Okay, so it’ll take you a lot more than four weeks to be fit enough to play an actual World Cup match, but with this power plan, at least you’ll be ready when your buddy calls you up for a five-a-side kick-about. All you need is your local soccer field.
By Mark van Dijk
COACH’S NOTE:
Start every session with:
• A warm-up jog around the field twice
• A stretch
End every session with:
• A cool-down jog around the field
• A stretch
WEEK ONE
DAY 1: ENDURANCE
• 10 push-ups + sprint to halfway line (10 reps each)
DAY 2: REST
DAY 3: STRENGTH
• 10 push-ups + 20 squats
+ 30 crunches (5 reps each)
DAY 4: REST
DAY 5: ENDURANCE
5 sets:
• Sprint up the grandstand + jog back down again (3 reps each)
• 10 box jumps using subs bench
DAY 6: REST
DAY 7: AGILITY
• 15 sit-ups
• 10m ladders*: lift knees high (×3) + 10m sprint
• 10 push-ups
• 10m ladders: cross feet (×3) + 10m sprint
• 15 sit-ups
• 10m ladders: step outside, then inside (×3) + 10m sprint
• 10 push-ups
• 10m ladders: double-foot hop (×3) + 10m sprint
* Put (or imagine) a ladder on the ground, using the spaces between the rungs to place your feet.
WEEK TWO
DAY 1: ENDURANCE
• Fast jog around the field four times
• 10 push-ups
• Run around the field twice
• 10 push-ups
• Sprint around the field once
DAY 2: REST
DAY 3: STRENGTH
5 sets:
• 5 lunges right leg + 5 lunges left leg
• 5 box jumps onto subs bench
• 25 crunches
• 10 push-ups
DAY 4: REST
DAY 5: ENDURANCE
• 10 push-ups + 10 full-length field sprints (×10)
DAY 6: REST
DAY 7: AGILITY
• Place 4 cones in a square, 10m apart
• Sprint forward + shuffle sideways + sprint backward + shuffle sideways (×5)
• Jog laterals + sprint diagonals (×5)
• Repeat set with cones 5m apart
WEEK THREE
DAY 1: REST
DAY 2: ENDURANCE
• 10 push-ups + 10 full-length field sprints (×10)
• 30 crunches + half-field sprints (×5)
• 10 burpees + 10 sprints from goal-line to edge of penalty box (×2)
DAY 3: STRENGTH
5 sets:
• 20 push-ups
• 30 squats
• 40 crunches
DAY 4: REST
DAY 5: ENDURANCE
• Sprint up the grandstand + jog back down again (×5)
• 15 box jumps using subs bench
• Sprint up the grandstand + jog back down again (×5)
• 15 box jumps using subs bench
• Sprint up the grandstand + jog back down again (×5)
DAY 6: AGILITY
Place 5 cones in an X, with the outside cones 2m apart
3 sets:
• Jump with feet together from centre to each corner (1 minute)
• Jump with right leg from centre to each corner (30 seconds)
• Jump with left leg from centre to each corner (30 seconds)
• Jump with feet together from centre to each corner (1 minute)
DAY 7: REST
WEEK FOUR
DAY 1: ENDURANCE
• 10 full-length field sprints (rest 20 seconds between each)
• 8 sprints from goal line to opposite penalty area (rest 20 seconds between each)
• 10 half-field sprints (rest 15 seconds between each)
• 2 sprints from goal line to edge of penalty area (rest 10 seconds between each sprint)
DAY 2: STRENGTH
5 sets:
• 10 lunges right leg, 10 lunges left leg
• 10 box jumps onto subs bench
• 25 crunches
• 15 push-ups
DAY 3: REST
DAY 4: ENDURANCE
• Fast jog around the field four times
• 10 push-ups
• Run around the field twice
• 10 push-ups
• Sprint around the field once
DAY 5: REST
DAY 6: AGILITY
• 15 sit-ups
• 10m ladders: two feet in each (×5) + 10m sprint
• 30 crunches
• 10m ladders: cross feet (×5) + 10m sprint
• 10 push-ups
• 10m ladders: step outside, then inside (×5) + 10m sprint
• 10 push-ups
• 10m ladders: double-foot hop (×5) + 10m sprint
DAY 7: ENDURANCE
• 5km run
RUN LIKE A CHAMPION
The hardest runners at the 2014 FIFA World Cup covered an average of about 11.5km per 90-minute game. Use one of these activity trackers to monitor your pace and distance during this fitness plan, and keep pace with the champions:
Keeps an account of distance moved, stairs climbed and calories burned, and its built-in GPS tracker makes sure it doesn’t miss a step. R4 499
Sports watch comes with dynamic personal coaching and a built-in GPS. R4 999
Features more than 15 preloaded GPS and indoor sports apps, plus it monitors your daily fitness and stress levels. R4 999
FRONTIER is bold, rugged (it’s water- and dust-resistant) and fully equipped to keep up with you on every adventure in the great outdoors. R6 499
+ GPS boasts 4GB of onboard data storage, along with 50m water resistance for wet weather runs. R3 699