Winter has come, and for many of us that means a much-needed break from rigorous football training. But take a minute to read this before you move too far away from the pitch; it’s often a risky decision to avoid training altogether during winter.
Winter means cold weather and lots of rain. Neither of those things makes training very pleasant. Still, the offseason is an important time in your preparations for the upcoming season. Training during this time can help prevent injuries from occurring when you start playing competitive matches again. We spoke with one of the best youth-football coaches in Denmark, Carsten Dohm, who has experience with FC Nordsjælland and Brøndby IF.
“In the old days, long breaks were perfectly normal. But it’s different now that we are spending more time on training than ever. Football has become a different game. Players train 4 or 5 days per week. You can’t train that much and then stop training altogether for a while, and then go back to normal. That would certainly result in injuries. On the other hand, you can’t go on with 4 or 5 days [of training per week] all year, so it’s all about finding the right balance. It’s about maintaining your physical fitness; otherwise the risk of injury will increase,”
Carsten Dohm recently joined the Chinese team Shanghai SIPG, which also employs another Dane, Mads Davidsen, as assistant coach. Carsten acts as a Technical Consultant at the club, which also recently signed Brazilian superstars Hulk and Oscar from Chelsea FC.
“There are many ways to keep up one’s physical fitness, and winter training doesn’t have to solely consist of football. Other sports can play a role”,
says Carsten Dohm.
“Personally, I’m a fan of creating variety by combining winter training and football with other sports. That could include anything from fitness training to boxing to crossfit. There are many elements of other activities that can make you evolve as a football player. Crossfit can boost your movement in free spaces, whereas strength training with machines and traditional methods might make you feel more boxed in. Crossfit is a form of strength training that takes place in a free space, so it will help you improve physically and it will also improve your mobility. And football is a free sport; it’s not rigid, so those functional movements can make a huge difference.”
Self-discipline and a partner are the keys to winter training
Many football players know how it feels to enter a new season and struggle with getting that perfect touch back. But if you practice your ball control throughout the winter, you’ll have an advantage when facing opponents during the season. Carsten Dohm admits that it can be useful to have a partner for such training (and that partner could even be the m-station football rebounder), but a partner isn’t the only ingredient necessary for an effective winter of self-training.
“It requires that you have something to measure against, but a good amount of self-discipline is also necessary. You should motivate yourself and be persistent with training, even when it feels tedious; otherwise you won’t get anywhere. And a training partner will make it more enjoyable, whether it’s a teammate or an m-station. With the m-station you can actually double the number of exercises you can do alone. The m-station serves passes to you, which opens up many training possibilities, so it’s a great tool to develop your technique.”
The m-station from Munin Sports can certainly be useful for self-training, and not just in the winter period.
“I think it’s a tool for the whole year, and it’s an important tool. The new models (Basic, Original, Club og Academy Ed.) provide a new world of possibilities, as they are now easier to move around on the field.”
In addition to his roles as a coach and a consultant, Carsten Dohm has been an instructor at DBU’s Coach Education and an organizer at DGI’s Coach Education. He is also a Talent Manager at Hørsholm Usserød.
How to improve during winter without team training sessions
During the cold winter months, it gets dark early and football pitches are not in playable condition. Team training sessions are more likely to be cancelled due to snow, frost, and wind, so ambitious young footballers have to find alternative ways to train their technical skills.
We asked young Danish holding midfielder talent, Marcus from Lyngby BK, about this issue.
“Sometimes the team training session is cancelled due to bad weather. At times like that, it’s just really nice to be able to go out in your backyard and practice with a rebounder.”
It’s extremely demanding on your body to spend 2-3 months performing only physical training, and without some technical training during that time, most players will feel rusty once they get back on the pitch in spring.
“I use the m-station football rebounder multiple times per week all year round, possibly even more during winter. It gets dark earlier and becomes harder to play ball outside, but my dad bought me a couple of lamps so I can play regardless of the hour of day.“
Marcus uses the m-station in winter to develop his technical skills despite bad weather conditions. Instead of running and doing push-ups, he improves his skills through multiple drills using the rebounder.
“I mostly use the rebounder for passes, first touches, and other areas of ball control. Sometimes I even use it as a free-kick wall so I can practice free kicks.”
The benefit of being able to train by yourself
The versatility of the rebounder is what Marcus loves most about the m-station product. You don’t need to depend on other people to play with you, but if other players would like to join you, it only adds to the fun.
