Speed & Conditioning

Speed & Conditioning

Speed is not just something you have, it is something you train.

These sessions and resources focus on helping players run better, faster, and more efficiently through improved sprint mechanics, acceleration work, and soccer specific conditioning. Early summer sessions will introduce key warm up routines and movement patterns that translate directly into game speed.

We will also be working with Coach Bearett, a former Division I track athlete, to help players clean up their mechanics and unlock a new level of speed they can actually use on the field.

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First-Step QuicknessExplosive acceleration off the mark, the difference between winning and losing the ball
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Change of DirectionAgility and body control to cut, accelerate, and recover in tight spaces
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Match ConditioningThe ability to maintain intensity and quality of movement for the full 90 minutes
Sprint Mechanics

Run Better Before You Run Faster

Most players never think about how they run. Small form improvements translate directly into faster times and fewer injuries, and they can be trained in 10 minutes before any session.

Acceleration

The First 10 Yards

  • Drive out of your stance at roughly 45°. Upright posture from the start means slower acceleration. Lean into it.
  • Push the ground away, don't just lift your knees. Power comes from hip extension, not just leg cycling.
  • Arms drive speed. Short, powerful swings close to your body: elbows at 90°, hands loose. Crossing the midline wastes energy.
  • Take short, fast, powerful strides in the first few steps. Don't reach forward. Strike the ground beneath your hips.
  • Only straighten up gradually after 10–15 yards. Rushing upright kills your drive phase.
Drill: Wall Drives Lean into a wall at 45°, drive knees up alternately fast for 10 reps. Trains the acceleration position without moving. Do 3 sets before sprint work.
Agility

Change of Direction

  • Lower your centre of gravity before a cut. Bend at the hips and knees, not just the knees.
  • Plant your outside foot and drive off it. A weak plant foot means a slow turn.
  • Read the situation and pre-commit to your direction early. Hesitation is slower than a slightly wrong decision.
  • Stay on the balls of your feet when anticipating a change. Flat-footed players are always a half-step behind.
  • Practice deceleration. Controlling a high-speed stop safely is as important as the acceleration that follows it.
Drill: 5-10-5 Shuttle Place 3 cones 5 yards apart. Start at the middle, sprint to one end, sprint to the other end (10 yards), sprint back to the middle (5 yards). Rest 90 sec. Repeat 6–8 times.
Conditioning Sessions

Build Match Fitness Progressively

These sessions are designed to be done 2–3 times per week, whether that's at the end of a technical session or independently if you're traveling or unable to make it. Each takes 20–30 minutes and builds on the previous week. We are planning to bake this conditioning work into the end of each technical session, so players attending regularly will have this covered.

Phase 1 · Weeks 1–3
Aerobic Base
20–25 min · 2–3× per week
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Build the aerobic engine before adding intensity. These sessions are lower-key but essential: your body is learning to run efficiently for extended periods and recover between efforts. Don't rush past this phase; the fitness gains in Phase 3 and 4 depend on the foundation built here.

Session A
Steady State Run
  • Easy warm-up jog
    5 min
  • Steady run
    Comfortable pace, you should be able to hold a conversation
    15–20 min
  • Strides
    Build to 80% effort, stay smooth and relaxed
    4 × 80m
  • Walk recovery between strides
    60 sec
  • Easy cool-down jog
    5 min
Session B
Aerobic Tempo
  • Easy warm-up jog
    5 min
  • Comfortably hard run
    You can say a few words but not a full sentence
    3 × 5 min
  • Easy jog recovery between reps
    90 sec
  • Easy cool-down jog
    5 min
Phase 2 · Weeks 4–6
Interval Introduction
25 min · 2–3× per week
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Start mixing short bursts of intensity with recovery. Your body learns to clear lactate faster, which translates directly to recovering quicker between sprints in a match. The intervals are challenging but manageable: effort should be high, not all-out.

Session A
30/30 Intervals
  • Easy warm-up jog
    5 min
  • Hard effort run
    Then walk or slow jog for 30 sec
    30 sec on/off × 10
  • Easy cool-down jog
    5 min
Session B
Shuttle Repeats
  • Easy warm-up jog
    5 min
  • 5-10-5 shuttle
    3 cones 5 yds apart: sprint to near end, far end, back to start
    8 rounds
  • Walk recovery between rounds
    90 sec
  • Easy cool-down jog
    5 min
Phase 3 · Weeks 7–9
High-Intensity Intervals
25–30 min · 2–3× per week
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Higher effort, shorter rest. This is where your fitness ceiling rises. Sessions should feel genuinely hard by the end. Quality over quantity: if your form is breaking down, stop and rest rather than grinding through sloppy reps.

Session A
40/20 Intervals
  • Easy warm-up jog
    5 min
  • Near-max effort / 20 sec rest
    2 sets of 5 with 2 min full rest between sets
    40 sec on/off × 10
  • Easy cool-down + static stretch
    5–7 min
Session B
Sprint Repeats
  • Easy warm-up jog + leg swings
    5 min
  • Full-speed sprint, walk back
    Absolute max effort, don't rush the rest
    6 × 30m
  • Walk recovery between sprints
    90 sec
  • Acceleration runs
    Build smoothly from a jog to a sprint over 30m
    4 × 30m
  • Easy cool-down jog
    5 min
Phase 4 · Weeks 10–12
Match Simulation
25–30 min · 2–3× per week
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Replicate the demands of a real match. Variable intensity, direction changes, sustained effort over 25–30 minutes. By this point, the fitness built across the summer should carry over into games: less fading, more quality in the second half.

Session A
Fartlek Run
  • Easy warm-up jog
    5 min
  • Fartlek run
    Alternate between easy jog and hard effort every 60–90 sec based on feel, no set rest
    20 min
  • Easy cool-down jog
    5 min
Session B
Match Tempo Circuit
  • Dynamic warm-up
    Jog + leg swings + high knees
    5 min
  • Match tempo run
    Sprint 60s → jog 30s → sprint 45s → jog 30s → sprint 30s → rest 90s
    3 rounds
  • T-drill agility
    4 cones in a T: sprint forward, shuffle left, shuffle right, backpedal to start
    6 reps
  • Rest between T-drill reps
    45 sec
  • Easy cool-down jog
    5 min
When to Do This2–3 times per week on days without technical or heavy strength sessions
Warm Up FirstAlways 5 min easy jog + leg swings + high knees before any sprint or interval work
Quality Over Quantity8 full-effort sprints beat 20 half-effort ones. If your form breaks down, stop and rest.
Progress SlowlyAdd intensity or volume each week, but not both at once. One change at a time.