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Running Exercises

This is an excerpt from Soccer Science by Tony Strudwick.

1. Straight Ahead

Jog straight to the last cone. Make sure you keep your upper body straight. Your hip, knee and foot are aligned. Do not let your knee buckle inwards. Run slightly more quickly on the way back. Perform two sets.

2. Hip Out

Jog to the first cone. Stop and lift your knee forwards (figure 15.3). Rotate your knee to the side and put your foot down. Repeat the exercise on the other leg at the next cone. Repeat until you reach the other side of the pitch. Perform two sets.

Running: hip out.
Courtesy of FIFA.

3. Hip In

Jog to the first cone. Stop and lift your knee to the side (figure 15.4). Rotate your knee forwards and put your foot down. Repeat the exercise on the other leg at the next cone. Repeat until you reach the other side of the pitch. Perform two sets.

Running: hip in.
Courtesy of FIFA.

4. Circling Partner

Jog to the first cone. Shuffle sideways towards your partner (figure 15.5). Shuffle an entire circle around one other (without changing the direction you are looking) and then shuffle back to the first cone. Repeat until you reach the other side of the pitch. Perform two sets.

Running: circling partner.
Courtesy of FIFA.

5. Jumping With Shoulder Contact

Jog to the first cone. Shuffle sideways towards your partner. In the middle, jump sideways towards each other to make shoulder-to-shoulder contact (figure 15.6). Land on both feet with your hips and knees bent. Shuffle back to the first cone. Repeat until you reach the other side of the pitch. Perform two sets.

Running: jumping with shoulder contact.
Courtesy of FIFA.

6. Quick Forwards and Backwards Sprints

Run quickly to the second cone and then run backwards quickly to the first cone, keeping your hips and knees slightly bent. Repeat, running two cones forwards and one cone backwards until you reach the other side of the pitch. Perform two sets.

Learn more about Soccer Science.

More Excerpts From Soccer Science

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