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The following 60 minute workout primarily focuses on speed acceleration development and is best conducted outdoors on grass. You must always be completely fresh for speed training if it is to be effective. Therefore, no heavy weight training, club training or matches the day before speed work.

A warmup must be completed before participation to ready the body for more active movement. Post workout stretching must also be completed, with particular stretch focus on the quads & hip flexors (front thigh), hamstrings (back thigh), calf muscles (lower leg rear) and glutes (butt).

Please complete the workout in the exercise order prescribed. If you feel dizzy or disorientated during the workout, stop immediately.

Exercise disclaimer

I the player (or parent/guardian of the U18 player) understand that exercise and physical activity, including the use of equipment is potentially hazardous. I understand that participation in physical activity may result in injury and that I choose voluntarily to take part in these activities, including using any free weights, resistance or cardio equipment. By participating, I declare myself (or child if Under 18) to be physically sound and suffering from no condition, impairment, disease, or illness that would prevent me (or them) participating in physical activities, or exercise. I (or they) assume and accept any and all risk of injury.

The Warm Up (15 mins)
Warm Up Drills - Up to 75% max effort
  1. Easy jog from start marker A to 3, x 2
  2. Sideways skip, facing X then Y
  3. High knees, A to 3, short steps, drive the arms
  4. High kicks, A to 3. Alternate hand to foot
  5. Heels to butt, A to 3. Hands on butt, short steps, feel the heels touch hands
  6. Forward diagonal skip x 2, A to 3
  7. Reverse diagonal skip x 2, A to 3
  8. Backwards run x 2, A to 3
  9. Shuttle run (50% effort) – forward from A to marker 2 down and touch the marker, turn back to touch marker 1, then turn and run out to marker 3
  10. Shuttle run (75% effort) – A to 3 to 2 to 3
  11. Shuttle run (75% effort) – A to 3 to 1 to 3
  12. Sprint (75% effort) – A to 3. Short steps in acceleration, jog back to marker A x 2
Warm Up Stretch

13. Hamstrings (Rear Thigh) – video below

14. Groin (Inner Thigh) – video below

Warm Up
Main Session (30 Mins)
Speed Drill 1 - change of direction, forward & side

Set up a 5 metre square of cones or markers. With outside blue markers 5 metres from the orange cones

Tips: Short steps to accelerate, drive the arms, fast feet to turn the corners

Round 1 – Complete 2 sets of  ’round 1′ at 75% effort. 1 set = A to B plus in reverse B to A

From the start marker A, accelerate forward and run around to the left (L) of marker 1
Accelerate from marker 1 to 2, running around the Right (R) of marker 2
Accelerate forward from 2 to 3, running around the L of marker 3
Accelerate from marker 3 to 4 running around the L of marker 4
Accelerate from marker 4 to start marker B

Rest for 1 minute

Reverse back from start marker B
Accelerate forward and run around to the R of marker 4
Accelerate from marker 4 to 3, running around the L of marker 3
Accelerate forward from 3 to 2, running around the L of marker 2
Accelerate from marker 2 to 1 running around the R of marker 1
Accelerate from marker 1 to start marker A

Rest for 2 minutes between rounds

Round 2 – Complete 2 sets of ’round 2′ at 100% effort. 1 set = A to B plus in reverse B to A

Complete the drill as above, but 100% effort this time

Speed 1
Speed Drill 2 - forward & reverse

From a standing start (facing forward) at marker A

Tips: Short steps to accelerate off, drive the arms

Round 1
4 x 75% effort to marker 1, walk back to marker A
4 x 75% effort to marker 2, walk back to marker A
4 x 75% effort to marker 3, walk back to marker A

2 x jog to marker 1, 75% effort running backwards to marker A
2 x jog to marker 2, 75% effort running backwards to marker A
2 x jog to marker 3, 75% effort running backwards to marker A

Rest for 2 minutes

Round 2
4 x 100% effort to marker 1, walk back to marker A
4 x 100% effort to marker 2, walk back to marker A
4 x 100% effort to marker 3, walk back to marker A

2 x jog to marker 1, 100% effort running backwards to marker A
2 x jog to marker 2, 100% effort running backwards to marker A
2 x jog to marker 3, 100% effort running backwards to marker A

Warm Up
Speed Drill 3 - forward, reverse & side

5 metres between markers.

Tips: Short steps to accelerate forward, drive the arms, fast feet. In the crab position your body should be facing forward, knees bent, back straight not hunched at the shoulders

Complete 5 rounds at best effort.

From the start marker , move sideward L like a crab and touch marker 1
From marker 1, again move sideward like a crab R to touch marker 3
From marker 3, move sideward like a crab L to start marker A
From start marker A, run forwards (normal) to touch marker 2
Run backwards (fast feet) to marker A

Rest for 20 seconds

From the start marker A, move sideward R like a crab (body facing forwards, knees bent, back straight) and touch marker 3
From marker 3, again move sideward like a crab L to touch marker 1
From marker 1, move sideward like a crab R to start marker A
From start marker A, run forwards (normal) to touch marker 2
Run backwards (fast feet) to marker A

That’s 1 round complete. Rest for 1 minute between rounds. Complete another 4 rounds as above

Speed 2
Stretching (15 Mins)

Focus on the stretch form and hold for the prescribed time. Look to complete 2-3 sets of 30 secs. Alternate sides, so left and right = 1 set.

Stretch 1 - Hamstrings (Rear Thigh)

Stretch 2 - Groin (Inner Thigh)

Stretch 3 - Calf (Lower Leg - Upper Section)

Stretch 4 - Quads (Front Thigh)

Stretch 5 - Glutes (Butt)

Stretch 6 - Calf (Lower Leg - Deeper)

Stretch 7 - Hip Flexors (Top of Front Thigh)

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