“With the m-station, you can play by yourself. It’s like having a friend to play with. But the rebounder is also fun to use with other players. You can challenge each other and push your limits.”
But the rebounder is by no means a toy; it’s a serious tool for development regardless of your position on the field. It allows you to work on anything you need to improve.
“You can practice quick feet and quick thinking, and for me, as a DM (Defensive Midfielder), I use it to practice low passes and turning with the ball, which I do a lot in my position, but you can also practice plenty of other stuff appropriate for other positions.”
Marcus has already noticed the results of using the m-station. He feels more confident both in training sessions and in competitive games.
“[Training with the m-station] has given me more confidence when I make and receive passes. I keep getting better at receiving the ball, regardless of how hard it is to control the ball. My accuracy and my ability to quickly move and react are also steadily improving.”
Marcus recommends the m-station for winter usage.
“My control of the ball is continuously getting better. The m-station rebounder is an especially convenient tool during winter, as it helps you stay in shape during the holidays and when training sessions are cancelled.”
Improve your technical skills during winter with a rebounder
For most footballers, winter break is all about staying in shape for spring season. The pitches are either muddy or frozen, and playing on them increases the risk of injury. Also, at most clubs it is prohibited to play on grass pitches during winter because it may ruin the soil and the grass, making the pitches unusable for spring matches.
However, for 11-year-old Aimee, who plays for one of the best U12 ladies teams in England, wintertime is not all about fitness and staying healthy during Christmas. With her own rebounder at home, Aimee can practice her technical skills without being limited by poor weather or unavailable grounds.
A home setup suited for multiple training drills
Aimee’s team is part of a UK-based FA Regional Talent Centre and FA Talent Pathway, which are reserved for the best female footballers in England. According to her father, she uses the rebounder multiple times every week to continuously improve her technical skills.
“At the moment, she might practice a couple of times per week, specifically indoors and with the rebounder. The space we have is quite limited but the rebounder allows Aimee to work on her control and touch. She will typically spend up to 30 minutes at a time using the rebounder.”
And because of the flexible design of the rebounder, Aimee is not restricted to just one or two drills.
“At setting “0,” she works on first-time passes and effectively uses the rebounder as a wall. This is helping to develop her control and touch on her left foot. She is right-footed, but her left is getting there! When she has the rebounder set at position “8,” she works on her volley touch.”
Despite a lack of space at home, Aimee still gets a good workout without having to take risks on bad pitches. Not only does this keep her body in shape, but it also helps her focus.
“Using the rebounder over winter—when local playing fields are incredibly muddy and it is almost dark when she returns home from school—is allowing Aimee to work on and develop her touch, and it gives her legs a bit of a workout. She has been on her toes to work on those calf muscles. But also quite importantly, using the rebounder helps develop her concentration.”
“I can test myself and try to beat previous records.”
For ambitious young footballers like Aimee, only practicing during spring, summer, and autumn does not cut it. With a rebounder, Aimee can train on her own instead of relying on teammates to join her in training sessions.
“I have gone from 36 the first time I tried volleys to 358 the last time I tried. Using the rebounder also lets me practice without other people; I can just go to the garage whenever I want and do some drills.”
In short, Aimee is happy with her rebounder. It is a tool that allows her to practice when other players cannot.
“I enjoy using the rebounder as I can test myself and try to beat previous records.”
m-station – the best football rebounder you’ll ever have
Watch this video to discover all the great benefits of the m-station
It can be hard to tell the difference between the m-station and a real-life teammate.
Due to the unique rebound effect of the m-station, the ball moves precisely as it does in game situations.
This ensures that you practice the skills and moves you truly need to practice to become a better player.
Also, you get more repetitions in a smaller amount of time, and your training becomes more fun and more effective.
You waste less time, because you’re always in possession of the ball.
Unless you miss the rebounder’s frame entirely, you’ll always have the ball at your feet. For young players especially, being in possession is a massive motivational factor.
When you buy the m-station, you also get a free app for your smartphone that collects data on your training. Just start the app and attach it to the m-station; when your training session is over, you can review all your stats.
Sjur Lothe is only 16 years old, but he has already represented Norway on the youth national team. This achievement is the result of hard work and dedication; Lothe began self-training at a very young age, and that has since paid off. Here’s his story.
If you ever find yourself driving around the southwestern parts of Norway, there’s a good chance you’ll spot a 16-year-old kid named Sjur Lothe running around with a ball. The young Norwegian spends a lot of time around the ball, both on his own time and at his club, Vard Haugesund.
