Nike Academy - Fitness Drills

STAR RUN

You’ve worked hard on your speed and endurance. Make your efforts go further and build up velocity during off-season with this drill from Jon Goodman.

EQUIPMENT:

8 cones

SUMMARY:

I. This drill works well for groups of 4, 8, 12 or 16. However, you can build it around any number of players. Up to 4 players can work simultaneously at any given time.

II. Set up a small middle square using 4 cones. Place another cone 10 metres away from each of these cones as shown.

III. Starting in the middle, on the coach’s signal, the players sprint to the outside cone, around it and back. Moving clockwise, they repeat the run until each player has touched each outside cone and returned to where they started.

IV. It should take 12-16 seconds with elite players working to their maximum.

V. Have a minute of rest between each set and always change direction (from clockwise to anti-clockwise or vice versa) for the next set. Complete 4 to 8 sprint sets for a good endurance session.

ACADEMY LEARNING:

Short yet demanding sprints with little rest improve your endurance by stretching your intermittent recovery system. As football is all about acceleration and sharp speed, this drill is ideal for physical preparation before returning to match action.

PITCH CIRCUITS

The pitch circuits from Jon Goodman, part of the Nike Academy’s training routine during the season, also helps your team build up fitness in early pre-season.

EQUIPMENT:

6 cones
6 footballs
Fitness equipment

SUMMARY:

This drill is ideal for small groups, but in theory, any number of players can take part.

I Set up 6 stations on a full-size pitch as shown.  It’s up to you to decide what each station entails, but there should be an equal amount of upper body, lower body, core and technical work involved. For example:

a. Station 1: 
b. Station 2: short intense passing between players
c. Station 3: sit-ups
d. Station 4: sit-ups
e. Station 5: jumping hurdles
f. Station 6: skipping rope

ACADEMY LEARNING:

Fitness circuits can involve technical challenges to make things more interesting. Nothing’s off limits so get creative to inspire your fitness work and change your routine.

FITNESS STATIONS

Whether working on your own or with a group of mates, this drill helps with both cardiovascular fitness and overall body strength.

EQUIPMENT:

4 cones

SUMMARY:

I. You can modify this drill depending on the number of people taking part. Set up as shown on the drawing, it’s ideal for 4 players.

II. There are 4 stations, marked with cones, and a player at each station. The distance between each cone and the next is 10 metres.

III. The player at station 1 does abdominal exercises, such as holding the plank or sit-ups. The player at station 2 focuses on legs, performing squats or lunges. The player at station 3 works his upper body with dumb-bells or performs push-ups. The player at station 4 is the runner.

IV. On the signal, the runner sprints to station 1 and back, completing a distance of 60 metres. While he runs, others perform their assigned exercises.

V When the run’s completed, everyone moves up one station.

VI You should be working for 4 minutes without a break, followed by 3 minutes for recovery. Complete 3-4 sets for a 21-28 minute session.

ACADEMY LEARNING:

Not having your team-mates around is no excuse to avoid fitness training. This drill helps you stay in shape and impress your coaches during early pre-season.