Football Training: The Ultimate Guide
The process of acquiring key skills and becoming a good footballer is long and arduous, and the impact of professional coaching is indisputable. This article will go into details of football training and explain what players need to do to make their childhood dreams of playing at the highest level come true.
What is Football Training?
Football training entails the sum of all activities that prospective football players perform with the goal of developing their overall athletic ability and the skills necessary to play football against elite opposition. This includes individual work undertaken under the watchful eye of professional trainers, who could be working for a club or be hired directly by the player. Football training consists of many different types of drills, each of which prepare the player for the physical rigours of the game and equip them with the technical proficiency necessary for his position.
What to Wear to Football Training?
When participating in football training, players should wear clothing that allows them to move freely and utilise their bodies without restrictions. This typically includes a t-shirt and shorts that are comfortable enough for exercising, or a sweatshirt and sweatpants if training takes place outdoors and in cold weather. Additional clothing items such as vests or gloves are also worn during training occasionally. Regarding footwear, it’s highly recommended to use football boots with spikes that prevent slipping on the turf. Most players also wear high socks, which heat the legs and provide support for the feet.
Safety should be taken into account when considering what to wear for football training. Protective equipment is also important (especially when training in a group), with shin guards in particular being mandatory for players at every level. Shin guards are worn underneath the socks and can prevent serious contact injuries. Other protective gear and wearable technology is available as well, but such items are typically used by professional players and may not be necessary for those still learning the basic drills.
What Equipment Do You Need for Football Training?
To fully understand how you train for football, it’s crucial to break down the process to its basic components. In addition to a presence of a professional trainer, the most essential element is the availability of training equipment needed for the relevant football drills. Since there is a wide range of activities within the typical training regimen, a lot of different equipment is required at various stages. This makes it convenient to train with a club or an established coaching institution that already has the requisite gear on hand.
Obviously, the most essential item for training is the ball, which is used in some but not all drills. Other pieces of core football training equipment include marker cones and flexible poles that can be positioned at various points on the field for players to dribble around them; as well as hurdles that are used for the running drills. More specialised props also include wall mannequins and pop-up targets, which are very useful for practicing shooting accuracy. Finally, coloured bibs may be used when there is a need to quickly separate the players into two groups for team-based drills.
Types of Football Training
The objectives of football training include preparing the player for the physical challenge of playing in a competitive game, as well as providing him with the technical skills needed to excel on the pitch and tactical concepts important for team performance. With this in mind, we can talk about physical football training which is aimed at developing strength, speed, and agility; technical football training that focuses on ball skills and individual movement; and tactical training that is primarily oriented towards collaboration with teammates and a player’s place in the formation.
Physical Football Training
Physical training is the bedrock upon which all football skills are based, as players need to be in great shape in order to play well and avoid injuries. Cardio training represents the foundation as football players need to run for 90 minutes without getting tired. Quickness and speed are also very important attributes, and can be improved considerably with focused training. Strength exercises should be a part of the mix as well, giving the player an edge in physical duels that are common near the goal. Football fitness training doesn’t require any work with the ball, which is why some players find it tedious, but its relevance is undisputed. All elite players are in fantastic physical condition, and failure to properly prepare the body for the wear and tear of a football game can result in poor performance and an elevated possibility of getting hurt.
Technical Football Training
Technical abilities are also a very important area that young players have to work on a lot, preferably with an experienced trainer who can correct their form and teach them how to maximise their chances in every situation. Within this training segment, players are prepared to handle different aspects of the game, starting from fundamentals such as dribbling, passing, and shooting. Ball control skills are needed for players at all positions, and can be practiced in one-on-one sessions or in a group. Obviously, the same goes for the shooting drills that are intended to teach precision and power and contribute to a player’s scoring ability. Defensive players and goalkeepers have different duties on the field that require ball tracking, tackling, or clearing out the ball with a long kick. Those individual skills can be practiced with a trainer as well, and represent a key part of the program for players at these positions.
Tactical Football Training
Football is a sophisticated game where teamwork and strategy play a huge role. This is why tactical concepts must be a part of football training for adults and kids, building upon the development of individual skills and allowing the player to leverage them in a game. The objective is to learn how to play in different formations or how to execute certain tactical plans (i.e. during a corner kick). As opposed to physical and technical skills, tactical lessons are best learned alongside one’s peers and often represent a final layer to an already impressive collection of moves and tricks. It’s also important to note that training of this type requires a cerebral effort from the players, so those with a talent for team play may not be discovered until they engage in team drills of this type.
