Football includes ball skills, stamina and speed. This wouldn't be difficult to set a training programme for.

GCSE Physical Education (Sport & Coaching)

Sunday, 22 September 2002

Sam McDevitt

Performance can be improved by training by setting a training plan and sticking to it, i.e. a footballer could set-up cones and sprint from one to the other simultaneously for a minute then relax and do it again, and so on. This results in a better stamina and improves his overall fitness.

Activity: Football

Football includes ball skills, stamina and speed. This wouldn’t be difficult to set a training programme for. You would start off warming up and then practise ball skills followed by a match and finish off with a warm down.

Step 1

Send players for a five-minute jog with the coach at the front performing such tasks as touching the floor with his hand every now and again (1=right hand touch, 2=left hand touch, 3=jump and head). Be careful that players don’t run too fast or sprint, as this will tire them for the later activities.

Step 2

Gather the players in after the jog and spread them evenly with at least arm width space between each other. Stretch the hamstrings, quads, groin, quads and calves. Begin the routine with some simple, slow joint rotations:

Ankles and Knees: hands on knees; knees bent; rotate knees in a circle in one direction 5 times; repeat in the opposite direction
Hips: stand straight; hands on hips; rotate hips in exaggerated fashion in a circle in one direction 5 times; repeat in the opposite direction
Torso: stand straight; lock hands in front of body; bring hands forward so they touch the chest; use arms to twist body in one direction (try to look at something behind you and hold the position for 5 seconds); repeat in the opposite direction; ...

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Ankles and Knees: hands on knees; knees bent; rotate knees in a circle in one direction 5 times; repeat in the opposite direction
Hips: stand straight; hands on hips; rotate hips in exaggerated fashion in a circle in one direction 5 times; repeat in the opposite direction
Torso: stand straight; lock hands in front of body; bring hands forward so they touch the chest; use arms to twist body in one direction (try to look at something behind you and hold the position for 5 seconds); repeat in the opposite direction;
Shoulders: stand straight; Right arm extended straight up and Left arm at side; rotate arm in a circle in one direction 5 times; then repeat in the opposite direction; repeat for Left arm/shoulder
Neck: stand straight; rotate head in exaggerated fashion in a circle in one direction 5 times; then repeat in the opposite direction

Lunge (stretches calf muscles of the front leg and the quads of the rear leg)

Stand straight up and extend (lunge) the right foot forward as far as possible. The toes of both feet need to be pointed forward. Bend the right knee slightly while keeping the truck upright. The left heel needs to stay on the ground. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat with left foot extended.

Toe Touch (stretches hamstrings)

Stand straight up with feet shoulder width apart and the toes of both feet pointed forward. Bend forward and touch toes (if a player cannot touch her toes with the knees unbent, let her bend her knees first and then slowly straighten her legs as much as possible). Hold for 15 seconds.

Stand straight up with feet double shoulder width apart and the toes of both feet pointed forward. Bend forward and touch the ground between the legs. Hold for 15 seconds.

Stand straight up with feet double shoulder width apart and the toes of both feet pointed forward. Bend to the right and try to touch the right foot with both hands. Hold for 15 seconds. Straighten up. Repeat for left side.

Groin Stretch (stretches adductors and quads)

Stand straight up with feet double shoulder width apart and the toes of both feet pointed forward. Keeping the right leg straight, bend the left knee and try to sit on the left heel. Hold for 15 seconds. Straighten up. Repeat for left side.

Standing Quad Stretch (stretches quads)

Stand straight up. Put left hand on a partner's shoulder. Grab the right ankle with the right hand (NB: many people prefer to teach players to use the opposite hand, which is more likely to keep the player's knees together and avoid stressing the knee joint) and pull upwards toward the buttock, keeping the knees together, the hips rotated forward, the trunk fully upright and the standing foot pointed forward. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat for left side.

Step 3There's a multitude of these exercises which could be used, including 'pass and follow', 'man on/turn/hold', 'monkey in the middle' and so on. As players improve, putmultiple balls into play and impose restrictions (one-touch play, alternateside-of-the-foot and lofted passes, etc). Also ones where half the playersare on the outside, half on the inside; the players on the inside look tothe players on the outside for a thrown-in ball, receive it and one-touchit back (vary the service so that the ball is thrown to feet, to thigh, tochest, to head).

Step 4

Let players rest for 2 minutes and set up some goal posts and pick two teams. Begin the match with restrictions, i.e. two-touch football and above head height. Then about 15 minutes into the match switch to no restrictions. At the most play 30 minutes to avoid injury or fatigue.