In this guide I will present 10 useful exercises for circuit training.

You may print them out and have them as a checklist while working on your soccer fitness.

Keep in mind that you should always try to do your best during the exercises in order to get the maximum benefit possible.

1. Squats

Stand with having your legs approximately 70-80 cm apart. Keep your hands on your hips.

Now squat down and keep your back straight until your thighs are nearly horizontal, then lift your back up.

In the beginning, this exercise can be performed slowly to get a feeling of the movement.

2. Squat Thrusts

Begin with a push up position. Jump forward and back having your body in a squat position. Keep your backside as low as possible.

This exercise can also be performed by bringing one of your legs forward at a time.

3. Press Ups

Start this exercise by supporting your whole body off the ground. Keep your arms apart and have your fingers pointing forward.

Now, lower your body as close as possible to the ground (without touching the ground) and then lift back up again.

4. Burpees

1. Start the exercise by having your body in a press up position.

2. Now, jump forward to a squatting position as for a squat thrust.

3. Jump up of the ground and spread your limbs far apart to form an X.

4. Land with having your feet together. Drop back to a squat and then jump back to your starting position.

5. Star Jumps

Start jumps are performed by:

1. Jumping while having your legs spread wide.

2. Your hands touching each other overhead.

3. Returning to a position with having your feet together and your arms at the sides.

6. Skipping

Skipping can be performed on many ways. You may for example skip high or low. Skipping with having your feet together will give you a good vigorous workout.

7. Wall-to-Wall Runs

Jump from one end to the other touching the wall before turning. You should avoid using this exercise if you are practicing at home!

8. Dips by Using a Bench

Begin the exercise by sitting on your bench. Hold onto the edge of your bench and slide forward by support your body with your arms.

Now lower your body and almost touch the ground and then raise your back to starting position.

9. Jump Onto and Over the Bench

You can use the same bench as for your dips. However, the bench should not be too high as you may have problems with jumping onto it 🙂

Start the exercise by standing side on to your bench and begin to jump onto it by having your both feet together.

While standing on the bench jump to the other side of it. This should be done quickly as possible. However, be careful as you may fall on the bench and injure yourself.

10. Side and Backwards Running

Simply run around outside/inside sideways, backwards, high knees, jump, duck, kick your ankles back.

Summary

All of these exercises are designed with one purpose: to keep you moving and to condition you!

Don’t give up on them just because they seem hard. Keep practicing and over time, it will get easier.

Yes, this is the boring part of your soccer skills but it has to be done!