Components of Football Training

Dynamic Warm-up/Cool-down

Dynamic warm-up consists of activities to increase heart rate, blood flow, muscle temperature, and breathing rate. Warming up allows muscles to stretch more easily and joints to move more easily.
Cooling down ensures athletes relax their muscles and reduce next-day soreness.

Speed Training

Players run on Athletic Republic Generation III Super Treadmills. These treadmills can reach speeds of 28 miles per hour and an incline grade of 40 degrees.
Athletes are taught proper running mechanics at high speeds. Stride efficiency and power make a faster, quicker runner.
Players can also learn visually by seeing themselves in a mirror and by using Dartfish video motion analysis—something players cannot get on the field.

Strength Training

Players utilize bodyweight, free-weights, medicine balls, and circuits on state-of-the-art FreeMotion machines to strengthen muscles, joints and connective tissues.
The exercises are biomechanically specific to on-court skills including muscle movements used in blocking and running and defending pass routes.

Cardiovascular/Endurance Training

Cardiovascular and endurance training at Chelsea Piers BlueStreak includes short interval/high intensity sprinting sequences on our Generation III Super Treadmills. By using the same energy systems and tactical movements utilized in football games, athletes become fitter and faster.

Plyometric Training

Plyometric training is an effective form of power training ideally suited to football. Players perform specific plyometric drills for increased motor performance (coordination), explosive power, vertical jump height, lateral power and rotation, and landing strength.
Plyometrics combines elements of both speed and strength in single movement patterns that include the Athletic Republic PlyoPress, cord technology, longitudinal and vertical jumps, box jumps, and medicine ball drills for upper body and middle body torso power.

Flexibility

Football-specific flexibility stretching exercises including static stretching, isometric stretching, and active isolated stretching (AIS). Improved flexibility prevents injuries in assuring the muscles and tendons work together properly.

Dynamic Balance

Football is a game where player’s center of gravity and body control are incredibly important. Athletes perform a series of balance-specific exercises to strengthen their stabilizing muscles and allow for better muscular synergy and joint control.
Training routines include unstable and stable lifts, dynamic balance movements with the Bosu ball, and a variety of off-balance workouts.

Agility

Agility is the ability to change speed and direction while maintaining effective control of the body. In order to improve agility, athletes learn a variety of agility drills, including advanced ground-based agility patterns and use of a speed ladder.
Ground-based agility drills are conducted on our indoor Field Turf, 400M track, sand pit and wood courts.

Core Stabilization Training

Core stabilization is essential for proper posture, balance and stabilization. Functional exercises focus on spinal stabilization and increased proprioception (the ability to read and respond to changing conditions) during sports activities. Core muscles support every twisting, turning, jumping, and lateral movement; additionally, they are essential in posture, balance, and stabilization.
Core training consists of dynamic, multi-joint exercises that use free weights, medicine balls and FreeMotion circuit training.

Skill Development

(This component is part of the Acceleration & Skills program.)

Players improve individual ball handling, shooting and defensive skills by training on the courts at the adjacent Sports Center. Workouts include multiple drills that focus on ball handling, shooting, off-balance accuracy, soft hands, passing, defending, rebounding, shooting technique and power.