Five Ways Running Training Will Improve Your Football Performance

Needless to say, whilst being great on the ball will be the primary reason you are currently playing where you are if you want to make an impact on a match you are clearly going to have to be effective off the ball.

MATCH DEMANDS

90 minutes (plus added time) usually see players cover approximately 10km in a match.

Players often reach speeds of over 30km/h and have anywhere from 700-1000 changes of direction!

You need to be able to repeat accelerations lasting 1-6 seconds over and over again for 90 minutes broken up with both long and short rest periods.

Ideally, you can do this maintaining your top speed and whilst getting in possession of the ball as often as needed.

CLEARLY! Running must be a part of your training program.

Love it or hate it, completing a well-planned running program will pay dividends on the pitch.

Here are just FIVE ways it will improve match performance:

Improved Fitness

The match demands of the game clearly require you to be fit, but not just any type of fitness – specifically running.

Want to get fit enough to be able to match the running demands of the game? Start training like it. Run!

Improved Speed

 Most of the top players nowadays are very fast; just think Salah, Ronaldo, Mbappe, Messi, and Hazard. Just a few of the top names who are very quick on the ground.

Want to get fit enough to be able to match the running demands of the game? Start training like it. Run!

Just like number one, if you want to be able to sprint faster, practice sprinting fast.Increase speed to easily get past and track your opponent with ease.

Injury Risk Reduced

The more you train the more your body will adapt to the stress you expect of it.

Of course, this has to be gradually introduced but by running up some volume week by week you will be strengthening your ligaments and tendons which will reduce your risk of injury and prepare you for the large demand of running expected of you during training and game time!

High-Quality Skill

If you are well trained then as a match gets to the later parts you should still be able to complete your technical skills to the same level as you did at the start of the game. If you think your skill will be able to stay high quality after 75 minutes of running without training for it, you are kidding yourself!

Better Tactical Game

One of the most important aspects of the game is how you perform tactically. Can you get into the positions both attacking and defensive over and over again to match the needs of the game?

If you’ve played the game you know that running forward, back, sideways, tracking runners, supporting a cross or dragging players away from the ball all required running! Can you do this over and over for 90 minutes?

Every coach wants that. No opponent wants to play against that!

If you want to be able to meet the match demands of the game, improve your speed, reduce your risk of injury, have high quality skill until the end of the game and have a better tactical performance then be sure to keep running training at the top of your priority list!

If you need a running program that is specific to football and your position then get in touch with us at www.playspots.ae