Football and Gym
Can a footballer practice weight lifting? The answer to this question is categorically YES, and don't let yourself be told otherwise. As I currently play on my university team, I believe I have enough experience to write this article, after years of playing here in the USA and on some teams in my native England.
If I can give advice to an aspiring or current footballer, to improve their playing skills, I'd say go to the gym.
Not only will it allow you to become bigger, stronger, faster and overall a better athlete, it will improve yours too injury resistance. Anyway, the problem is that many don't know what to do once in the gym, which is why I'm writing this article.
Many have misconceptions about the gym and when they hear the word "gym" said, they think of nothing more than a room full of muscular men lifting cast iron. This can only be a wrong thought, in modern society the gym is frequented by individuals of any age and experience.
So don't get scared of the gym, I swear it is one of the best things you can do for yourself and for your performance, not only in football but in any sport.
Think of the physique of one of the best footballers in the world today, and also wanting of all time: Cristiano Ronaldo. If you think back to his early days in Manchester United, he was a thin 17-year-old boy, but over time his physique has improved, as have his performances. It wasn't genetics or luck, when everyone went home, Cristiano was in the gym training hard to improve, and this more than paid off!
Lower part
Since the leg muscles are the most used part in football, they are the muscles you need to focus on the most in the gym. However, there are several muscles that make up the anatomy of the lower body:
- Femoral
- Quadriceps
- Great Gluteus "buttocks"
- Calves
In addition to these there are less important muscles, however these are the main muscles, which if trained correctly, will improve your performance and reduce injuries.
A typical workout could be this:
High part
There is no question, the lower body is the most used part in football, however many do not understand the importance of a strong upper body. At the end football is a contact sport, this requires a strong body above and below. There are several actions in football that require a strong upper body: marking an opponent, protecting the ball, physically countering an opponent ... all this requires a strong upper body.
As with the lower body, the upper body includes several muscles:
- Chest
- Back
- Back
- Arms (Biceps and Triceps)
These are the main muscles that make up the upper body, and just like the lower body, training these muscles effectively will help you perform at your best in football.
An example workout could be this:
A Message to Remember
I assure you that if you spend time in the gym, you will notice considerable improvements in your performance. To be able to play football at a good level, you need to be physically and not just technically proficient, and there is no better way than to go to the gym and practice weight lifting!
