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We present a specific training plan for footballers, designed to help you stay fit and be ready to return to the pitch at your best. The goal is that you keep feeling close to the grass, maintaining your physical condition and preparing to enjoy your favourite sport again. Get in your best shape possible!
This training plan is based on proven methodologies used successfully with footballers of all levels, structured into microcycles of 4 sessions:
- Day 1: Lower‑body strength + core.
- Day 2: Upper‑body strength + core.
- Day 3: Metabolic training.
- Day 4: Active recovery.
Index
Day 1: Lower‑Body Strength + Core
We kick off with the exercises for the first day. As for the equipment, don’t worry. If you don’t have dumbbells or resistance bands, you’ll be able to do all the exercises with household objects.
For now you’ll only need a chair, 2 pieces of cloth or rags, a broomstick, and a water jug, suitcase or similar.
1. SPLIT (Beginners 10 reps/side) (Intermediates 12 reps/side) (Advanced 15 reps/side) Keep your back straight, activate your core throughout the execution and exhale during the upward phase. If you cannot maintain balance (beginners), place a chair in front and use it until you master the exercise.
2. HAMSTRING BRIDGE (ON CHAIR) (Beginners 10 reps/side) (Intermediates 12 reps/side) (Advanced 15 reps/side) Position yourself near the chair, rest the heel, activate your core throughout the execution and exhale during the rising phase. 3. ECCENTRIC BACK SPLIT (WITH CLOTH) (Beginners 8 reps/side) (Intermediates 10 reps/side) (Advanced 10‑12 reps/side) Keep your back as straight as possible and the core activated throughout the execution. Don’t lift the foot during the movement, just slide. 4. TWO‑LEGGED DEADLIFT (WITH BROOMSTICK) (Beginners 7 reps) (Intermediates 10 reps) (Advanced 15 reps) Place the broomstick just on the centre of your back aligned with the spine. During execution you should avoid the stick moving away from the straight line of your back. You’ve probably seen this exercise a thousand times, but before doing more complex stuff, we must make sure this is done perfectly. You must keep the back straight and core activated, avoiding arching the back, which will cause the stick to detach.
5. ADD SQUAT (Beginners 7 reps/side) (Intermediates 10 reps/side) (Advanced 12 reps/side) When placing the weight make sure you rest the whole foot on the ground and that the foot is straight. Don’t lean on the knee. Keep the core activated and exhale in the return phase.
6. HIP THRUST (WITH CHAIR) (Beginners 10 reps) (Intermediates 12 reps) (Advanced 15 reps) Keep your core and glutes activated throughout the execution. Support your scapular area on the chair, not your entire back. Exhale during the rising phase. 7. HIGH PLANK WITH HIP EXTENSION (Beginners 8 reps) (Intermediates 12 reps) (Advanced 15 reps) Maintain your body aligned at all times. For that keep your core activated and avoid bending the hips. Exhale during hip extension. KNEES TO CHEST (WITH TWO PIECES OF CLOTH) (Beginners 10 reps) (Intermediates 12 reps) (Advanced 15 reps) Keep your back straight avoiding curves and the core activated. Exhale as you bend your knees. Don’t lift your feet during the whole movement, only slide them. 8. ROTATIONS WITH JUG (HIGH) BOTH DIRECTIONS (Beginners 3 reps/side) (Intermediates 5 reps/side) (Advanced 7 reps/side) Keep your core activated throughout execution and exhale during the rotation. Avoid arching your lower back. 9. SUPERMAN (Beginners 10 reps/side) (Intermediates 12 reps/side) (Advanced 15 reps/side) Keep the core activated and try always to find a straight line. Activate the glute throughout the movement and exhale in the rising phase.
Day 2: Upper‑Body Strength + Core
The equipment used on this second day is no different to what you used on the first day. Use home items for everything if you don’t have dumbbells or elastic bands.
