ERFORMANCE
P
SOCCER
CONDITIONING
A NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO IMPROVING SOCCER PLAYERS
www.performancecondition.com/soccer
With Ball or Partner Warm-up Programs
Phil Rose
Program #1
Warm-up using the ball and incorporating stretches. Do these exercises after a general warm-up raising body temperature
and heart rate.
1. Place ball between legs. Bend laterally until inside of thigh touches the ball.
2. Lunge forward until top of the thigh touches the ball.
3. Place feet on either side of the ball. Squat down until buttocks touch the ball.
4. Place ball in front of the knees. Lower body forward until the insides of the knees touch the ball.
5. Lie on ground with ball between ankles. Raise legs 6” and hold 10 seconds.
6. Lie on ground with the ball between ankles. Raise legs overhead until toes touch the ground.
7. Lie on ground with the ball between ankles (between knees with legs bent at 90º for beginners). Twist alternately to left and right
until ball touches the ground.
8. Lie on floor face down, ball at arms’ length. Slowly raise ball in “superman” position, arching the back, hold and return slowly.
9. With the ball slightly in front of legs, step on and off quickly with alternating feet. Step forward, sideways and move 360º around
the ball.
All exercises should be done 10 times, 3-5 sets, with one minute rest between sets.
Program #2
Warm-up using the ball with two players. Do these exercises after a general warm-up raising body temperature and heart
rate.
1. Two players back to back with elbows bent pass the ball to each other by twisting right to left and then reverse.
2. Two players back to back alternately pass the ball over head and through the legs.
3. Player one assumes a full squat position, player two serves the ball while player one leaps high to head the ball back to player one.
Change positions and repeat.
4. Player one lies on his/her back. Player two stands over the head of player one who alternately does a leg lift and touches the ball.
An advanced variation is placing the ball between player one’s ankles, legs straight to position at 90º, where player two is standing
over the head of player one. Player two at the ankle “throws” the feet of player one towards the ground at various angles; to the side,
diagonally, straight forward. Player one tries to resist the toss and avoid having the feet and ball touch the ground. If this is too
difficult, don’t use the ball at first.
5. Push up. Player does push up jumps to feet, heads ball served by other player and repeats.
6. Squat thrusts. Player does squat thrust and heads ball served by partner.
7. Both players lie on their backs, feet facing with ball wedged between players. Sit up and touch ball with fingers.
8. As Number 7, only ball is between player one’s ankles. S/he lifts ball and touches head. Ball is returned and player two secures
ball between ankles and repeats.
9. Player one does a sit up. Player two stands in position and releases ball so that player one heads the ball back to player two.
10. Player one serves ball to player two who leaps (alternating one and two feet take offs) to head ball back to player one. Reverse.
Do 10 repetitions in 3 to 5 sets with 1-minute rest between sets.