7 Week Football Training Program for Professionals

Preparation for the Football Season is vital for the performance of players through the season. This program below shows how I prepared for a return to Professional Football with Charlton after a 2 year lay-off. I followed this program on my own which took a lot of dedication and determination not to give up. Although this does not show how heavy the weights were that I lifted or the intensity and type of running exercises, it does give you an idea of what you need to build your stamina, sharpness and ball skills.

7 Week Pre-Season Training Program for Professionals

• Day 1 - played competitive game for 1 hour


• Day 2 - played competitive game in searing heat. 3 hours after game did stretches in the swimming pool for 20 minutes.


• Day 3 - total rest. Swimming and 20 minutes of stretching.


• Day 4 - Weight Training circuit for 1/2 hour. 3 sets of 5 or 10 for all muscle groups. Plus 3 sets of 30 sit-ups. 2 sets 10 back raises. plus 4 sets 10 single leg jumps on trampoline. swim in the pool for 1/2 hour with lots of stretching.


• Day 5 - Swimming for 1/2 hour plus stretches. Plus 3 sets single leg jumps on trampoline.





• Day 6 - Training on football pitch. 3 lap warm up. Stride out to half way line, 4 runs. Stride out to half way line and back, 2 runs. Stride out full pitch and back, 2 times. Duration 17 mins 16 secs. 2 laps and 1/2 hour in swimming pool stretching to warm down. 3 sets 30 sit-ups. 2 sets 10 back raises


• Day 7 - Total rest. swimming for ½ hour with stretches


• Day 8 - 3 lap warm up. Stride out to half way line, 4 runs. Stride out to half way line and back, 2 runs. stride out full pitch and back, 2 times. Duration 19 mins 38 secs. 2 lap warm down. Weights Training circuit for 1/2 hour. 3 sets of 5 or 10 for all muscle groups. Plus 3 sets 30 sit-ups. 3 sets 10 back raises. plus 4 sets 10 single leg jumps on trampoline. swim in the pool for 1/2 hour with lots of stretching.


• Day 9 - Total rest.


• Day 10 - Played competitive game in very hot weather.


• Day 11 - Total rest.





• Day 12 - Stamina Run for 30 minutes


• Day 13 - Training for 1 ½ hours. 5 lap warm up followed by various ball and running exercises. Then 3 sets of weights, all muscle groups and 3 sets of 30 sit-ups.


• Day 14 - Training for 1 ½ hours. 5 lap warm up followed by ball and running exercises. Then a ½ hour game.


• Day 15 - Total rest


• Day 16 - 30 Minute Stamina Run. Leg weights. 6 sets of heavy leg weights. Afternoon: ½ hour ball skills


• Day 17 - Morning: Training for an hour with ball skills. Afternoon: Friendly but competitive game. Played 90 mins


• Day 18 - Total rest


• Day 19 - Morning: Stamina Run for 30 minutes. Afternoon: 3 lap warm up with 20 minutes stretches. 5 sets heavy leg weights. 45 minutes ball skills and sprints.


• Day 20 - Total rest


• Day 21 - Morning Stamina Run for 30 minutes. 1/2 hour ball skills. Afternoon: 3 lap warm up and stretches with 20 minute ball skills.6 sets of 5 heavy leg weights. 6 sets of 30 sit-ups.


• Day 22 - 30 minute Stamina Run


• Day 23 - Total Rest


• Day 24 - Played competitive game in midday heat.


• Day 25 - Total Rest and Stretches in the Swimming Pool


• Day 26 - Morning 30 minute Stamina Run followed by 50 minutes of ball skills, jumping and dynamic exercises. Afternoon 30 minute Stamina Run followed by 4 sets heavy weights for legs and upper body. Plus 4 sets 30 sit-ups.


• Day 27 - Total rest. 20 minutes stretching in Swimming pool


• Day 28 - Morning 30 minute Stamina Run followed by 1 hour of running, jumping and ball skills. Plus 3 sets of heavy leg and upper body weights. 3 sets 30 sit-ups.


• Day 29 - Morning 30 minute Stamina Run followed by 1 hour of ball skills, sprinting and stretching. 3 sets 30 sit-ups.