1. DIPS WITH FEET ON CHAIR (Beginners 10 reps) (Intermediates 15‑20 reps) (Advanced 20‑25 reps) Keep your back straight, activate your core throughout the execution and exhale during the upward phase. 2. HAND‑DRAG WALKS (Beginners 8 reps) (Intermediates 12 reps) (Advanced 15 reps) Activate your core throughout execution and exhale while dragging forward. 3. SHOULDER PRESS + SPLIT (WITH JUG OR BOTTLE) (Beginners 8 reps/side) (Intermediates 10 reps/side) (Advanced 10‑12 reps/side) Keep the back as straight as possible and core activated throughout the execution. Exhale during the press. 4. INVERTED FLYES (WITH 2 PIECES OF CLOTH) (Beginners 7 reps) (Intermediates 10 reps) (Advanced 12 reps) Keep the core activated and the back straight, avoid bending the hips. Do the opening movement slowly and the closing more explosively. 5. PULLOVER WITH LUMBAR BRIDGE (WITH JUG) (Beginners 10 reps) (Intermediates 12 reps) (Advanced 15 reps) Keep core activated and glutes contracted. Exhale in the lowering phase of the weight. 6. SIDE PLANK WITH SHOULDER ABDUCTION (WITH BOTTLE) (Beginners 8 reps) (Intermediates 10‑12 reps) (Advanced 12‑15 reps) Keep your core and glutes activated throughout execution. Support your weight on the forearm. Exhale in the rising phase. 7. HIGH PLANK / LOW PLANK (Beginners 8 reps) (Intermediates 12 reps) (Advanced 15 reps) Keep your body aligned at all times. For that, keep your core activated and avoid letting the hips sag. Exhale during each movement. Avoid as much as possible letting the body sway from side to side.
8. LUMBAR BRIDGE WITH OPENING (WITH JUG) (Beginners 8 reps/side) (Intermediates 12 reps/side) (Advanced 15 reps/side) Keep core activated and glutes contracted. Exhale as you lift the weight.
Day 3: Metabolic Training
This workout aims to improve cardiovascular and metabolic systems via a 6‑exercise circuit. Each exercise is performed for 30 seconds at maximum intensity, followed by 30 seconds of rest before moving to the next.
It is recommended to complete between 3 and 6 rounds of the circuit depending on your fitness level, increasing volume progressively to avoid over‑exhaustion. It’s important to use a timer to control the intervals. The exercises are:
- Front skipping
- Side‑jump skipping
- Heading jump with lateral coordination
- Lateral pivots
- Front skipping with jump and landing
- Ball strike with inside of foot
Day 4: Active Recovery Session
After having completed the three tough sessions we have proposed, it is now time to recover and prepare your body to face the next microcycle of training.
By we propose an active recovery session:
1. FOAM ROLLER Calves Hamstrings Glutes Quadriceps Adductors 2. MOBILITY We’ll perform an articular mobility circuit which you can see in the video at the end. We will repeat this circuit 2 or 3 times, doing an average of 10‑15 mobilisations of each exercise. Remember to do it controlled, not too slow nor too fast, and controlling your breathing and posture at all times.
Now more than ever, what matters is quality!
3. PROPRIOCEPTION In test format, we’ll place 3 objects around us as reference forming a Y (in the video you’ll see how). On single‑leg stance, bring the non‑standing foot as close as possible to each of the 3 references we have placed, without touching it, moving it parallel to the ground. It’s important to engage your muscles and control your breathing to be able to keep balance.
We will do 2‑3 sets of 5 reps with each leg.
4. LOW‑INTENSITY CARDIO If you have at home a bike, treadmill, elliptical or similar, it would be very beneficial to do 10‑15 minutes of low‑intensity cardio.
Related links on the topic:
- Benefits of strength work for footballers
- How does muscle volume affect a footballer?
- Is rest overrated or does it really improve performance?
- What is invisible training in football?
- Fitness preparation in football referees
- Psychological preparation and stress in futsal world