But it’s on his own time that Sjur Lothe has worked especially hard, and that has paid off with selections to the youth national team. This is quite an achievement for a young lad who plays for a club whose senior team plays in Norway’s third best football league.
“I’m absorbed in my self-training. It has been important in my development as a football player, especially in terms of technique and ball control. I view the time spent on self-training as “the small difference”—that is, the one thing that separates me from the rest, explains Lothe, who left his childhood club FK Haugar in 2015 to join Vard.
“In the long run, the number of hours spent on self-training is decisive. In my view, that’s where the differences start to show, but determining how many hours you need to spend on self-training is difficult, as there are many factors in play, such as time spent on organized training, and the length, intensity, and quality of your training.
“How often you need to train depends not only on how well trained you already are, but also on the intensity level of your exercises. I’d say that you should spend about 2.5 hours per day on self-training. Earlier, when I was around 11-14 years old, spending lots of time on self-training was my main focus. Back then I would self-train between 18 and 20 hours per week.”
“I would rather practice making 100 passes than 20. The specifics of my training would also vary, but I mostly focused on keeping the ball under control and playing around with it. Now my daily life is busier due to school and team practices, and the time I spend on self-training has decreased. I now focus primarily on quality, awareness, and match-like situations when self-training. I’m very preoccupied with that “small difference” belief. It’s all about executing the 10 additional passes that everyone else neglects.”
A lack of dedication and continuity
The majority of youth players aren’t as diligent as Lothe, though, and that bothers the Vard player.
“Most of the young players I know often hang out with their friends and spend their time on PlayStation or at parties; they prioritize all that over their development as football players. That’s something I find unfortunate. What I’ve found to be a key factor in a player’s development is the ability to sacrifice. If you want to become good at something, you must devote time to it. There are so many players on my team who self-train, but I’ve noticed that no one has thoroughly considered exactly what or how they need to improve. Also, my teammates don’t seem to have any continuity in their training. These things are important.”
Fortunately, Sjur Lothe has some advice on how one can get started with self-training.
“What oftens keeps us from self-training is time. Self-training is time-consuming. But it really doesn’t have to be. My advice is to choose one or two things that you want to improve, and then work a little on those things every day. Don’t make 100 passes; make 20. Don’t make 100 crosses; make 20. Don’t dribble 15 times; start out with eight. That’s important if you want to step up the quality of your game and develop better control.”
“There are also certain exercises that are better than others and easier to squeeze into your daily schedule. This is where the m-station enters the picture. Spend about 10 to 30 minutes each day with the m-station. Make a habit of it. Improve a little each day. Make that small difference”
The ambitious Lothe continues:
“In the hours I’ve spent on self-training, I’ve focused on developing better ball control, developing a better first touch, and perfecting my turns. I can now practice moving the ball into the right spaces, and there’s one specific exercise I use for that. You’ll need a second player:”
Step 1: Player 1 starts with the ball (facing the m-station), and Player 2 stands a few meters behind him.
Step 2: Player 1 passes the ball towards the m-station, but before receiving the ball from the rebounder, Player 1 must turn around and face player 2.
Step 3: Player 2 points out whether Player 1 must pass to his right or left, and Player 1 passes the ball in that direction.
“One way to finish this exercise is to have Player 2 target a goal (or the space between two cones) after receiving the pass. Also try to keep the touches to a maximum of two. Later on you can increase the difficulty by playing the ball to the opposite direction of where Player 2 is pointing”, Sjur concludes.
If you ever make your way to Haugesund, be sure to look for Sjur and his m-station, as it’s practically guaranteed he’ll be running around somewhere with his football. And who knows? Perhaps it won’t be many years before we see Sjur Lothe in the Tippeligaen with FK Haugesund, and maybe even as a member of the Norwegian senior national team.
How to practice turns with the m-station football rebounder
How to practice first touches with the m-station football rebounder
How to become a better finisher with the m-station football rebounder
Combining physical and technical training during winter
Football skills can be divided into three different groups: technical skills, mental skills, and physical skills. Having strong technical skills is what most people refer to when talking about “good football,” but having the right mentality, physical skills, and general understanding of the game is very important if you want to make it far.
During winter break and pre-season, most footballers focus on getting in shape physically. We talked to Kristin, who wants to be the best female football player in the World, about the importance of physical training.
