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Playing sport is a great way to keep fit and ignite your competitive streak, but if you want to take your fitness to another level for your game of choice you may have to focus on sports-specific training.
If soccer, netball, touch football or basketball are part of your extra-curricular timetable, then you’re in luck – here are some top exercise tips to get you started in each sport.
Soccer players are top of their game in ball skills, agility, speed and power. They need to be able to power a goal-scoring kick, run faster than the ball and their opponents and they also need the endurance skills to last a whole game without tiring in their position. Phew, that’s a big list of skills!
Check out these gym exercises for speed, strength and power for soccer:
Helps build strength through the lower body and because a lunge is one-sided, it also works on balance and core stability too – essential for running and kicking.
Helps with single leg balance, hip and ankle strength and flexibility, as well as lower body strength.
Helps with lower body strength and power in full range of motion, when done with proper technique.
Help build leg and core strength, for improved power and explosive movements on the pitch.
If you’re looking to improve at touch football you need to work on your speed and agility, as well as your lower body and core strength. Touch football is a fast and multidirectional game and players rely on their reaction times and balance too. Try these speed and agility exercises as well as some lower body and core strength exercises for touch football:
Helps with the ability to accelerate quickly and run at speed, both qualities needed on the field.
Helps with explosive moving and the ability to move the body in the desired direction with speed
Helps strengthen through the core, putting focus on the obliques used in rotational movements.
Helps with lower body strength, switching the glutes on as well as the quads for power.
Helps strengthen the hamstrings for explosive movements.
Netball is a game of running, jumping, throwing and catching, placing big demands on the body, especially the lower half. Players need good explosive speed and agility, so resistance training is a must. While a lot of focus is put on strengthening the lower body to protect the ankles and knees, the upper body cannot be forgotten when it is needed for hard, fast throws and catches.
The below exercises are a great start for upping your netball game:
Improves lower body strength and coordination for the multi-directional sport of netball.
Helps with explosive power, core strength and lower body strength.
Helps with throwing power by strengthening the chest and arms, when performed properly.
Is perfect for improving explosive movements above the head, using core and lower body strength too.
Yes, it helps to be tall when it comes to basketball, but there is more to the game than just height – speed and power being just two! Basketball is a game of fast movement in all directions, anticipation of what’s coming next and, of course, being able to throw with precision.
Whether you’re training for a local neighbourhood game or you’re an aspiring athlete, the following gym exercises for basketball should be on your to-do list:
Engages the muscles needed for explosive movements and jumping – essential in a basketball game.
Help to create lower body strength and mimic the movement patterns needed for side-to-side explosive court moves.
Recreate a jump shot by engaging full extension through the lats, back, shoulders, arms and wrists.
Helps with lower body strength and hip movement patterns for jumping.
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