If you are conducting a futsal training session for the first time or you’ve run out of ideas on what to do then you’ve come to the right spot.We’ve got years of experience in running and taking part in futsal training as players and coaches. We’ll cover various aspects that’ll help you get started and help you come up with ideas of your own.

 

We are going to run through the following:

 

• Warm up exercises with the ball and without the ball
• Cardio exercises
• Passing drills
• Attacking drills
• Defending drills
• Warm downs

Warm-Ups

Getting the body “warmed up” and ready for exercising is the most important part of any pre-training ritual regardless of the sport. No training session should commence without a thorough warm-up session.

 

The last thing any player or coach wants is to dive straight into drills and exercises and for players to get injured. Another great benefit of warm-ups before training is that they give players an opportunity to identify any niggling injuries or to test any ongoing issues.

 

Leg Lunges

 

Have players form a line or a circle facing each other, players should interchange between their left and right legs leaning on the leading leg before interchanging. Have players do 10 lunges on each leg.

 

Ensure that the players keep their back straight and head up when conducting the lunge. Players also need to focus on keeping their core tight to avoid unnecessary injury to their backs. Once in the lunge position players should drive through their leading foot to return to the starting position.

 

Body Squats

 

Have players stand with their feet shoulder width apart and their hands resting on the side or interlocked behind their head. Players should then lower themselves as if sitting in a chair while keeping their backs straight.

 

Players need to take care to ensure their knees do not go over their toes and they need to drive thru their heels while pushing their hips forward to return to the starting position.

 

Torso Rotations

 

For this exercise have players grab a futsal ball each and hold it at shoulder height. Players should then maintain forwards body posture while holding the ball in front of them and move from left to right.

 

Players should do this a minimum of 20 times each side.

 

Forward Leg Swings

 

Players will need to pair up for this exercise, have them hold onto each other shoulders. Players should sing their leg to a comfortable height at least 10 times before switching legs.

 

Have players do three sets minimum of this exercise. Again, players should focus on maintaining a strong core and can gradually increase the height of their leg swings so long as it is comfortable to do so.

 

Sit Ups

 

Have players lay down on their backs with their knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Have them place their hands by their sides and then while keeping their knees bent and feet flat cross their arms or place them by their head they should come up and meet their knees in a smooth motion without stopping.

 

Players do not need to overextend themselves in order to meet their knees and should not push past their point of comfort in case they aggravate an injury.

 

Have players aim for 3 sets of 20, if they cannot then that is fine and something that they can aim for on the next training session.

 

Push Ups

 

Have players lay down and place their hands just wider than shoulder with and their feet approximately 30-45 centimeters apart.

 

Players should maintain a straight back and can face forwards with their head, this will help them avoid neck injury and help them to maintain a straight back. They should come down as far as they can.

 

Have the players do approximately 10-15 reps 3 times.

 

Cardio work Only, No Ball

 

Light Jog

 

Have players form a group on the internal perimeter of the futsal court, players should run laps of the court for approximately 5- 10 minutes. While the players are running have them do exercises simultaneously like leg raises and arm exercises.

 

The light job is great for getting the players transitioned from warm-up exercises to more intense cardio exercises. You can also have players change direction on your call to mix things up a little and keep it interesting.

 

Also, feel free to split the group and have them running in alternate directions.

 

Beep Test ( Shuttle Runs)

 

The Beep test, shuttle runs or pacer test depending on where in the world you are located is a great test of a players V02 Max which in plain English tests the bodies ability to transfer oxygen during exercise that increases in intensity.

 

Set up two cones twenty meters apart, the players objective is to get to the alternate cone in sequence with the beep, either slightly before or on the beep.

 

The Beep test has 21 levels and is a great guide for a players fitness level. You can use it throughout the season and is particularly useful for measuring a players level of fitness improvement.

 

You can read our guide to the beep test here.

 

Ball Work

 

Once your players are warmed up and have run them through their cardio work then it’s time to proceed to ball drills and team movement exercises.

 

It’s important that players are exposed to attacking drills, defending drills and teamwork exercises.

 

Attacking Overlap

 

This attacking overlap will get players used to working together in a combination to break down opposing defenses and improve their shooting efficiency. Players will also be able to improve their passing ability inside their attacking half.

 

Instructions: Players set up facing each other inside their attacking half, Player from group A passes to Player on Group B.Once passing the ball the player from group A overlaps and collects the ball from the group B player who then cuts behind and runs to the edge of the goalkeepers “D”.

 

Once player B will receive a pass from player A and will shoot on goal. Players should shoot across the face of goal either with a ground shot or air shot.

