Youth Football Training Exercises

Effective youth football training exercises help players build strength, speed and skills that make them better players on the field. Incorporate training exercises that simulate in-game situations to develop faster responses and reflexes in your players before and during football season. Remember to teach your players exercises they can do in the off-season to keep their skills and bodies in shape for the following season.

  1. Jump Squat Routine

    • Jump squats build explosive strength in the legs.

      Jump squats are exercises that build explosive power for jumping, bursting into a sprint and dodging out of the way of players from the opposing team. Players stand with their feet shoulder width apart and arms extended straight out from the chest, parallel to the ground. Have them squat down toward the ground as low as possible with feet firmly planted and then explode upward into a jump. As soon as a player lands, he goes back into a squat. Repeat the exercise 5 to 10 times in a row at first. Later, increase repetitions up to but not more than 25.

    Recovery Drill

    • The Youth Football Coaches Association recommends the recovery drill for training in balance, recovery of the ball and transferring the ball between hands while running. Set a cone 5 yards in front of the player to his right side, another cone 5 yards ahead and to the left, and a final cone 5 more yards ahead and back on the right side in line with the first cone.

      Each player runs around the right cone and touches the ground twice with his left hand and the ball in his right. The player then switches the ball to his left hand, runs toward the second cone and then touches the ground with his right hand. He then transfers the ball back to his right hand, touches the ground next to the third cone and finishes the drill with a 5-yard sprint.

    Over Speed Drill

    • The over speed drill conditions players to increase running speed. Begin on the top of a steep hill. Instruct players to be careful to not run so fast they go out of control. Players run down the hill as fast as they can without falling down.

      Running down the hill trains the players' legs and minds to experience faster than normal running speeds and will increase their speed on flat ground over time. Add strength training by having players run back up the hill a minute or two after running downhill.