The David Beckham Cardio Workout (Men’sHealth.com)

Soccer is one of the world’s most physically demanding sports,

so it’s no surprise that David Beckham’s conditioning plan is grueling.

This is an example of his training regimen, courtesy of

Chris Neville, fitness coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Try our modified version of the 5-week workout,

which we have adjusted slightly for the average person.

This is a high-intensity interval plan, not for the faint hearted 

The David Beckham Workout
Directions
Perform your challenge twice a week at an intensity tailored to your maximum heart rate (MHR). To estimate your MHR, subtract your age from 220. Just multiply the percentage given in each workout by your MHR to find your target heart rate.
(Heart Rate monitors can be borrowed from reception at Greenhouse2 – workout can be done on a treadmill or outside)
Week 1 / Week 2 / Week 3 / Week 4 / Week 5
Your Challenge
5-minute run
Intensity: 75% MHR
Rest: Until your heart rate is 60% of your MHR
Sets: As many runs as you can do in 30 minutes / Your Challenge
3-minute run
Intensity: 90% MHR
Rest: Until your heart rate is 60% of your MHR
Sets: As many as you can do in 20 minutes / Your Challenge
1-minute run
Intensity: 85% MHR
Rest: 1 minute
Sets: 5 or 6 / Your Challenge
55 meter turnarounds(sprint 55 meters, turn around, and sprint back)
Intensity: 30 seconds per sprint
Rest: 2 minutes and 30 seconds
Sets: 3 or 4 / Your Challenge
55 meter sprint
Intensity: As hard as you can
Rest: 20 seconds
Sets: 3 or 4
Beckham’sWorkout
5-minute run
Intensity: 85% MHR
Rest: 4 minutes
Sets: 3 / Beckham’s Workout
2-minute run
Intensity: 90% MHR
Rest: 2 minutes
Sets: 7 / Beckham’s Workout
1-minute run
Intensity: 95% MHR
Rest: 1 minute
Sets: 15 / Beckham’s Workout
55 meter turnarounds (sprint 55meters, turn around, and sprint back)
Intensity: 20 seconds total per out-and-back sprint
Rest: 1 minute
Sets: 8 to 10 / Beckham’s Workout
55 meter sprint
Intensity: As hard as possible
Rest: 10 seconds
Sets: 8 to 10

Football Gym Strength Workout(muscle&strenght.com)

Workout Summary:

Training Level: Intermediate

Main Goal: Increase Strength

Days Per Week: 3

Workout Type: Full Body

Description of Workout:

This workout is designed to increase your explosive power and strength to help you on the football field.

It's a full body workout on a Three day schedule: Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

Rest: Tuesday & Thursday / Saturday & Sunday

Before starting the workout you should warmup for 5 minutes and stretch for 10 minutes. Hold your stretches for at least 1 minute each. After the workout you should stretch for 10 minutes again.

Rest: 1-3 minutes between sets.

Weights: 65% and 75% of 1RM(for strength gains)

Monday & Wednesday & Friday Workout Schedule:

Exercise / Sets / Reps
Squat / 4 / 12,10,8,8
Upright Row / 3 / 8
Wide Grip Pull Up / 3 / MAX
Incline Bench Press / 4 / 12,10,10,8
Close Grip Bench Press / 3 / 6-8
Military Press / 3 / 8
Standing Barbell Curl / 3 / 8,8,6
Decline Sit-Ups / 3 / MAX
Rest: Tuesday & Thursday / Saturday & Sunday
Notes:
1)Tempo and Load
Movements should be controlled and should be made through the full available range of motion.
2)Do not exercise to failureonly tofatigue
The aim is to gradually progress condition and avoid excess muscle soreness and injury.
3)Do not attempt unrealistic loads
Begin with 2 or 3 workouts per week using 6-8 exercises over 2 or 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions with 2-3 minutes
Rest between sets. The loads should be between 65% and 75% of 1RM and performed in a circuit.
4)It is not necessary to endure prolonged workoutsin the gym to achieve progress
30-45 minutes is normally sufficient.
5)It is not necessary to lift weights more than 3 times per weekto achieve success.
Lifting more frequently will not allow the body sufficient recovery and adaptation time.
It takes 48 hours to recover from strength training.
Squat / Upright Row
Wide Grip Pull Up / Incline Bench Press
Close Grip Bench Press / Military Shoulder Press
Standing Barbell Curl / Decline(weighted oblique twist)Sit-Ups

Football Plyometric Workout(netfit.com)

Football is played in two main forms; firstly as a 90 minute game with a 15 minute half timerest period, or a more explosive 5 aside game. Being on the goconstantly, your fitnesslevel and strength plays an important part in your game, and a high skill level on the ball and good knowledge of the game are also essential. Football training needs to help target the right muscles for fitness. Playing football requires a multitude of athletic skills.

One should aim to improve the following in your game;

  • Explosive acceleration and fast sprinting speed
  • Muscular endurance and strength in the lower body
  • Muscular balance and high levels of neuromuscular co-ordination
  • Body awareness and agility
  • Discipline to take orders and decisions, as well as putting the team first
  • Good flexibility to avoid injury, football players are prone to poor hamstring flexibility
  • Correct balance between your quadriceps and hamstrings, as well as strength imbalances between your left and right leg

A plyometric circuit will help develop speed work - explosive power and muscular endurance.
Football Plyometric Circuit(netfit.com)

Aim to do this circuit no more than once a week and not before a match.