 

Focus points: Player should receive the ball with the sole of their feet and experiment with shooting by using “top pokes” and the inside/outside of their foot in order to determine what works best for them when shooting from different positions/angles.

 

Difficulty levels: In the initial few run-throughs, you can use cones or mannequins to get the players in the mood for weaving and imitating game movement on the court. It’s important to add something extra to the exercise once players understand what the objective is.

 

If players are comfortable with the movements then add defenders with a goalkeeper to the exercise, nothing will beat actual people working against each other. Be sure to only do this if the players are ready for the added challenge.i.e. They should be running through the exercise with limited trouble.

 

Diagnol Attacking Drill

In this particular drill players will work as a team, 4 without the goalkeeper, to move together in order to create a goal scoring opportunity. This drill will focus on team movement and breaking down defenses by using penetration and the creation of space.

 

Instructions: This drill basically keeps the formation of a diamond for the most part. To break it down, the player at the top of the diamond passes the ball to a winger and then proceeds to the opposite wing in an advanced attacking position. Simultaneously the player who was at the top of the D will run opposite and will draw the defender with him creating space needed.

 

The original winger who received the ball will pass back to the 1st passer when they are in the advanced wing position.

 

The player at the top of the D who drew out the defender will not turn inside and seek to receive the ball for shooting opportunity.

 

Focus points: The focus on this drill is for players to draw out defenders, maintain a structure and the accuracy of passing. This drill is a great exercise to demonstrate to players that they can open up defensive spaces by moving in sync with one another.

 

Difficulty Levels: Players should be ran through this drill a few times without any defenders, once players understand exactly what is happening and are able to implement the tactic successfully defenders can be added.

 

When defenders are added it’s important that they don’t overwhelm the attacking players initially. Have them just jockey the attacking players the first few times. Once the attacking players have become comfortable with the defenders give the green light for defenders to ramp it up.

 

This is a drill that will not always go to plan but the more it is practiced the better everyone will get at it and it will be effective come game day.

 

Mini Game 2 v 2 plus goalkeepers  

 

Small sided games are always good to mix in with training as they are what all players love the most. Small sided games are great for getting players to be situationally aware in both attacking and defending and ensure they are held accountable.

 

Instructions: Set up two small sided courts, each court should be almost a half each of the futsal court. Have players create teams of 3 consisting of two players and a goalkeeper per team. Players should seek to create scoring opportunities against the other team, the same as they would in a real game.

 

Focus Points: Players should focus on movement for creating space and covering each other in attacking moves to not leave the goalkeeper vulnerable. The goalkeeper should be brought into play frequently with a focus on ball distribution.

 

Difficulty levels: To increase difficulty consider using a “rule” where players only get one touch of the ball, if they have any more then they will be required to turn it over to the opposition team. You can also add time limits such as no longer than 10 seconds on the ball and so on.

 

Removing a player from one team is good for getting players used to a 2 vs 1 situation and will also bring the goalkeeper into the game more.

 

Weave, Pass Shoot

 

This is a basic drill, that gets players to dribble through a  set of cones, pass to a teammate, the pass back and then shoot on goal. It’s great for sharpening and maintaining basic skills while keeping training fun and enjoyable for the players.

 

Instructions: Set up a number of cones in the middle of the court, have players dribble through the cones, pass to a teammate on the wing, receive the ball back and then shoot on goal. Players should do this exercise as fast as they can without breaking stride.

 

Point Of Focus: Players should focus on technique and speed in this drill. They need to master dribbling the futsal, passing and shooting to ensure they can meet the speed standards that futsal will demand of them.

 

Difficulty Levels: A defender can be added to this exercise to make it more life like for the attacking player.The defenders should not seek to go all out from the beginning but simply take up a role to “jockey” the player.

 

Once the player is comfortable with the introduction of the defender then the ante should be increased.

 

Be sure to add extra variances like left-footed shots only, right-footed shots only and so on.

 

Warm down

Walking

 

It might sound tame but after drills and cardio exercises have been finished have players simply walk around the internal perimeter of the futsal court. This is great for players to pick up on any niggling injuries they may have sustained during the training session.

 

Use this time to encourage players to chat amongst them self and reflect on the session, you can also engage the players and discuss ideas for future training sessions.

 

Stretches

 

Have the players form a circle around the center of the court and stretch arms, legs, neck and torso. Light stretches will help to ensure that any kinks in muscles can be identified and possibly stretched out. The focus here should not be on intensity but focused on relaxation and technique.

 

This post is by no means the be all and end all of futsal training session guides, it’s simply something to get you started or maybe prompt some ideas if you are struggling.

 

You can also check out our beginner drills here or warm-up exercise drills here.

 

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