In the previous post you read about warmup exercises and drills that were targeted at developing speed and acceleration. Now we focus on improving coordination and agility. Football is very much a team sport, and games are won by the collective effort of the attackers, defenders and goalkeeper. It requires quick footwork and being agile, coordinating with teammates to seal the victory.

To develop these skills, there are a few simple exercises that you can use to condition and prepare your body and mind. We begin with the ladder exercise that you may have come across in the previous post. We modify it slightly, by adding obstacles/markers around the path. The players have to run across the ladder, change direction and run around the markers. You need to focus on smooth turns and pace while completing this circuit.

Improving football skills definitely requires getting more touches on the ball during practice sessions. For the drill that you just read about involving ladders and markers, repeat but while dribbling the ball. Practise the turns and speeding up without losing control of the ball.

Ensure you look up and keep your eyes in the forward direction as you run. We have a tendency to focus on our feet and not be mindful of the path ahead, which can be a recipe for disaster on the field, as a defender can easily intercept you and steal the ball if you are not alert to the surroundings.

From early practice sessions, you should take care that you keep your chin up and eyes on the field ahead. Irrespective of whether you are running or even accelerating with the ball, follow this rule. It will hold you in good stead as you advance in your training and learning of the sport.

Now that you’re familiar with exercises to develop speed, acceleration, agility and coordination, there’s one missing element which is as important as these – strength. Unless you have the physical stamina to stay active through an entire football game, it won’t matter how good or fast you are on your feet. You need to be able to maintain it. In the next post, we look at circuit training exercises that can be done in groups. Keep reading, you’re nearing the end of this series of blog posts on learning football.