I just got out of a football (soccer) game, and I must tell you, my legs suffered the worst of it. I’m pretty happy that I helped the team win the match, but right now, I feel like I’ve never stood on my legs before. Yeah, I exercise and all that, but apparently, my legs didn’t get the memo; they hurt and are heavy as hell right now. So I’ve just been thinking that I need to acquire the much needed strength in my legs, through exercise. Football is a sport that requires agility, endurance and muscular strength. It is therefore important to build lean muscle in the legs to accommodate the strain of playing. The target muscle groups are the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calf and shin; they need to be trained for the rigors of the sport and to prevent injury. The following routines can help, if you’re a regular football player, or are in it for the fun just like I am.
1. Uphill training. This includes running, and cycling. As well as being cardio-respiratory training, uphill training creates resistance and challenges your muscles, thus creating the strength (and maybe even definition) that you desire. Don’t run on a straight course or track, find an undulating road or run up a flight of stairs (bleachers at the sports centre will do fine). It creates the endurance you desire and builds up your strength.
2. Squats. Squats are great for building the muscles in your legs. Many people know about squats, but probably never do it right. Keep your back straight, chest out and drive your weight down through your heels. Squeeze your glutes as you come up, and keep your knees at 90º with your toes. Squats can also be done in different forms; try a 1-legged squat, keeping one leg pointed out in front of it as you place your hands on your hips, for more resistance. You can also try sumo-squats or other forms of weighted squats.
3. Broad jumps. This is also a good way to create leg definition. Jump as high as you can bringing your knees up to your chest, and land softly on the balls of your feet. Keep this up for 2 minutes per rep. You can mix it up by starting out with a burpee; get in the plank position and jump into a frog stance, then propel yourself into a broad jump and land in a squat. Power booster!
4. Weight-lifting. Weight-lifting doesn’t just involve your arms, it can also include your leg muscles. Try deadlifts, hamstring curls, or leg presses for stronger legs.
You can also try circuit training, which exercises the major muscle groups in your body for short periods with a rest in between. Don’t forget, as with every other workout or activity, stretch before and after the even. You can check out useful stretches for football training over here. In the mean time, I’ll be using the Get Focused section of Nike Training Club to work on my legs. Until next time folks, stay healthy.