Football

Football / soccer

Repeated sprints, cuts and kicks: hamstrings and adductors are the most-injured muscles, the hip flexors power the kick, and single-leg stability is constant.

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Footballer striking the ball with arms out for balance

Muscles worked

Neck (Front)Upper traps (Front)Front delts (Front)Side delts (Front)Chest (Front)Serratus anterior (Front)Biceps (Front)Forearms & grip (Front)Abs — 55% importance (Front)Obliques — 50% importance (Front)Hip flexors — 70% importance (Front)Quads — 85% importance (Front)Adductors — 90% importance (Front)Shins (tibialis) (Front)Calves — 65% importance (Front)Outer shins (peroneals) — 50% importance (Front)Feet (arch & toes) — 40% importance (Front)Neck (Back)Upper traps (Back)Upper back (rhomboids, mid/lower traps) (Back)Rear delts (Back)Side delts (Back)Rotator cuff (Back)Lats (Back)Lower back (erectors) — 35% importance (Back)Triceps (Back)Forearms & grip (Back)Hip abductors (glute med) — 70% importance (Back)Glutes — 90% importance (Back)Hamstrings — 100% importance (Back)Adductors — 90% importance (Back)Calves — 65% importance (Back)
FrontBack
  • Hamstrings
  • Adductors
  • Glutes
  • Quads
  • Hip flexors
  • Abductors
  • Calves
  • Abs

The movement, phase by phase

  1. Sprint & accelerate

    Glutes, hamstrings, quads and calves.

    • Single-leg / lunge
    • Hip extension
    • Jump / plyometric
    Neck (Front)Upper traps (Front)Front delts (Front)Side delts (Front)Chest (Front)Serratus anterior (Front)Biceps (Front)Forearms & grip (Front)Abs (Front)Obliques (Front)Hip flexors (Front)Quads — primary (Front)Adductors (Front)Shins (tibialis) (Front)Calves — primary (Front)Outer shins (peroneals) (Front)Feet (arch & toes) (Front)Neck (Back)Upper traps (Back)Upper back (rhomboids, mid/lower traps) (Back)Rear delts (Back)Side delts (Back)Rotator cuff (Back)Lats (Back)Lower back (erectors) (Back)Triceps (Back)Forearms & grip (Back)Hip abductors (glute med) (Back)Glutes — primary (Back)Hamstrings — primary (Back)Adductors (Back)Calves — primary (Back)

    Best exercises for this phase:

  2. Cut & change direction

    Braking and pushing sideways — quads, adductors and glute medius.

    • Single-leg / lunge
    • Hip adduction
    • Hip abduction
    Neck (Front)Upper traps (Front)Front delts (Front)Side delts (Front)Chest (Front)Serratus anterior (Front)Biceps (Front)Forearms & grip (Front)Abs (Front)Obliques (Front)Hip flexors (Front)Quads — primary (Front)Adductors — primary (Front)Shins (tibialis) (Front)Calves (Front)Outer shins (peroneals) (Front)Feet (arch & toes) (Front)Neck (Back)Upper traps (Back)Upper back (rhomboids, mid/lower traps) (Back)Rear delts (Back)Side delts (Back)Rotator cuff (Back)Lats (Back)Lower back (erectors) (Back)Triceps (Back)Forearms & grip (Back)Hip abductors (glute med) — primary (Back)Glutes — primary (Back)Hamstrings (Back)Adductors — primary (Back)Calves (Back)

    Best exercises for this phase:

  3. Kick

    Hip flexors and quads swing the leg while the standing leg and core stabilise.

    • Hip flexion
    • Knee extension
    • Trunk rotation
    Neck (Front)Upper traps (Front)Front delts (Front)Side delts (Front)Chest (Front)Serratus anterior (Front)Biceps (Front)Forearms & grip (Front)Abs — primary (Front)Obliques — primary (Front)Hip flexors — primary (Front)Quads — primary (Front)Adductors — primary (Front)Shins (tibialis) (Front)Calves (Front)Outer shins (peroneals) (Front)Feet (arch & toes) (Front)Neck (Back)Upper traps (Back)Upper back (rhomboids, mid/lower traps) (Back)Rear delts (Back)Side delts (Back)Rotator cuff (Back)Lats (Back)Lower back (erectors) (Back)Triceps (Back)Forearms & grip (Back)Hip abductors (glute med) (Back)Glutes (Back)Hamstrings (Back)Adductors — primary (Back)Calves (Back)

    Best exercises for this phase:

Most specific exercises

Drills & sessions in the sport

Work done in the water or on the run itself, next to the strength exercises above.

Training notes

  • Hamstring curls and adductor work are proven injury-prevention staples.
  • Mostly single-leg exercises.

Mobility to pair with it

  • Adductor stretch
  • Hip flexor stretch
  • Hamstring mobility