Football, improving my sharpness

[anonymous-user]

Morning all

I am 28 and still playing football at a reasonable standard, but finding that I am not as sharp as I used to be.

Any recomendations for improving my speed over 5-10 yards, I have heard about fast twitch muscle training but know nothing more than the name really.


p

[tricky69]

MRSNEAK said:

Morning all

I am 28 and still playing football at a reasonable standard, but finding that I am not as sharp as I used to be.

Any recomendations for improving my speed over 5-10 yards, I have heard about fast twitch muscle training but know nothing more than the name really.


p

if it is any help mate, when i played we had 2 training sessions a week that focused on bursts of speed... i played midfield so stamina and strength was more the key. The strikers and wingers in my team did 4 training sessions a week focused on it, so as you can guess is not an easy area to work on.

We had professional sprint trainers that helped us, they gave us weight training regimes for calf and thighs etc... And lots of different routines such parachute running ( i.e. running attached to a small parachute )and weighted running. But small things like calf raises help but make sure you strengthen your ankles as well as they are the first to go as speed and change of direction improve - good luck

[Martial Arts Man]

http://www.brianmac.co.uk/dash.htm

[anonymous-user]

Thanks guys

We do cover sprinting during our twice weekly sessions - lucky if we see at ball at all. But keen to do a bit on my own to see what I can do, so will have a go at the link Martial Arts Man posted.

Tricky - who did you play for if you don't mind me asking.

P

[tricky69]

played for a few clubs over the years... never was really that good but got a bit lucky and ended up playing for a premiership side reserve team when i was 19, bench for a couple of prem games but never got on... In all fairness was massivly out of my depth but team injuries allowed me to move up, then when they came back i tried to stand my ground till i damaged my shoulder and missed 4 months... then went on loan and got injured again, left ankle this time so losing my contract and then fell to lower leagues before realising i was never going to make enough cash to have a good life plus might end up living in some st hole with limited income... Luckily i always kept up my studies and when i was injured had a lot of spare time so now work full time in london... still play weekends but not too bothered as it gets really frustrating and dull. Last season i played for a semi pro team... went to about 4 training sessions in total but every game i played we won, they lost every game apart from 2 that i didn't play in... not being big headed it is just the difference in leagues is huge !

And can't commit the time now to play at a higher level and the sad truth now that i am 27 is that i am too old anyway !

If you really want to set yourself apart from the average saturday player it is simple... first touch... even the very good saturday players have a poor first touch, when i was young one training thing we did every week was bullet pass as two defenders come to tackle you, one from 10 metre the other from 50 metres... really sorts your control out, that was when i was 12/13 for an hour 4 times a week pretty much then it becomes instinct.

what position do you play ?

[anonymous-user]

Have been playing right midfield/winger for last 5 years, thinking of going back to right back as that was where I was before and when I played for county etc. Figure I don't have to be quite as quick as I do to be a winger. Although pre season starts soon so that and the training above may help.

Completely agree with what you say about first touch, maybe too late to get that any better now though.

Interesting to hear about your career, got a friend in pretty much same situation, although he didn't do much studying...

Girl in your profile is stunning, if she's with you-bravo. If it's just from net-good find

Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 20th May 07:53

[tricky69]

yeah it is easy to get stuck between levels... looking back if i had pushed harder i might have been able to survive in the championship but then would have been a big risk seeing as i had 2 quick injuries

but great fun while it lasted !

never really played in defence so not my area but i know the left/right backs i have played with always work on their pace because in theroy you need to be as fast as a winger to defend a winger... as for your first touch, it is an area that can be worked on at stage and is often forgotten, unless you have a natural first touch unless you keep at it it does go

Have a good season mate.. mine only finished last week or so enjoying the break at the minute ! hahah