• Day 30 - Afternoon: Played a friendly match. 90 mins


• Day 31 - Morning: played in a match. 90 mins.


• Day 32 - Total rest





• Day 33 - Morning 30 minute Stamina Run followed by 1 hour of ball skills and sprints. Then 3 sets of heavy leg and upper body weights. 3 sets 30 sit-ups.


• Day 34 - Morning 30 minute Stamina Run followed by 45 mins of ball skills and sprints. Afternoon 30 minute Stamina Run followed by 45 min ball skills and sprints. Plus 3 sets 30 sit-ups.


• Day 35 - Morning 30 minute Stamina Run followed by sprints. Half way line and back – 6 times. Full pitch and back – 3 times. Afternoon 30 minute stamina run followed by 3 sets heavy leg and upper body weights. 3 sets 15 sit-ups.


• Day 36 - Total rest.


• Day 37 - Morning. Played 90 minutes. Afternoon: 30 minutes sprinting exercises.


• Day 38 - Morning 30 minute Stamina Run followed by 1 hour of ball skills, sprinting and jumping exercises. Afternoon: 4 laps of the pitch with stretches. Plus 3 sets of heavy leg and upper body weights. 3 sets of 45 sit-ups.


• Day 39 - Morning 30 minute Stamina Run followed by 1 hour of ball skills and sprints. Plus 3 sets 45 sit-ups. Afternoon: 5 laps of pitch with stretches. 45 mins of balls skills and sprints. 5 sets 45 sit-ups.


• Day 40 - Afternoon: 4 laps of pitch with stretches. 1 hr of ball skills and sprinting. Stride outs to half way line and back. 5 times. Followed by 3 sets of heavy leg and upper body weights. 5 sets 45 sit-ups.


• Day 41 - Morning 30 minute Stamina Run followed by 1 hr ball skills and sprints. Plus 6 sets 60 sit-ups. Afternoon Stamina Run followed by 3 sets 45 sit-ups.


• Day 42 - 3 sets leg and upper body weights. Plus 5 sets 45 sit-ups.


• Day 43 - Morning 30 minute Stamina Run. 3 sets 45 sit-ups.


• Day 44 - Played 90 minute match


• Day 45 - Total Rest


• Day 46 - Morning 30 minute Stamina Run followed by and hour ball skills and sprints. Followed by 3 sets heavy leg and upper body weights. 5 sets 45 sit-ups. Afternoon: 6 lap warm up with stretches. 45 mins of sprints. Half way line and back and full pitch and back.


• Day 47 - Morning 30 minute Stamina Run.


• Day 48 - 5 sets heavy leg and upper body weights.


• Day 49 - Morning 30 minute Stamina Run.


• Day 50 - 5 sets heavy leg and upper body weights

After the completion of this program I was able to fit in comfortably with a Professional teams daily training schedule. The only thing I was a bit short on was match practice at the highest level.

More Articles on Pre-Season Training Programs :

• Preparation for Football Pre-season Training
• Plyometrics Football Training at Charlton Athletic Football Club
• BBCs Pre-Season Training Series with Reading FC Academy manager Eamonn Dolan
  

Football Training Techniques - Plyometrics at Charlton Athletic

My last article I wrote about Sam Allardyce taking over at Newcastle United Football Club and his use of modern techniques to enhance the abilities of his players. I touched on the subject of Plyometrics, a type of exercise that uses explosive movements to develop muscular power.

Plyometrics resources

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plyometrics


• http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/plymo.htm

In the final few years of my Football career I was introduced to this training technique and found it to be extremely useful. Charlton Athletics fitness coach Joe Dunbar was responsible for bringing the technique to the club, although obviously Alan Curbishley (former Manager of Charlton Athletic Football Club) must be given credit for his foresight in using this training technique.

Through a combination of Weight Training, Bounding and Jumping mixed with agility training, Plyometrics was used by Charlton to improve the speed and strength of our players. Initially Joe received very funny looks and lots of ridicule from the Football team as no-one was sure of the purpose of these exercises.

Before every training session Joe would put out cones and small hurdles for the players to bound over, sometimes hopping on one leg and other times bounding 2 legged like kangaroos. Other exercises included zig-zagging from side to side in a slalom like fashion. It felt strange at first. Even though the co-ordination of Professional Footballers is as good as any athletes, the introduction of any new exercise takes some adjusting too. Players would be falling over, crashing into the hurdles and making fools of themselves in front of a large cynical footballing audience.

