Run until your feet burn. But is this really efficient?

When it comes to “old school” training methods, the first few weeks are about getting your players back into condition. This is of course each player’s favorite time during the season’s preparation. Where players have to just run and have little to no contact with the ball, in order to first get their basic endurance level back on track. The preparation phase is not as long as you would hope and is past before you know it. In most amateur leagues it is just four weeks until the first game and there is simply no time for mundane running. Take this to heart – please do not waste time and send your players running around the track.

Finally Players also have a private life, which they manage in addition to the training. This is why preseason and soccer exercises with the ball must be combined effectively from the very start.

"When you play football, you're going to get fit."

(Raymond Verheijen)

Here Mr. Verheijen has hit the nail on the head. Fitness comes automatically with ball exercises. It is therefore extremely important, to have a well thought out overview of the upcoming sessions as early as possible, with the main objective of improving sport-specific fitness in combination with the ball. To this end, our articles for optimal season planning are extremely helpful

Our advice: Small field exercises with the ball

Reduce the size of the field, play 5 against 5 or 8 against 8 and let your players run, however, do everything with the ball. The advantage is that both soccer-specific endurance and basic ball techniques are trained. Additionally tactical elements can be built in.

We have found good fitness exercises in our free database, that integrate the contact with the ball. This is a nice one created by our member Cilian Fitzpartick.

Especially important – The Coach

The coach must be present on the field at all times. This is hard work, as there are always a few players who hide behind the others. Here only clear and proactive statements, directed at individual players may help. The work you invest as a coach early in the season, definitely pays off toward the end of the season and it can be a clear advantage during the season.

You’re interested now? We have more articles on our blog, that will help you planing and creating your training sessions even more effectively. Read here how to plan your soccer season the right way.

If you’re interested in more soccer exercise, we advice you to go and have a look at our database.

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