Five exercises for working on your muscles at home
So you're a footballer and you're looking for an all-round programme to help you build up your muscles? All from the comfort of your lounge or garden? Then stay right here because I've got just what you need.
So you're a footballer and you're looking for an all-round programme to help you build up your muscles? All from the comfort of your lounge or garden? Then stay right here because I've got just what you need.
No equipment? no problem!
Off the pitch is the perfect opportunity for you to focus more on strengthening your muscles. Solid training workouts at home (or in your yard) will help you keep your body in shape and improve your performance on the pitch.
Don't have any weight training equipment? Did you know that you can in fact work out at home without any equipment?
The classics
Unlike bodybuilders, footballers need weight training using light weights or their body weight. With this weight training programme specially designed for footballers, the goal is to strengthen the body while working on explosiveness, endurance, and coordination.
Press-ups
The effectiveness of this exercise depends to a large extent on how well you execute it. My advice is to spread your hands slightly wider than your shoulders (at the lowest point of the press-up your forearms should be at right angles to the rest of your arm).
Hold your body weight on the way down, lowering yourself gradually and deliberately, and then push yourself back up with an energetic movement.
You can perform the exercise with your hands and feet on the ground, with your feet elevated, or with your hands elevated, and with your hands spaced apart as above or close together.
One variant of this exercise, called the pike press-up, allows you to work out your shoulders: Place your hands on the floor and stand on your toes; raise your buttocks as high as possible while facing the floor. Bend your arms to lower your body, head to the floor, then push yourself back up to your starting position. This exercise works out your front shoulders.
Do two to five sets of 10 to 30 reps of each exercise, with a 30 to 60 seconds rest between each set.
Dips
Working on your triceps is simple! With your back to a chair or step, place your hands on the chair or step and stretch your legs out in front of you. Lower yourself, holding your body weight as much as possible, and then push yourself back up to your starting position.
Do two to five sets of 10 to 30 reps of each exercise, with a 30 to 60 seconds rest between each set.
Lateral raises, front raises and bent-over lateral raises with water bottles or a pack of bottles.
Take a bottle of water (or a 6-pack) and do lateral raises, front raises and bent-over lateral raises.
The goal here is to work your shoulders even without proper gym equipment. Do three sets of 10 raises without a rest between the different elevations.
Squats
Squats are a great way to work your legs. If you don't have any weights, dumbbells or resistance bands at home, you can use water bottles or a pack of bottles. And if you have children, you can make your workout fun by doing squats with them on your shoulders.
Do 5 sets of 10 to 30 reps.
This article was co-written with: david duquesnoy
I was five when I started playing football at Stade Béthunois. When I was ten I joined RC Lens and climbed up through the age categories there until I was 22. I won a French league title with Lens at the age of 14 and I played for France at U-15 and U-16 level.
I left Lens when I was 22 to go and play in the National (France's third division). In the meantime, I got my coaching badges.I worked as a coach with Lens' U-12 team and then I coached the Elite U-15 team in Belgium. I played for six years in Belgium's first and second divisions.
I ended my playing career with Tourcoing in CFA 2 (France's fifth division), while continuing to renew my coaching certificates and experience: state football licence, state sport for all licence, degree in mental preparation, master's in sophrology and relaxation, and specialist coaching experience. I've been coaching now for the last ten years.
