Staying in form during the midwinter break: running programme

If you play football and you're looking for a programme that will keep you in shape when football stops for its midwinter break, then you're in the right place.Stay right there! Let's go!

Give yourself a complete break... if you carried on training during lockdown!

It's essential to give yourself a complete rest. This period of time will let your body recover and repair itself. But you shouldn't have more than 7 days of inactivity in total. Any more than this, and you'll lose the benefits of taking a break. Plus, it'll be harder to get back into the swing of things! But don't panic! If you've not really trained much during lockdown, all isn't lost - you'll just have to work slightly harder...

Running: the foundation of a good off-season training programme

Once you've had your week's rest, you can embark on a training programme that's suitable for the off-season. The most important thing during this period is to keep on running so that you're in the best shape when you start your normal training again.

I recommend picking a programme that includes running both with and without a ball.

For example, you could jog for 20 minutes, then take 3 minutes' rest, and then do 15 minutes of running with the ball. Remember to have a drink during the recovery periods.

Repeat this programme two or three times a week until training starts back up again.

Circuit training: the perfect complementary activity

I recommend complementing your training programme with a set of exercises (approx. 15 minutes) that'll strengthen all your muscles and make them more toned. Prioritise bodyweight exercises, as there's no need to work your muscles and joints overly hard.

This article was co-written with:

David duquesnoy, kipstadium instructor and head of the kipsta academy

I was five when I started playing football at Stade Béthunois. When I was ten I joined RC Lens and climbed up through the age categories there until I was 22. I won a French league title with Lens at the age of 14 and I played for France at U-15 and U-16 level.

I left Lens when I was 22 to go and play in the National, France's third tier. In the meantime, I got my coaching badges. I worked as a coach with Lens' U-12s team and then I coached the Elite U-15s in Belgium. I played for six years in Belgium's first and second divisions.

I ended my playing career with Tourcoing in CFA 2 (France's fifth tier), while continuing to validate my coaching certificates and experience: state football licence, state sport for all licence, degree in mental preparation, master's in sophrology and relaxation, and validation of specialist coaching experience. I've been coaching now for the last ten years.

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