What exercises can I do at home for football?


No gym? No problemo. Forget fancy gym equipment and over-complicated exercises. Workouts at home without equipment can be just as effective for conditioning your body as you head back onto the pitch.

 

Above all you should try and find exercises that you enjoy (or can at least tolerate), this way you are more likely to keep it up. In this workout, we have asked two of our fantastic MAN v FAT Footballers to pick a few of their favourites. Bob and Ant will team up to complete their chosen exercises with a 1:1 work-to-rest ratio. This will help to keep the intensity high and the workout short. For each exercise Bob will complete a set while Ant rests, then Ant completes a set while Bob rests… and so on. Don’t forget to warm up, cool down, keep hydrated and introduce small rests between exercises.

 

Football exercises will include: step ups, crunches, shuttle runs and kneeling rows.

 

Not sure how to perform the exercise? MAN v FAT's members have kindly sent photos of them performing each exercise, so you can follow this workout more easily! Plus, they're donning Uptheir for their at home workout!

 

Ready to get going? Read on...

1. Step Ups

 

Reps: 30 seconds, Sets: 4


How to perform a basic bodyweight step up:

 

Stand straight with feet hip width apart.
Plant your whole right foot on the platform.
Lift your body up onto the platform in one controlled motion, tightening your glutes and abdominal muscles (avoid letting your knee travel forward past your toes when stepping up).
End with you left foot next to your right foot.
Step back off the step in a controlled motion and repeat, this time leading with your left foot.
 

Wanna make it harder? Why not try holding the ball out in front of you (which may also assist with balance). You may also try driving the knee up toward your waist when elevating your body up on to the platform.

2. Crunch

Reps: 15, Sets: 4

How to perform a basic crunch:
 

Lie down on your back. Plant your feet on the floor roughly hip-width apart with your knees bent.
Engage core/tighten your stomach muscles. Don't let this prevent you from breathing.
Exhale and lift your upper body, keeping your head and neck relaxed.
Inhale and return to the starting position in a controlled motion and repeat.
 

Wanna make it harder? Why not start with holding a ball on the ground above your head. As you lift your upper body, lift the ball and extend out in front of your chest. As you return your upper body to the ground, return the ball to the ground above your head.

3. Shuttle runs

Reps: 30 Seconds Sets: 4

How to perform a shuttle run
 

Using 3 cones mark a straight line. Determine the distance based on your fitness and/or the space available to you.
Start at the middle marker, accelerate towards one cone.
Plant your hand on the ground past the marker.
Turn and sprint past the middle marker to the far one.
Repeat!
Wanna make it harder? If you are exercising with a partner, why not try returning a pass each time you pass the middle marker.

4. Kneeling Row

 

Reps: 15  Sets: 4 (Alternating sides)

How to perform a kneeling row
 

Place your left knee and left hand on the bench (bed, sofa, whatever you have to hand that is a suitable height)
Bend forward at the waist and let your right arm hang down in front of you (clasp the weight, this can be anything you have to hand it doesn’t need to be a dumbbell).
Engage your core (tense your stomach, whilst remembering to breathe)
Lift the dumbbell up to your chest, keeping the chest still as you lift. Concentrate on lifting with your back and shoulder muscles.
Squeeze your shoulder and back muscles.
Lower the weight slowly until your arm is fully extended again and repeat.

 

How was it?
We hope that you enjoyed those football exercises - how did you find them? Send us pictures of you giving them a go on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram tagging BigClothing4U and MAN v FAT.

 

Don't forget, you can sign up for MAN v FAT Football and save £5 on your registration fee by using the discount code BC4U - find your nearest league here!