How Long is Football Training?
While repetition is the mother of all knowledge and hard work translates into sports success, players should be careful not to over-train. Depending on the age and skill level of each player, coaches should define the most optimal schedule regarding the frequency of training sessions and the length of each one. For very young players, training sessions are usually limited to around one hour, and organised three to four times per week. Older players with higher ambitions may train for up to two hours at once, which is similar to enduring a full game without a substitution. They also practice more frequently and in some cases may need to show up for work twice per day. Training sessions are typically dedicated to certain skills, with coaches choosing the appropriate plan based on the player’s physical talents, development level, known weaknesses, etc. When working with a private trainer, players may have more say regarding what they are learning and how fast they are progressing.
How to Train for Football?
After learning what to wear for football training and which skills can be improved this way, players also need to adopt a proper mind-set for football training. They should always arrive for a session with a few minutes to spare so they can change into the appropriate attire. If they have any lingering injuries, they should use bandages and other protective gear to wrap those spots. Every training session begins with warm-ups, since it’s essential that players don’t suddenly start overextending their muscles.
Light running and simple ball drills are often conducted at the start of practice, with 5 to 10 minutes for each exercise. They are often followed with some shooting drills, and possibly with a bit of team action. After every repetition, trainers provide feedback to players and instruct them to correct some elements. If the player shows an understanding of the input and an ability to apply the instructions in practice, the trainer can move on to more nuanced exercises that build upon the basic drills.
Football Training Drills
The secret to quality training in football involves knowing how to run the appropriate drills for every type of skill and how to get the players to participate in them wholeheartedly. There are countless football training drills for adults or kids, and most of them are extremely simple. Drilling the fundamental elements of the game is obviously instrumental for teaching young players how to play, but it remains a relevant part of preparation even for seasoned professionals.
Based on the objective of each drill, they can be divided into several categories. Here are some of the exercises that can be useful to all players regardless of they play on defence, in the midfield, or as forwards.
Shooting Drills
It’s impossible to score in football without shooting, so this skill ranks very high on the list. Players must learn how to kick the ball with both feet, under different angles, while standing or running full speed… Drills of this kind can help to become more accurate from greater distances and to perform more difficult shots such as lobs, volleys, or back heel shots.
Dribbling Drills
Controlling the ball on the ground and moving around the field with it is another common task that any player may be required to perform in a game. This is dependent on the dribbling ability and dexterity with both feet, along with speed and agility. Undergoing dribbling drills on a regular basis can greatly expand the repertoire of moves the player has in his bag.
Passing Drills
Football is a team sport and passing is the skill that unlocks teamwork and collaboration. That’s why players need to be comfortable making passes of any length from anywhere on the field, from short passes along the ground to crosses that travel a great distance through the air. Drills focused on passing are a key part of football training for all age groups.
Tackling Drills
All eleven players must be active on defence and capable of clearing the ball away from an opponent. The purpose of tackling drills is to give the player the skill to contribute on the defensive end and tackle cleanly and without fouling or risking an injury. Learning the proper tackling technique should be done early, so that it becomes completely instinctive.
The Benefits of Football Training
A young person can gain a lot by attending football training, even for a short period. In addition to becoming more skilled at the game of football, boys and girls can vastly improve their fitness and overall health if they train regularly. Developing strong work ethics is just as important, and this is easier to do in a structured, well-organised environment alongside peers who share the same interest. Relationships built through youth football training can last a long time and create amazing memories.
For adult players who are talented enough to play competitively, football training takes on a different meaning. It becomes an avenue for individual work and a gradual expansion of the relevant skillset. The greatest players never stop working on their game, perfecting their strengths and addressing their weaknesses. Cumulative benefits of many years of football training allow professional footballers to develop a feeling for the game and react automatically and without thinking. It may be difficult to endure the demands of physical, technical, and tactical training and conduct repetitive drills day after day, but it’s all justified when the player starts showing dominance on the field. Even for those who never reach the highest levels, the experience and the camaraderie alone are well worth the price.
