Football: three things to work on alone or in pairs so you hit form when football returns

So you've been missing playing and you're worried you've maybe lost your touch?

So you've been missing playing and you're worried you've maybe lost your touch?Staying fit during the layoff is not a problem, but working on your game is a lot harder on your own or in small groups. It's not impossible though.

Free kicks: a powerful weapon

The free kick is a powerful weapon in modern football. As the world champion team can attest!

Having a player who has mastered the art of set pieces is a significant advantage for a team. Not only can they score directly, but they are a constant source of danger for indirect free kicks or corners, for example.

Want to become this indispensable player? Then make the most of this time to get in as much training as you can. No need for other people, all you need is a ball. Working on this exercise as much as you can outside competition will improve your performance in the next season and make you stand out to the coach.

The long ball: an essential

You can also make the most of the quiet period to work on your long ball work. Whether you're a defender, centre, or attacker, it's very important to master this aspect of the game.

You can train by practising with a friend standing still and/or running forwards and trying to kick it to your partner as you run. At the same time, you'll be working on your ball control, because of course "bad control" equals a lost ball!

You can also do games to work on the precision of your long kicks, using a small inflatable goal or cones for example. Stand 20, 30 or 40 metres from the goal or any other object you're using as a target and try to hit it as many times as possible. To liven it up, you could try making it a competition with another player.

One against one: an activity with multiple benefits

Playing one-on-one games works on your cardio, technique, and of course on your duelling skills in both the offensive and defensive positions.

Very often, after a few minutes we get puffed out and we start to lose our concentration. That is why doing this type of exercise regularly will help improve many aspects of your game.

To make the one-on-one more fun, I recommend marking out a pitch and putting goals at each end so you can score points. Scoring points is all well and good, but knowing who won in the end is great too!

Juggling to work on your ball control

And finally, you can also try your foot at juggling. This exercise might seem simple, but it can really help your ball control. Right foot, left foot, head, knees... being a good juggler requires a certain level of control. Not all freestylers are great footballers, but this can help and you can have fun while you work on your technique.

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Staying in shape during the football layoff

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Fitness training for football: training drills and programmes

Getting and staying fit for football We've got some examples for you of fitness drills you can do pre-season and over the winter break and for working on your speed and explosiveness throughout the year.