“I practice a lot with my team, but when I have a day off, I either work out to get stronger or I go outside to improve my technical skills. Strength is really important for me because I’m not very tall. It’s a massive advantage to be physically strong on the football pitch. I try to improve my balance and agility, as well as the strength in my arms, upper body, hips, and thighs. Hopefully this will help me win more duels, keep injuries away, and become a stronger player overall.”
But since physicality isn’t the only aspect of football, staying on top of technical training during winter is important. Many players neglect technical training during winter because the weather is cold and snowy and the fields are frozen.
Kristin, however, uses the m-station rebounder to stay in shape technically—even when it’s dark and cold.
“During winter, I also practice my technical skills using the m-station in the yard at home. Yes, there will at times be snow, but that’s a nice change to the typical training schedule, right?”
If the weather is too cold or otherwise unbearable, Kristin simply brings the m-station indoors. It does limit her options a bit, but she still gets to practice her technical skills.
“Sometimes I take the m-station inside and down to the basement to do some intense short-passing practice. There’s not much space, but it works for me.”
Developing technically on multiple levels
When Kristin uses her rebounder, she uses it for more than just simple passing. In fact, short passing is just her warmup.
“I begin my m-station session by keeping the ball in the air between me and the rebounder. If I have a team training session that same day, I just take it easy and practice short passes, long passes, shooting, and ball control. If I have a lot of energy and want to step it up a notch, I practice some drills that involve jumping and running, sometimes even without the ball.“
She learns new exercises from her MuninPlay app and then gets inspired to come up with her own great ideas.
“I often find drills to do on the MuninPlay app, both with and without the ball. Sometimes I even come up with my own exercises. That’s a really cool feeling.”
Boost your confidence with self-training
Self-training can take place both on the couch and in the yard. Simply watching football is itself self-training, explains the former Superliga forward Rajko Lekic.
Since he retired as a professional football player in 2014, Lekic has made a living as a forward trainer at Rajko Lekic Målakademi, his very own school for forwards. The former national-team striker is still a well-known name in Danish football, where he is remembered as one of the greatest goal getters in the Superliga. He might be remembered best for his time at Silkeborg IF, where he netted 76 goals in 121 matches.
Lekic trained in Spain, Hungary, USA, and of course, Denmark, with coaches such as the former PSV and Dortmund forward Flemming Povlsen. Young and ambitious forwards today seek a more thorough and concentrated training than clubs can offer, and Lekic now aims to pass on to those young players everything he has learned throughout his career. We had a talk with Lekic on this very subject.
A question of mentality
The former top forward is happy that he can help the youngsters develop, especially because he thinks that Danish-football mentality doesn’t appreciate self-training.
“For a long time I’ve believed that self-training is something that’s lacking in Danish football. Not many of my teammates here pursued self-training — at least not as much as a player should. It was always with a half-hearted effort.”
Lekic thinks that approach to self-training has become engrained in Danish-football mentality. He elaborates on why he thinks that’s not a good thing.
“My attitude is that self-training is a must if you want to reach the top. In my world, it makes perfect sense that the more you are self-training specific techniques, the better you will become at them. If you take 20 balls every other day after training and kick them towards the goal 100 times, you will notice a huge difference.”
Watching games on TV counts as self-training.
Self-training is more than just technical work with a ball. You must also be mentally and tactically prepared, and for that reason self-training doesn’t always have to take place on the field.
“Back when I was self-training, my goal was to become sharper on my finishes and build confidence. I think I improved a lot in those areas. I felt that I really became a better finisher and that I gained a lot of confidence, which is important for a forward. That said, self-training can also take place by simply watching a football match on TV and taking note of players’ movements and actions in different situations, and putting that knowledge into action on the training field and then in actual matches.”
Rajko Lekic’s many skills have taken him far and wide in his career. In addition to stints at Superliga clubs OB, Silkeborg, and Esbjerg, Lekic spent time at the Hungarian club ZTE, the Spanish club Xerez, and the American MLS club New England Revolution. Especially at the latter two clubs did self-training culture make an impression on the well-traveled Dane.
“The self-training culture in Spain and USA is fantastic. Mentally, the players are prepared to keep developing all the time. They are always looking for ways to improve. I would even go so far as to say that one would feel left out if one didn’t self-train in those places. That’s not the case in Denmark, even though it should be.”
How to get started
It can be hard to begin self-training, both in terms of finding motivation and in terms of learning specialized exercises. The Silkeborg icon has some advice to help you get started.