It is best performed alongside a skill session or on a day after a match.

Shuttle Sprints, most sprints last for between 6 and 15meters in a match, so look at this distance for your training. Work your sprints in the following form, standing start, lying flat on your stomach start, running start, sprint forward with run back and then repeat all with a ball. Aim to have a minimum of 3 markers to turn around, not necessarily in a straight line.

Also include high knee running, side stepping and heel to bum shuttles.

Aimto sprint the width, then jog backwards along the length of pitch before sprinting again. As you get fitter, you can then sprintthe length and jog the width of t he pitch.

Along with this plyometric circuit you can do a normal cardiovascular training workout in the form of running and rowing etc. Aim to build up to doing sessions that last a minimum of 45 minutes either 2-3 times a week. You can also do your weight training after your cardiovascularworkouts, in order to give your body a chance to rest and recover for key matches.

Football Plyometric Circuit
Distance / Speed / Drill & Notes
2 X Laps / Light Run Pace / Warm Up & Stretch
3 X Laps / Jog / Run / Fast / Pace Yourself
3 X 1/2 Laps / Jog / Run / Fast / Do a Drill with a Football
1 X Laps / Run Pace / High Knee Running
Side Stepping
Heel to Bum
4 X 1/2 Laps / Fast Run / Leg*Circuit
After Each 1/2 Lap
4 X 1/2 Laps / Fast Run / Leg*& Upper Body* Circuit
4 X 1/2 Laps / Fast Run / Leg* Upper Body* & Abs* Circuit
4 X Laps / Sprint / Jog / Sprint One Side Jog Backwards
4 X 1/2 Laps / Fast As Possible / Do Drill With Football
5 X Laps / Fast Run / Leg* Circuit After Each Lap
2 X Laps / Light Run Pace / Cool Down & Stretch
* See Below Leg & Upper body & Abs Circuits
Football Plyometric Circuit - Leg Circuit
Perform 1 set of 8-15 repetitions of each exercise as fast as possible; remember first time around to perform just the leg circuit, then the leg and upper body and finally all three. Make sure that you do the lap run after each circuit.
Leg*Circuit

Two footed squat thrusts
- aim for a 30-50cm jump /
Walking lunge forward
- alternating lead leg /
Alternate leg squat thrusts
- count reps on 1 leg only
Football Plyometric Circuit -Upper body Circuit
Perform 1 set of 8-15 repetitions of each exercise as fast as possible; remember first time around to perform just the leg circuit, then the leg and upper body and finally all three. Make sure that you do the lap run after each circuit.
Upper Body*Circuit

Wide arm press-up
- Take elbows out to your sides /
Normal press ups
- aim to keep a straight line through your back /
Close Hand - Aim to keep your thumbs touching each other
Football Plyometric Circuit -Abs Circuit
Perform 1 set of 8-15 repetitions of each exercise as fast as possible; remember first time around to perform just the leg circuit, then the leg and upper body and finally all three. Make sure that you do the lap run after each circuit.
Abs*Circuit

Normal Sit Ups
- keep your chin off your chest /
Bicycle Twist Abs
Alternate elbows to knees
- count reps on one side only /
Ab Reaches
Alternate hand to foot
- count reps one side

Football LadderDrills(netfit.com)

Football Ladder Drills is a way to improve your motor / co-ordination skills.

By developing your motor skills you will automatically position yourself in the correct place when you see the ball when playing football.

In practicing a variety of situations of how a ball is passed you – passing it on,

It can improve your body’s speed reaction time.
Ladder Drills are used to gain speed in footwork.

Lay out a rope ladder, or chalk out an area with approximately 40cm squares. Combining ladders so that you go both forward and sideways, will give you good results.

By performing these drills in both directions, you will soon realize that you are better on one side than the other.

Aim to work on your weaker side for greater improvements in your game.

Football Ladder Drills

Key: = Left foot= Right foot

The Numbers indicate the order to run in.


1 / 2
/
3 / 4
/
5 / 6
/ Single Leg run
Aim to run on the ball of your foot, without catching the rope or chalk lines.
1
2 / 3
4 / 5
6 / 7
8 / 9
10 / 11
12 / Double leg run
aim to run at speed through the rope ladder, pumping with your arms.

1 2 /
3 4 /
5 6 /
7 8 /
9 10 /
11 12 / Double side step
Run through the ladder in a sideways direction, with either double or single leg.

Football Ladder Drills

Key: = Left foot= Right foot

The Numbers indicate the order to run in.

6 / 12 / 18
2
1 / 4
5 / 8
7 / 10
11 / 14
13 / 16
17 / Ickey Shuffle
As with the double run, but this time every third step comes outside the rope.
3 / 9 / 15

1 /
2 /
3 /
4 /
5 /
6 / Cross Over's
Side step through the rope, taking your leading leg both in front and then behind the trailing leg.