Fitness Tips for Football Players
A competitive sport like football requires the players to be in their top level of fitness in order to endure the roughness of the game.
Football athletes are the gladiators of our time, as they are second to none when it comes to physical strength. A footballer has to be sharp on the field with his limbs working in coherence which can only be achieved with a rugged training regime. For a footballer, it is imperative that he has speed, strength, stamina and agility.
First, however, a warm-up is the most important component before any exercise; a proper warm-up routine can help an athlete in ways he can never imagine.
A pre-training warm-up prepares the body and muscles for the upcoming session, as the body temperature is raised by the circulation of blood to the working muscles. Further the player’s mind gets focussed because of the warm-up. With proper warm-ups, players can certainly avoid injuries during training or a match.
Just like warm-ups, a cool down period after the training or the match holds equal importance, as it helps the players avoid muscle stiffness and soreness. It also helps the players to rehydrate and excrete toxins out of the body.
Instructions
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1
Running:
Running is an integral part of footballers’ training/fitness regime. Athletes cannot imagine gaining their top form without some hard running.
Two forms of running have been adopted by major leagues for the training of their players:
- Tire runs: To develop speed, agility, endurance and leg strength, running through tires in a zig-zag pattern is most affective.
- Shuttle runs: Shuttle runs are used for developing lower body muscle strength which helps in increasing the speed. -
2
Ladder Drill:
This exercise encourages coordination and leg muscle strength in the players. This has also been adopted by major teams. This is done by either imagining a ladder laid on the ground or an actual ladder can be used with the players running on it. The goal of this exercise is to reach the top of the ladder and then start all over again. -
3
Vertical Power Jumps:
This involves the jumping of players as high as possible repeatedly. Start by standing upright and then slowly bend at the knees and hips, jumping with full force. This needs to be repeated ten to twenty times.
