What Is the Role of Exercises in Football Game?
Football is an aggressive team sport. This sport needs continuous running throughout the game and kicking the ball to score a number of goals to win. Playing football requires a lot of training, technique, strength, fitness, strong muscles, high energy levels, and a medically fit body. It is a contact game, and the chances of collision with other players, injury, and falling are more. Best performances during sports need the best training, good food, and exercise. Exercises are also helpful in keeping the body fit and in increasing muscle strength. There are many different exercises for football players, such as squats, lunges, running, and pushups. These exercises help in increasing fitness, resistance, balance, and endurance.
What Are the Best Exercises for Football Players?
A football player should incorporate exercises such as weight training to improve strength and increase healthy muscle mass and specific drills for performance improvement. Football is more aggressive than other sports and has more chances of sprinting and injuries. This is because football players need exercises involving glute muscle training, hip muscle training, and agility training. Plyometrics are also helpful for football players; they improve strength, running speed, and fitness of the body. It also increases the elasticity and flexibility of the athlete's body and helps in defending against injuries. Some best exercises for football players are listed below -
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Three Hurdle Drills - This exercise helps in the improvement of coordination and quick movement of the body. A footballer's body needs to be trained in a way that they can move very fast and sprint quickly. Three hurdle drills need some obstacles like cups, books, or bricks placed apart from each other. Players have to move from one obstacle to another obstacle very fast with side-to-side steps, and then they have to reverse the action again.
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The Box Blast Exercise - This exercise helps strengthen the hips and leg muscles. It increases the power of hips and legs and helps in separation from other players in sports. This exercise requires standing with one foot on a box and one on the floor. The athlete has to jump with the extension of hips and legs and return back into the previous position and continuously repeat the jump for the count of ten with one leg and then switch to the other leg.
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Squat -This exercise is helpful for hips, ankles, and knees. It improves the energy level and helps in running and kicking on the field. Stand straight, put both hands behind the head, and try to sit in a chair position. Hold this position for two to five seconds and then return back to the previous position. Repeat this exercise for ten reps in three rounds.
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Squat Jump - This exercise is also known as the triple flexion response, and it helps in power increment off legs, hips, and ankles. This is a form of squat with the addition of a jump. Athletes have to do a simple squat; after holding the position for two seconds, they have to jump and then return back to the standing position. Repeat this exercise for ten reps in three rounds. While doing these exercises, the landing should be soft, and if anyone is performing the first time, then they have to start slow.
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Lateral Bound - It increases the lateral power in the legs, and it is an important exercise for football players. To perform this exercise, stand straight and put the body weight on the right side of the leg and try to squat with the extension of the left leg. After holding this position, jump on the left leg and extend the right leg and do squats. Repeat this exercise for ten reps on each side. It helps in improving balance and agility.
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90/90 Stretch Exercises - This exercise helps in opening the torso and back muscles and increases flexibility. To perform this exercise, athletes have to sit down, bend one leg in front of the body and position the other legs beside the hip. Keep the back straight and try to bend forward. After a few seconds, change the direction to the other side and bend forward. Do ten reps for each side.
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Lunges - This exercise is a form of strength training. It helps in increasing strength, toning muscles, increasing fitness, and improvement of performance. To perform this exercise stand both legs apart, place the hands on the waist, Then take one step forward with the right leg and try to touch the floor with the knee of the left leg. Change the direction and step forward with the left leg and touch the floor with the right leg. Repeat this exercise fifteen reps for three for two rounds.
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Ankle Jump - This exercise increases the strength and flexibility of the legs. Ankle is a common and most injured part of the leg. Strengthening the ankle is very important during football. Stand straight, place the arms on the waist, and try to bounce above the ground without lifting the toes and fingers of the leg (just lift the ankle part above the ground). This exercise helps in toning calf muscles.
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Foam Rolling Exercise - This is a kind of compression to relieve muscle sprain and muscle imbalance. It helps in nerve relaxation, blood circulation, reduced muscle spasms, and recovery from injury. This process requires a roller to provide massage in any tight or spasm area. It provides quick recovery and early return to sports.
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Single-Leg Hurdle Hop - This exercise helps in balancing forces and decreasing the possibility of trauma during sports. Athletes get injured due to a bad landing or sprinting with opponents. Single-leg hurdle hop provides strength to the hips and leg muscles to avoid any injuries. Hop over hurdles with a single leg and land on the same leg, then repeat the same with the other leg. Do this exercise for ten reps for four rounds.
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Glute Bridge - This exercise works on glute muscles and reduces the injury of the hamstring and quadriceps muscles. To perform this exercise, at least one should lie down on the floor with bending knees. They should put their hands on their sides. And then raise the hip-high and come back to the previous position. While wearing the hip, inhale the air and while going back to the previous position, exhale the air.
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Airplanes - Start this exercise with a standing position and raising one foot on the side, and placing the second foot firmly on the floor. Extend one leg in a backward direction while bending the body forward. After returning back to the previous position, start with the other leg. The right positioning of this exercise forms a T shape.
Conclusion
Football is a sport that requires a lot of running, training, skills, and energy throughout the game. For all football players, it is mandatory to be fit and healthy. Exercises are a great way of being healthy and disease free for anyone. It helps in increasing strength, agility, and endurance and reduces the chances of injury on the field. Football is a contact game, and there are a lot of chances of injury due to sprinting or collisions with opponents. Chances of muscle and ligament injuries are also higher in football. This is because all the players of football should incorporate exercise into their routines. Exercises like airplanes, squats, hopping, and glute bridge are helpful for football players.
