Soccer Fitness; Improving Reaction and Acceleration

Chris Johnson 184,730 Views Rating 3.75 (81 Reviews)

This soccer fitness exercise focuses on improving player's reaction time and acceleration.

Soccer Drill Diagram: Soccer Fitness; Improving Reaction and Acceleration

soccer fitness, improving reaction, improve acceleration, reaction and acceleration

Soccer fitness drill focusing on improving player's reaction time and acceleration.
Drill Setup

  1. Create a grid that is 30 X 30 yards.
  2. Place a cone directly in the middle of the grid.
  3. Split the teams up evenly on the four corners.
  4. No balls are required at the beginning but will be used later in this drill.
Drill Instructions

  1. Players 1 and 2 are the lead players, players 3 and 4 are the followers.
  2. Instruct players to return to their same line after each turn.
  3. Players 1 and 4 jogs towards the middle cone.
  4. Player 1 makes a fake (or two) and sprints to either cone 2 or 3.
  5. The goal is for the lead player (player 1) to make it to the cone before the following player (player 4).
  6. If player 4 beats player 1 to the cone, player 1 does five pushups.
  7. Switch the leaders and followers after a few rounds.
Drill Variations

  • Switch so that all players have a chance to lead and follow.
  • Add balls and make players dribble, make a fake and beat the follower to the cone.

 

Drill Coaching Points

  • The leaders should use body fakes and faints then quickly sprints to the cone
  • The followers should react quickly and accelerates to beat the leader

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