Objective

This soccer fitness exercise focuses on improving player's reaction time and acceleration.

Equipment Needed

Disc Cones/Markers Soccer Balls

Setup

  1. Create a grid that is 30 X 30 yards.
  2. Place a cone directly in the middle of the grid.
  3. Split the teams up evenly on the four corners.
  4. No balls are required at the beginning but will be used later in this drill.

Instructions

  1. Players 1 and 2 are the lead players, players 3 and 4 are the followers.
  2. Instruct players to return to their same line after each turn.
  3. Players 1 and 4 jogs towards the middle cone.
  4. Player 1 makes a fake (or two) and sprints to either cone 2 or 3.
  5. The goal is for the lead player (player 1) to make it to the cone before the following player (player 4).
  6. If player 4 beats player 1 to the cone, player 1 does five pushups.
  7. Switch the leaders and followers after a few rounds.

Coaching Points

  • The leaders should use body fakes and faints then quickly sprints to the cone
  • The followers should react quickly and accelerates to beat the leader

Variations

  • Switch so that all players have a chance to lead and follow.
  • Add balls and make players dribble, make a fake and beat the follower to the cone.