With all this Periodisation from Raymond Verheijen, throughout FFA, we are supposed to only have players on the pitch for about 90 minutes per session. According to him, this massively reduces injury.

In football terms, I prefer the two hour session, to get everything done and for players to receive 1000 touches or more per session.

One NTC coach I know, has two exercises he does to strengthen the area around the knees, to protect those joints and ligaments and areas around the knee which are most susceptible to injury from playing football.

1. Single knee jumps - taking off on one's left foot and landing on one's left foot, bending the knee. Then repeating with the right leg and alternating between right and left.

2. Double knee jumps - taking off with both legs and landing on both legs, bending the knees.

The NTC are doing weight training strength work in the gym, twice a week.


I've had my own home gym for 25 years, but have had to go to a public gym recently. There are a lot of football players starting to go there. Initially they do football specific training to augment performance and minimise injury - leg presses, knee raises, knee cults, squats, lunges with weights.

Pro footballers do this. One see the results in the muscle definition around their knees. Conversely, many footballers are pretty puny in their upper body - Mark Milligan, Tony Vidmar come to mind.

Conversely, Kewell, Grella, Lucas Neill and Cahill have had their shirts off, and have powerful physiques in their upper bodies.

In a lot of strength duels in football, core strength is paramount around the hips for winning strength duels, but the upper body is useful for shoulder barges, heading duels and holding players off.

Many of our current NPL players are gym junkies in this state. It is becoming a hobby outside football.

I'v noticed even though they may be smaller in stature, they've been pretty comfortable against Victorian and NSW NPL teams in terms of strength. According to my gym attendant, vanity has been instrumental in many younger people flocking to gyms. He thinks the mirror is the greatest motivator. :roll: :lol:

With Raymond Verheijens' 90 minute sessions being imparted to all coaches who undertake FFA Advanced Coach education, I think three times a week of the weight training can benefit players in terms of performance and minimising injury without encroaching on the sacrosanct 90 minutes on the training track.

NTC coaches, two pro coaches I know who coach overseas, US soccer college coaches are obsessed with it, are all doing weight training with their teams.


For those playing and coaching at senior level, over 17 years of age, what is the status quo in your football scenarios regarding weight training ?




Edited by Decentric: 30/4/2015 09:18:20 AM