Bayer Leverkusen: Goalkeeper Training with the m-station
Considered one of the very best German teams of the last decade, Bayer Leverkusen has established itself as a top team in one of Europe’s top flights. Averaging an attendance of 29,600 spectators at home in a stadium with a capacity of 30,210, the West German giants provide some very entertaining football.
To many, Leverkusen is best known for conceding one of the most beautiful Zinedine Zidane goals of all time at the 2002 Champions League final. What’s not as well known is that the club has a history of developing some of the best goalkeepers in European football.
Retired goalkeeper Hans-Jörg Butt is perhaps the best-known keeper in the club’s history due to his unique status as a strong penalty-kick taker, but more recent keepers such as Rene Adler and Bernd Leno deserve equal recognition for their pure goalkeeping skills.
M-STATION AT THE BAYER LEVERKUSEN TRAINING GROUNDS
The m-station has become a part of the daily training routine for Bayer Leverkusen players, including the first-team squad.
According to goalkeeping coach David Thiel, the m-station rebounder has no rival in today’s market for rebounders of top quality and flexibility.
– The m-station rebounder is the best rebounder on the market to date. The rebound effect is perfect and the flexibility of this training tool is astonishing.
And the m-station’s value is not just limited to goalkeepers. Due to its adjustable angles and great mobility, the m-station rebounder can be used in countless scenarios, tailored specifically for a particular position or player.
It not only serves as an incredibly effective self-training tool, but it also serves invaluable during group exercises. Thiel makes sure to use the m-station to its full potential:
– I’m using the m-station regularly in my everyday training with individual goalkeepers, and also for group exercises.
Would you like to know how to use the m-station football rebounder at home or in daily training sessions at club level? E-mail us or use the chat button at the bottom-right corner of the page.
Improve your volley finishing with the m-station rebounder
A well-executed volley is one of the most beautiful sights in football. Learn how to approach and hit a volley through these 3 drills to look like the pros. These drills are available on the MuninPlay app, which you can use to track your performance and improve at home in your very own yard.
HOW TO STRIKE THE PERFECT VOLLEY
Hitting a volley is difficult, but if done properly, the goalkeeper stands a very small chance of stopping the ball. Due to the ball’s movement in the air, a volley can be extremely powerful and almost impossible to manage for a keeper.
When hitting the ball, point your toes to the ground. Try to kick the ball during its upward movement and not downwards. Lastly, hit with power!
1. THROUGH-BALL VOLLEY FINISH
Bouncing through-balls can be difficult to handle without the right technique. If you are close to the goal, striking a fast volley is a good option if you want to make a powerful bending shot while wrong-footing the keeper. Start off with your right foot.
Step 1: Throw the ball at the m-station net using an overhead toss
Step 2: Allow the ball to bounce off the net and over your head
Step 3: Make a 180° turn and hit a right-footed volley after the ball bounces off the ground once
Repeat and then practice with the other foot. Use the MuninPlay app to keep track of your progress.
Difficulty: 2 out of 3
2. HALF-VOLLEY FINISH
Striking a traditional volley is something that happens on rare occasion only. However, you are likely to encounter a half-volley opportunity at some point during a game or training session. To practice your half-volley finishing, start this drill with your right foot.
Step 1: Throw the ball at the rebounder using an overhead toss, and move your feet to prepare to receive the ball
Step 2: Allow the ball to bounce off the ground once
Step 3: Strike the ball before it bounces a second time
Repeat the drill and practice with the other foot. (You cannot choose where the ball is going to bounce in a real game, so you must be prepared to strike with either foot.)
Difficulty: 2 out of 3
3. VOLLEY FINISH
Although it is rare, the ball sometimes comes directly at you mid-air, and you must be prepared execute a traditional volley. The clean strike of a volley is an amazing feeling, but it is hard to execute properly. Throw the ball at the rebounder (preferably set at an angle 100 – 150°) and prepare to strike the ball.
Step 1: Throw the ball at the rebounder using an overhead toss, and move your feet to prepare to receive the ball
Step 2: Allow the ball to bounce off the net and strike it towards your target before the ball ever touches the ground
Practice with the rebounder set at different angles, and practice with both feet.
Difficulty: 2 out of 3
If you are looking to practice your finishing even further, visit our YouTube channel to find more drills.
SL Benfica: m-station at one of Portugal’s leading youth academies
After Portugal won EURO 2016, the football world’s focus has been directed at the Portuguese part of the Iberian Peninsula. SL Benfica has been the center of attention, having developed the best young player of the tournament, Renato Sanches, who currently plays for Bayern Munich.
Other international stars who developed at Benfica and deserve honorable mentions include Ángel di María (PSG), Bernardo Silva (Monaco), Andre Gomes (Barcelona), Goncalo Guedes (PSG), and former Fiorentina and AC Milan star Rui Costa.
SL Benfica holds the record for most domestic league titles, and this year the club is looking to bring home the Primeira trophy for the fourth consecutive time and raise their tally to an impressive 36 titles.
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG PROSPECTS TO DEVELOP THEIR INDIVIDUAL SKILLS
Joâo Santos, head of SL Benfica‘s youth academy, has incorporated the m-station rebounder into daily training sessions. Joâo has no doubt that the m-station plays a crucial role in the development of players at the academy.
“The m-station provides an opportunity for young prospects to develop their individual skills. It’s a versatile tool allowing players to develop individually and as a team, regardless of age or position on the field. From goalkeeper to striker; anything, really.”
The academy at Benfica utilizes the Talent Club and Pro (Academy) editions of the m-station, both of which offer adjustable angles, a large net surface, and much more, ultimately providing a unique training experience suited for player development.
“The m-station returns the ball with different pace from different angles, depending on the pass from the player, which strengthens the development of the player’s individual skills.”
In the upcoming years, watch out for José Gomes, Luka Jovic, André Horta, Andrija Zivkovic, Ze Gomes, and Pedro Pereira—all promising prospects currently unfolding at the SL Benfica training grounds, improving every day with the m-station.
GQ Magazine: “The best pass-returning training device – just ask Real Madrid…”
International magazine GQ has compiled a list of the best football-training equipment for 2017—a list that features our very own m-station football rebounder.
Also featuring equipment such as boots, shin guards, goalkeeper gloves, footballs, and more, GQ identifies the Munin Sports rebounder as the best the market has to offer:
The best pass-returning training device – just ask Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, etc.
The GQ article sums up the must-buy football training equipment for 2017, introducing the reader to a series of new gear and gadgets to improve your performance on the pitch.
ABOUT THE M-STATION TALENT CLUB REBOUNDER
The Talent Club edition of the m-station is a modified and improved version of the Talent Original rebounder, which is designed for backyard use. The Talent Club is specifically designed for daily training at football clubs and academies.
In comparison to the average rebounder, both editions provide a larger net surface, and they both offer the best rebound effect in the market, more angles, and an aluminum construction for greater durability in all types of weather conditions.
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.”
And the m-station’s value is not just limited to goalkeepers. Due to its adjustable angles and great mobility, the m-station rebounder can be used in countless scenarios, tailored specifically for a particular position or player. 
