win more matches. MORE
in Fitness and Diet, Practice plans
This training session is designed to develop the players’ ability to transition from low-level activities to high speed running in game like situations. MORE
in Fitness and Diet, Practice plans
This session uses the top two tiers of the strength-power-speed pyramid. The exercises in this session will help players to develop explosive power and the ability to quickly change pace. MORE
This five-minute fitness drill is all about giving your players the ability to hit bursts of speed during a game. MORE
in Fitness and Diet, Tips and advice
It doesn’t take rocket science to understand that a lot of energy is lost after a soccer match. During the half-time break, a player has an opportunity to replenish energy using carefully selected food substances. MORE
Leg press with a ball... this five minute fitness drill can be used during your training sessions for a quick break to help coaching points sink in, or as an incentive for a drinks break. MORE
in Attacking, Fitness and Diet
This is all about teamwork and teammates using the ball or stopping opponents from winning it. Press hard and the defenders will win the three balls in the fastest time MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Fitness and Diet
Zinédine Zidane set up a challenge for the Danone Nations Cup. Get your players to try this one and see if they can beat the 20 seconds that it took Zidane MORE
in Fitness and Diet, Pre-season, Tips and advice
Pre-season training may be important, but there is no reason why it can’t be enjoyable too. In fact, using games can play a vital part in both sharpening and bonding your squad. MORE
in Fitness and Diet, Fun soccer games
Improve speed, control, technique and teamwork. Great entertainment and competitive fun. MORE
in Fitness and Diet, Small Sided Games
Use this fast-paced training game to get two centre midfielders and a defensive midfielder moving quickly into positions to support each other, just like they would in a match. MORE
in Fitness and Diet, Tips and advice
Nutrition and diet is an area we can all improve on and as football coaches we are in a strong position to influence players to become healthier to improve their football fitness. MORE
in Fitness and Diet, Soccer drills and skills
This chasing game is great fun for your players but it disguises the amount of skill they need to use to make it work. It replicates the changing pace that players use in matches coupled with skill to fool the chasing player. MORE
in Fitness and Diet, Tips and advice
How? Simply by getting them to sleep more. A good night of sleep is vital to a football player's physical and mental preparation for a game. MORE
in Fitness and Diet, Soccer drills and skills
The best sessions are when you can get your players to use their skill, technique, fitness and most of all their concentration from the word go. Keep them moving and learning with this great exercise, says Dave Clarke. MORE
