Football Specific PT

Football specific personal training (PT) seeks to maximise the speed, stamina and power of players on the field.  The average professional player now covers over 10km in a 90-minute match.  These days it’s not just about increasing lung capacity – the demands of the game have increased so exponentially that being bigger, more powerful and explosive is more critical than ever.  There are many forms of PT for football.

Stamina – interval training and the like is what you’ll find many Premier League players doing to help improve their VO2 Max (the maximum rate at which someone’s body can consume oxygen during exercise), hitting maximum sprinting at high tempo before jogging and then going all out once more, allowing them to build the stamina and flourish deep into added time.

Traditionally something only wingers had, it’s now vital for players in all positions to have sprint speed.  Maximise your own potential to run fast for shorter bursts by building up strength in the hamstrings and quadriceps with isometric and eccentric movements under increased pressure.

Explosive power!  To achieve this, players perform plyometric movements such as squat thrusters, burpees with tuck jumps with any sort of jump squat, including box jumps.

Every footballer should be able to change direction at any second and do so quickly, without the risk of injury and keeping the ball well under control.  Traditional cone drills are one way to improve a player’s agility, including slalom runs and shuttle runs (with a ball).

Not all of us are blessed with a low centre of gravity, so the trick is to give yourself a rock-solid core.  True core stability comes from mixing in some unstable exercises to your training regime.  Squatting on a Bosu-ball, using a T-bar for single-leg Romanian deadlift or getting on a TRX for some plank jacks, are just some of the ways to improve your core and improve your stability when jostling for the ball.

Ignore strength training at your peril.  Advances in sports science have awoken the football world to the positive effects of disciplines like Olympic lifting and general resistance training.  Big compound movements such as squats, deadlifts and lunges all have a hugely positive effect when it comes to things like explosive power, overall speed, agility and – to a degree – core stability.  However, the biggest benefit of strength training lies in injury prevention; a solid resistance program promotes strength gains in ligaments, tendons and the general skeletal structure.

Recovery should be a big part of your training regime too and not making sure you’re doing it properly could be stopping you hitting your peak fitness.  Training to aid your body in its regeneration is vital.  Foam rolling is especially good for preventing a build-up of fascia and reducing DOMS (delayed onset muscular soreness).  You should also make sure that your nutrition is correct and take time to stretch post-match.

PT sessions, conducted by our Head Coach, must be booked with AEFA at football@aefootballacademy.com.au.