Top 7 strength and conditioning exercises for football players

Published: May 8, 2021

Football players have strict and grueling exercise routines. After all, a football player has to be in top shape in order for him/her to manage to spend 90 minutes on the field. If you have ever wondered just how do they manage to be in such good shape, then we are ready to provide you with some answers. Coming straight from our very own Dubai football personal trainers, here are the top seven strength and conditioning exercises for football players which allow them to play world-class games. Just be careful if you decide to try out some of them – working with a coach or a trainer is always better than the alternative.

Seven of the best strength and conditioning exercises for football players

1. Single-leg squat

Football players are known for their strong legs and great stamina. Single-leg squats are one of the reasons why they can be so quick and endure a 90-minute game. Regular squats are, of course, a great exercise, but single-leg squats are the preferred exercise for our personal trainers in Dubai.

2. Deadlift

Deadlifts are one of those exercises that are great for just about any exercise routine. This exercise is ultra-important as it builds strength at the hips – not to mention that it targets a number of different muscles. The execution of this exercise is super important, which is why trainers attending personal trainer courses Dubai learn about it in great length.

3. Sandbags

Lifting and carrying sandbags might seem to be too easy for a professional athlete, but you shouldn’t let looks fool you. This is one of the best strength and conditioning exercises for football players, as they activate almost every muscle in your body. It’s sort of like fighting and wrestling a live opponent.

4. HIIT on the treadmill

There’s no denying that High-intensity interval training is the closest thing to playing a real football match. That’s why professional football players make it a mandatory part of their routines. When on the treadmill, run at maximum speed for 30 seconds and then return to three minutes of jogging. Repeat at least four times.

5. Burpee pull-ups

Burpee pull-ups are one of the favorite strength and conditioning exercises of many of the world’s most famous football players. They are a great exercise as they activate every muscle in the body and they will truly test your limits. They get your heart rate up quickly, simulating a reaction that happens when dashing for the ball.

6. Medicine ball push-ups

Push-ups should be a mandatory part of almost any fitness routine. In fact, they are one of the favorite exercises of our fitness trainers in Dubai. They are great at building core strength which is important for football players, as well as regular people. A strong core will improve an athlete’s balance, which is very important when running after a ball.

7. Forward-backward sprints

Football players don’t always have the perfect possession of the ball. Most of the time, they have to chase after it in different directions. Forward-backward sprints are one of the best strength and conditioning exercises for football players as they prepare you for an abrupt shift in direction. They will seriously improve your game and your performance on the field.