5 exercises for football players

Power, agility and endurance: there is no doubt that elite football players come closer than the average man can to physical perfection. To develop such a powerful blend of functional and aesthetic fitness, these professionals work from the ground up.

Football coaches often opt for more demanding work in the pre-season. Therefore, at this stage players concentrate much of their work on the lower part of the body. And that's exactly what we propose.

Complete each set twice, with a 30-second break between each exercise.

1. Goblet squat

Hold a kettlebell close to your chest with your feet shoulder-width apart (A). Keeping your chest open, slowly lower into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor (B). Take a break and return to standing. The legs, hips and lower back must always work in a continuous movement, with the upper body practically static. Complete 8 repetitions.

2. Kettlebell deadlift

Hold a kettlebell close to your chest with your feet shoulder-width apart (A). Keeping your chest open, slowly lower into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor (B). Take a break and return to standing. The legs, hips and lower back must always work in a continuous movement, with the upper body practically static. Complete 8 repetitions.

3. Reverse Lunge

Hold a single kettlebell with both hands, keeping your feet hip-width apart (A). Step back with your left foot, lowering yourself until your back knee almost touches the floor (B). Exhale while pushing through your right heel and return to standing. Pause at the end of the movement and repeat on the other side. You will start to feel your quads burn.

4. Side Lunge

Standing, still holding a kettlebell (A), jump to the left and place your foot very still on the floor, so as not to rock your ankle. Flex your left leg, but keep your right leg extended (B). Pause, then place your left foot on the floor to return to the starting position. Reverse and repeat for the other side.

5. Dead weight

Hold both kettlebells at your sides and lift your left foot off the floor (A). Lean forward with your back straight, lifting your left leg for balance, and lower the weights until your torso is parallel to the floor (B). Pause, then squeeze your glutes to return to standing. Switch sides. When finished, rest as little as possible and repeat.