Of course in Football you have to be thick skinned to any criticism and continue to practice these new techniques. Sure enough over time with the use of controlled weight training, we noticed a marked difference. The use of Plyometrics coincided with our Championship winning season, gaining promotion to the Premiership league.

Over the next few seasons Joe continued these training sessions. Some players were not convinced by these techniques but for a few of us we were hooked and would start our training sessions 30 minutes early in order to practice on the hurdles and slalom courses that Joe set up.

My personal experience was that I found a huge increase in leg strength. I was always a very lean player and found it difficult adding power and strength to my legs. For most of my career I experimented with different kinds of weight training programs, lifting heavy weights to make myself stronger. But Plyometrics surpassed any of my previous training programs and I felt a huge boost in power, enabling myself to jump higher during matches, sprint faster and hold off monster sized centre halves.



I could even be seen in Greenwich Park, London a stones throw away from the Charlton Stadium, practicing these techniques. In June and July before the pre-season training had started, I would find a quiet area away from the sun-bathing public and go through the routines that Joe had given me. Gradually over the weeks my 10 one-legged hops or 10 two legged bunny hops would increase in distance, testimony to the benefit of Plyometrics. I must have looked very strange in my training kit, bounding through the park, but as I previously said, as a Football player you have to have a thick skin. If this technique was beneficial to my game then I was prepared to try it out.

I would recommend Plyometrics to any player, especially Footballers looking to gain more power and strength. Although I would definitely suggest getting professional advice because the strains and tensions put on your muscles and body can cause serious injury.

Another New Era for Newcastle United Football Club

Newcastle United Football Club have taken a brave step in hiring another manager to lift the so called sleeping giants out of hibernation. It must be such an old cliche for the fans of the club to hear, but with a massive fan base and a huge stadium they are a Football Club that could achieve so much more than their history suggests.

In Sam Allardyce they have what seems to be a traditional English manager who builds Football teams that are very hard to beat, yet in the not so traditional sense, Allardyce employs extremely modern techniques at his clubs. With a team of experts around him Allardyce ensures that he has the expertise in areas of a football club that he himself does not have time to run.

I played for many clubs who hired Nutritionists, Specialist Coaches (When I played for Newcastle in the early 90s they had a sprinting coach even way back then), motivational experts, Physiotherapists and other such gurus to enhance the performance of the team.

At Charlton Athletic we had a fitness coach called Joe Dunbar (who also worked with World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Lennox Lewis) who was responsible for the fitness routines, pre match warm ups, post match warm downs and any other Cross Training required at the Club to enhance the players physical attributes. Including a revolutionary exercise program called Plyometrics, which I personally found to be very useful adding enormous amounts of strength and power to my legs.

When I was at West Bromwich Albion, Alan Buckley hired a motivational expert to try and help the players out of the worse slump in the clubs history, 13 straight defeats. In the early 90s this kind of specialism was just beginning although it really failed to have much of an impact on the players or the club at that particular time.

English Football has come a long way since, and Allardyce confirmed that he will be implementing at Newcastle what he did at Bolton, although of course that took 8 years to do. Whether Newcastle United and their impatient fans will give him this amount of time, especially as he has only signed a 3 year contract remains to be seen.

Allardyce has an impressive record at Bolton, finishing 16th, 17th, 8th, 6th, 8th and 7th in the last 6 years. He also points to his ability to inspire older players, star names with so called egos, and also to Boltons exceptional injury record losing just 72 player days to injury this season, compared to Newcastles extraordinary 340 player days.

It doesn't take a Brain Surgeon or indeed a Football expert to analyze these figures and realize that the more time your players are available and the less injuries they are carrying, the greater chance the team has of winning games. With Newcastle Uniteds financial clout and impressive squad, a fully fit team will instantly perform better than most other sides (excluding the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea) and if you average out these performances over a season Newcastle should see steady progress under Allardyce.

Needless to say a lot will depend on Allardyce tinkering to find the right squad plus his ability to build his team of experts and motivate the motivators.