Improve fitness away from training sessions

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If like many youth or lower level football team you only train once a week, you can't rely on your football sessions alone to improve your fitness, one session a week is not going to be enough to get you ready for match fitness, no way.  So you need to take control and carry out sessions during the week to help you get ready for the season ahead.  It will still be a tough start after a few weeks away.  After just 2 weeks of not playing and training your fitness will drop by 10%!  After 4 weeks you start to lose strength. You need to push yourself to get up and active as soon as possible.  But you don't need a gym or your team mates to get you going.

Below is a table to help you get started.  Of course, there are plenty of videos and guides online you can access, but this a good starting point for basic fitness development and one I used to use during my summer rest periods.  Some of you may already have a structured programme, feel free to share your ideas with your team mates to help them also be a better footballer. 

Off season training programme 

All of these activities can be completed independently and without equipment.  If you have weights you can include them in this programme. 

Using the FITT principle (Frequency, Intensity, Type and Time) after week 2 you should increase time or repetitions eg 30-35mins, 12-15 reps 


  

Exercise   

Time  

Intensity   

Warm up  

Dynamic/static stretches  

Sprints/ running on the spot  

10-20yrds/ 30 0n 30 0ff  

10 minutes  

5 minutes   

Low  

Cardiovascular   

Endurance   

Always do at least three of these a week. 

Lamp post to lamp post runs 

  

Run 1 - jog, walk, sprint, walk  

Run 2 - Jog, Sprint, Walk 

Run 3 – jog, sprint, jog sprint 

Run 4 – jog, sprint, sprint (75%),jog 

 

 

Vary run options make it more challenging as the weeks progress. 

 

30 minutes   

High  

Cool down   

Static stretching  

2 minutes   

Low  

Strength:  

  

Upper and lower body section   

  1. Press up 4 times a week 

With knees 10 reps (3 sets)  

Without knees 6-8 reps (3 sets) 

 

Progress each week by increasing reps (keep the sets) moving to without knees for every set and rep.  Working up to 20 reps 

  

 

  1. Jump squats/ Burpees 3 x a week 

30 seconds on 30 seconds off x 4 sets 

  

  1. Tricep dips (using stairs or bench) 3 x week 

 12 reps x 3 sets  

 

  1. Lunges 2 x week – alternate legs each step 30 secs on 20 secs off x 2 sets 
     

  

Always finish on Sit ups 15 reps x 3 sets 

 

 

High/maximal effort  

Cool down  

Stretching 

10 minutes  

Low 



Keep follwing this blog to help you get further insights on how to be a better footballer and follow my Instagram beabetterfootballer247

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