“Set some goals, and think about how you’ll achieve those goals. Are club practices enough? Is it enough to get the same training as your competitors? My goal was to be the best; I wanted to be a top scorer, I wanted to make the national team, and I wanted to go abroad. Without self-training, I don’t think I would’ve achieved all that. But I can’t stop thinking about what could have been had I started taking self-training more seriously at a young age. So set some goals and get started.”
If you aren’t sure how to get started, you can find some specific exercise videos here. Which position do you play on the field? Here are 5 effective exercises at every position:
And how much time should you spend on self-training? Rajko Lekic has a suggestion.
“You should spend the amount of time that you feel is necessary to notice an improvement, but one or two times per week would be very good if you already have four or five club practices per week.”
Details, details, details
15-year-old Herman Sjögrell has already experienced multiple of Europe’s biggest clubs at at close quarters, and this is because of his sky-high level of ambition, seriousness and daily self-training sessions.
One of Sweden’s biggest football talent’s is named Herman Sjögrell, and that has not gone unnoticed. The young Swede has been at tryouts in several of Europe’s top clubs, including Tottenham, Manchester City, and AC Milan. Also Danish F.C. Copenhagen has had the midfielder on loan for a youth tournament.
If Sjögrell fulfills the great potential that is obviously recognized around him, he will be able to thank himself for the effort that he has put into the game since he was a very young lad. Because, self-training is a big part of the daily life for the merely 15-year-old Swede.
“I believe that supplementary training is what makes the extra small difference on the field. Without self-training, it’s difficult to reach the top.”
“The team practices will not always make space for the things you need to practice. Self-training does that, and it will also make you focus on your weaknesses and fine-polish the qualities that are essential to you as a player. I think it’s important to prioritize the extra training,” he explains, although he doesn’t reveal how much spare time he leaves out to the supplementary exercises. But he makes it clear that it’s a daily routine.
“For my part, I train every day club practice is off. All kinds of training that benefits football is important. It has made me the player I am today.”
Demands a greater focus on self-training
Even though Sjögrell is young, he thinks that self-training should be given still greater importance. Especially in Sweden there needs to be a greater effort for the young players – as in the great European clubs.
“I certainly believe that we need to make more time for self-training here in Sweden. The professional clubs in Europe do exactly that, and I think it has something to do with the clubs provide their players with a professional mindset from an early age. They live football,” the midfielder explains with a clearly passionate ring to his voice.
But when the clubs in Sweden don’t emphasize self-training enough, you’ve got to do it on your own. For this reason, Herman Sjögrell has also put his mind to living football. And the only substantial way to do that is to train durable qualities.
“I practice a lot of different things that will pay off in the long run. That is, technical qualities as a football player. For instance I focus on my finishing and ball control – the things that are most important in my position. Details, details, details,” he points out.
Great ambitions takes great seriousness
He currently plays in BK Häcken, but in his former club, Angered MBIK, a few miles north from the Swedish major city Göteborg, he played along Kevin Ackermann, who has been at tryouts with Manchester United. In that way Herman Sjögrell is a part of a quite talented year group.
“Many players from my team have ambitions in the football world and self-trains for that reason. To collaborate with friends while training can make it even more fun, but it’s also important that the self-training stays serious.”
One of the ways Sjögrell has improved as a footballer is by focusing on and realizing his weaknesses. He has also found the easiest way to practice exactly that with the m-station football rebounder from Munin Sports, and he advises you to do the same.
“Try to create the best circumstances based on what you already can. For me, training with my m-station is easiest, because I can do it at home. It’s great exercise, it saves me time, and it’s fun,” he explains and goes on:
“I have an m-station, and it helps me with the things I find most important – the technical aspects. I usually practice my first touch, volleys, passes, and to keep the ball in the air.
“Every time I use m-station I am having fun, and I sharpen my technique. There’s a lot to gain from just half an hour of training.”
How to become a better finisher with the m-station football rebounder
How to practice turns with the m-station football rebounder
How to practice first touches with the m-station football rebounder
“I want to be the best version of me!”
It’s important to be focused and goal-oriented when you’re self-training. This is well known to 19-year-old Victor Guldbrandsen, who—after two years in England—has returned to Denmark with a clear vision of what he wants to achieve through self-training.
In August 2014, the then 17-year-old Victor Guldbrandsen substituted the green pitch of Lyngby Boldklub with that of Championship club Ipswich.
