SPINAL TWIST
How to do it: Lie on your back and press your lower back lightly into the floor. Place your arms out to the side in-line with your shoulders and bring your knees towards your chest with your feet together. Use your abdominal muscles to rotate your lower body and slowly drop both knees out to the left until they touch the floor. Your knees should be level with your hips. Lift your knees back up to the start position and repeat the movement on the other side. Ensure your upper back and shoulder blades remain on the floor. This exercise encourages movement and mobility in your spine.
Sets: 2
Reps: 4 (each side)
Rest: 1 minute (between sets)
BARBELL KNEE DRIVES
How to do it: Load the barbell with a suitable weight and stand facing a box or bench. Step up onto the bench with one leg, extending through your hips and knee. As you step up onto the bench, drive your other knee up as high as you can. Reverse this movement to step down and repeat on the other side. Barbell knee drives will build leg strength – important for almost every action in football.
Sets: 3
Reps: 6-8 (each leg)
Rest: 2-3 minutes (between sets)
MEDICINE BALL SLAMS
How to do it: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent. Hold a medicine ball overhead and stand up onto your toes and bend forward at the waist as you slam the ball down into the floor with as much force as possible. Pick up the medicine ball, return to the start position and repeat. This is a great exercise for developing strength, power and co-ordination.
Sets: 3
Reps: 6-8
Rest: 3 minutes (between sets)
SPLIT SQUAT JUMP
How to do it: Start in a traditional lunge position and jump upwards with explosive power, switching legs in mid-air and landing in a lunge position, this time with your back leg forward. Stay in this position for two seconds – max – before repeating the movement. Keep your upper-body upright and core switched on. The split squat jump is develops lower body power, balance and co-ordination. Perform the exercise with dumbbells to increase the difficulty.
Sets: 3
Reps: 8
Rest: 2 minutes (between sets)
LATERAL PLYO PRESS-UPS
How to do it: Start in a regular press-up position and lower your chest to the floor before explosively pushing up so that your hands and feet leave the ground. Shift your bodyweight laterally mid-air, before landing and performing the next repetition. Repeat, completing the prescribed repetitions in both directions. This move develops upper-body, lower-body and core strength.
Sets: 3
Reps: 4 (each side)
Rest: 2 minutes (between sets)
Pre-season training guides:
Pre-season training: Week 4
Pre-season training: Week 5
Pre-season training: Week 6
Pre-season technical drills:
VIDEO: Ball mastery warm-up: Part 1
VIDEO: Ball mastery warm-up: Part 2
VIDEO: Pre-season training for football: 1v1 drills
VIDEO: Pre-season training for football: First touch drills
VIDEO: Pre-season training for football: Shooting drills
VIDEO: Pre-season training for football: Running with the ball drills
VIDEO: Pre-season training for football: Passing drills
Pre-season gym workouts:
VIDEO: Pre-season gym workout: Week 1
VIDEO: Pre-season gym workout: Week 2
VIDEO: Pre-season gym workout: Week 3
VIDEO: Pre-season gym workout: Week 4
VIDEO: Pre-season gym workout: Week 6
Pre-season nutrition:
7 best breakfasts for footballers
