Staying Fit For Football
The secret is Warm-Up, Cool Down and Stretch. Completing a warm-up before games, practices, and physical conditioning sessions, e.g. weights or running, prepares the mind and body for the harder activities to follow.
New Zealand Football has some good basic information on their website about warming-up, cooling down and stretching. You can read it here.
Click here for a great ten minute warm-up session provided by UEFA.
The “FIFA 11+” (ages 14 and over)
Your body has some natural defence mechanisms against injuries that you can train to become more “resistant” to injuries. For example, training certain muscles stabilises joints, training your balance makes you less susceptible to loss of balance and falls. There are certain techniques, e.g. how you jump or land, that protect you from getting injured in these critical situations.
“FIFA 11+ – a complete warm-up to prevent injuries” combines exercises training the above to provide you with general protection from injuries. “FIFA 11+” is a complete warm-up to be performed prior to every training session. You should be at least 14 years of age to start “FIFA 11+”.
Please click here to visit the FIFA 11+ website. You can open the FIFA 11+ manual here.