Now, the Dane—who has made five appearances for the youth national team—has returned to Denmark after finishing his contract with the English club, and even though the 19-year-old didn’t break into the starting eleven at Ipswich, he developed tremendously as a player. The former Lyngby midfielder focused heavily on self-training during his tenure in England, and with great possibilities, seeing that the English mentality is something wholly different.
“I think the self-training culture is a little different in England. In England you really work towards success, especially when you’re aware that talent isn’t everything. They Young British players know that as long as they fight through, they will become better!”
Set goals for yourself in self-training
When Guldbrandsen left Denmark in 2014, he left on a mission to evolve as a player, and so he chose the club that offered the best development plan. But the lad from Lyngby had his own plans for development, too. Guldbrandsen had a very clear goal to improve in two specific areas, and to reach that goal he utilized self-training:
“I focused on two things: my first touch and my shifts. Three to four times per week after training I went to a touch box for around 20 to 30 minutes and practiced exactly those things.”
“After finishing up, I would take 20 to 30 right and left footed shots to practice my shifts, and I think that has paid off.”
A touch box functions like a rebounder, such as the m-station football rebounder from Munin Sports, which can also greatly improve a player’s first touch. Take a look here to see how you can improve your first touch with the m-station:
Take your time and be patient
“Maybe you won’t sense progress much in the beginning, but with time the improvement will start to show. You should be able to see progress after one or two months.”
Guldbrandsen has a very clear idea of what he wants to achieve, and he is aware that his body won’t allow him to train forever. When he is older, he would like to be able to look himself in the mirror and know that he gave his all, and for that reason his motivation to train as much as possible is high.
“The reason I self-train is that I want to be the best possible version of myself. My motivation is rooted in the fact that I want to eventually look back on my time as a footballer and be sure that I did everything I could to be the best possible version of myself.”
Do you want to improve your first touch? If so, take a step toward your goal and buy the m-station football rebounder here
Danish Newcastle player: “Start self-training!”
There are no disadvantages to self-training, says Danish Newcastle talent Elias Fritjof Sørensen, who has had a busy 2016.
In June 2016, Elias Fritjof Sørensen became a Danish U17 champion when his team beat U17 division team Slagelse B&I in a close final in Frederiksberg.
Only one month earlier did Sørensen have his debut with the club’s first team, becoming the youngest player ever to debut for the team. In August 2016, Sørensen joined Newcastle. Altogether it was a very eventful three months for the U17 national team player, who also had his debut with the Danish youth national team during that time.
Sørensen’s skills didn’t come out of nowhere, though, and the talent is now preparing to try his hand at a more serious brand of footballing at one of the most storied clubs in England.
Training on one’s own yields results
Self-training in addition to training with his club has helped Sørensen reach this point in his career and it is a central part of his mindset.
“Self-training is really important to improve your game. I self-train a great deal, and I would truly recommend that everybody else with ambition do the same. It will help you get better with the small details you’re working on, even if you only have a few hours every week after your standard practice to self-train.”
The forward netted more than ten goals for HB Køge’s U17 team in the 2015/16 season, and he owes much of that success to his commitment to self-training.
“I spend a few hours self-training every week. Often I’ll practice shooting towards the goal, so it’s my finishes that I have self-practiced the most. For instance, I have focused on finishes after receiving through passes, shots from the edge of the box, and so on.”
Self-training will boost your self-confidence on the field
Elias emphasizes that an increase in self-confidence has also played a huge part in his recent success. When you decide to self-train, you have nothing to lose, says the Newcastle Dane, who only sees positives in getting started with self-training.
“Generally, I self-train to gain some self-confidence and be more courageous when different situtations emerge in a match. My advice is to just get underway with self-training. There’s no negative consequence to it, and you can only improve as a football player. You should start out with simple exercises. For instance, just shoot the ball towards the goal. A finish doesn’t have to be complicated, but try to do many different exercises, since a lot of different situations can emerge in a game.”
The m-station will get you started
If you’d like to self-train with someone, but no one’s around to help you out, the m-station from Munin Sports is a great companion for practicing in the yard. The Newcastle player adds:
“I have tried the m-station and think the concept makes perfect sense, not only for serious practices, but also for casual playing with the guys. It will undoubtedly improve your first touch if you raise it as far as possible, and you will also be able to practice turns and, of course, finishes.”
How to practice turns with the m-station football rebounder
How to practice first touches with the m-station football rebounder
How to become a better finisher with the m-station football rebounder
