Injury-Prevention Activation Circuit
A 12-minute warm-up block in pairs: planks, single-leg balance with passes, squats, Nordic hamstring curls and landing drills.
- Age
- U13–Senior
- Players
- 6–24
- Duration
- 12 min
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Intensity
- Low
- Area
- 21 × 12 m
- Type
- Physical
- Approach
- Analytical
- Format
- Circuit
- Objectives
- Physical: Core strength, Coordination, Mobility
- Concepts worked on
- Physical:Core strengthStrengthBalanceMobility
Training diagram
Three blocks done in pairs: core, balance with the ball and jumps. The whole group moves together from block to block.
Legend
- Attacker
- Pass
- Run without ball
- Ball
Most non-contact injuries in football affect the hamstrings, knees, ankles and groin. Regularly strengthening the core, training balance on one leg and learning to land with the knee in line with the foot reduce that risk. This circuit fits those exercises into the warm-up so they are done every session, not only when there is time left. Players work in pairs so one can correct the other.
Objective
Activate the core, improve single-leg control and teach safe landing mechanics as part of the normal warm-up.
Organisation
- Three areas of about 7 × 12 m, one for each block. The whole group does the same block at the same time.
- Players in pairs with one ball per pair.
- Start after 3–4 minutes of easy running.
How it works
- Block 1 – Core: front plank on the forearms 3 × 20 s (U15 and older: lift one leg for 2 s, alternating). Side plank 2 × 15 s each side.
- Block 2 – Balance: standing on one leg, pass the ball back and forth with the partner for 30 s, then change leg. Single-leg squat to 45° × 8 per leg, holding the partner's shoulder if needed.
- Block 3 – Legs: Nordic hamstring curls × 5 with the partner holding the ankles (U17–U19 and Senior; U13–U16 do 10 glute bridges instead). Squat jumps × 8, landing softly. Lateral bounds × 6 per side, holding each landing for one second.
- Finish with two runs of 20 m at 80 % speed.
- Two or three sessions a week are enough to see the benefit.
Coaching points
- Planks: straight line from head to heels, no sagging hips.
- Single-leg work: knee over the middle of the foot, hips level.
- Landings: soft, on the balls of the feet, knees bent and pointing forwards.
- Nordic curls: lower as slowly as possible with the hips straight; stop if there is pain.
Progressions
- Side plank with the top leg raised.
- Balance on one leg while the partner gently pushes the shoulder in different directions.
- Increase Nordic curls to 2 sets of 6–8 over several weeks.
Regressions
- Planks on the knees.
- Double-leg squats instead of single-leg squats.
- Replace Nordic curls with single-leg glute bridges.
Variations
- Run it as a circuit of three stations with the group divided into three.
Key principles
- Consistency matters more than intensity: do it every week.
- Knee in line with the foot in every squat, lunge and landing.
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