How much cardio should footballers do?
Emily Sparks
Published Jan 23, 2026
“Start with 3 cardio sessions, maybe 40 minutes long,” says Gabris. “Week by week we reduce the volume, increase the intensity. Until you come to interval kind of training. That may be something like 100m in 20seconds, then 50 seconds rest and repeat.”
How much cardio do footballers do?
Aim for between 6 and 8 hours of sleep every night. Hydration: On average, a footballer will run between 8 and 12km per game.
How often should footballers do cardio?
Soccer player: 2-3 times (20-40 mins per workout) a week alongside your team training and matches. Non-athlete: 3-5 times (30-45 mins per workout) a week.
Do footballers do cardio everyday?
Professional soccer players do not run everyday. They do run during the majority of the week days, but not everyday. Soccer players are usually given rest days where they do not attempt any sort of training including running sessions.
Is cardio good for footballers?
However, football is also a game of endurance. When you see the players tackling each other, it is easy to forget all the running that most likely preceded the hit. Because football players spend most of the game running, cardio is of the utmost importance.
36 related questions foundHow do footballers last 90 minutes?
How to Keep Your Energy Levels High Throughout a 90-Minute Football Match
- Eat a carb-rich meal the evening before a match. ...
- Always eat breakfast on match day. ...
- Prepare some snacks for the match. ...
- Drink water! ...
- Use energy drinks.
How do footballers build stamina?
5 steps to build endurance for football
- Build a base with running.
- Do interval training.
- Use props like speed ladders, cones and boundary poles.
- Do compound exercises with lower weights and higher reps.
- Practice with 5v5 games.
How fast can footballers Run 5k?
The 5,000m world record is 12:37 and belongs to Ethiopian track star Kenenisa Bekele. Chelsea posted a screenshot on Twitter showing the England midfielder ran 5.2km in an incredible 16 minutes 11 seconds... an average pace of just over 3mins per kilometre.
How many km do footballers run a week?
“If you look at the weekly mileage of the average footballer it's about 20-30km,” says Chris Barnes, a football performance consultant who has 20 years of experience working with a host of Premier League clubs. “If that's a game week, you've got 10-12km from the game, plus the four-day training week.
How many km should a footballer run?
Average Distance Covered by a Footballer
Outfield Premier League footballers run an average of 10.14 km per game, although this varies greatly by position. Central midfielders tend to cover the most ground (11.2km), while central defenders cover the least (9.4km).
How many hours does Ronaldo train?
Furthermore, his training routine consists of working out three to four hours a day, five days a week. Additionally, he sleeps close to eight hours a day, with several 90-minute naps throughout the day. Ronaldo has continuously inspired people all around the world since he first started.
Should footballers do 5k runs?
In fact, footballers should not go jogging at all. Long-distance running and footballers jogging can actually be harmful for performance in matches and have a diminishing effect on their match fitness.
Do footballers train everyday?
Although a soccer player's day is broken up into several stages, there are 2 main training sessions per day – morning and afternoon. Including game days, players will normally train 5 to 6 days per week. Teams rarely train heavily on travel days.
How do footballers stay fit?
Lean meats, protein, and plenty of water are key to staying fueled on the field and off. Staying active for as long as soccer players do during matches, they also need to have great balance, speed, endurance and dexterity.
Which exercise is best for football?
These exercises are designed to help you accelerate faster so you can speed past the defence and reach those long crosses for a magnificent finish.
- Single-leg squat. ...
- Dumbbell bench step-ups. ...
- Weighted sled drags. ...
- HIIT on treadmill. ...
- Burpee pull-ups. ...
- Lateral band walks. ...
- Medicine ball push-ups. ...
- Lateral hurdle sprints.
Why are footballers so light?
This flexibility often requires players to be skinny so they get to excel in the game. Soccer players are professional athletes. There is minimal fat on soccer players, so their Body Mass Index is super low. A soccer player can play three games in a week during the peak season.
Is jogging good for soccer?
Running long distance will stimulate the slow twitch muscle fibers, meaning that the body will adapt to the slow tempo being performed during long- distance running and, over time, the fast twitch muscle fibers will "drown," which will make the players slower and weaker.
Does jogging help with football?
Practice Specific Exercises:
Cardiovascular Exercises: Practice cardiovascular exercises or 'aerobics' (swimming, rope jumping, running, stair-stepping, jogging, skipping, cycling, rowing, etc.) at least for 30 to 50 minutes every day. It can boost stamina by increasing your aerobic capacity to a great extent (1).
How fast can Ronaldo run?
Cristiano Ronaldo run with 38.6 Km/h Top Speed and Best Skill.
Is it OK to run 5k every day?
Running a 5K every day can be a great way to improve your cardiovascular health, strengthen and maintain your muscles and keep yourself sane while you're stuck at home, as long as you're not brand-new to running. Plus, when paired with a healthy diet, it may even help you lose weight.
Is 5k in 35 minutes good?
Factors such as age, sex, and fitness level can influence your 5K time. Many runners complete a 5K in 30 to 40 minutes, and many runners are satisfied with their time if it's around this benchmark. The average walker finishes a 5K in 45 to 60 minutes.
How can I improve my cardio for soccer?
How to Develop Speed Endurance- 6 Soccer Stamina Drills
- Shuttle Runs. Shuttle runs are among other popular speed endurance soccer drills that coaches use to train speed, acceleration, and anaerobic fitness. ...
- Stop and Go Soccer Endurance Drills. ...
- Stairs Workout for Stamina and Speed. ...
- Speed Hill Sprints. ...
- Dribble and Run. ...
- Planks.
Is soccer a cardio?
There's a reason why soccer players often grace the cover of fitness magazines. The world's most popular sport is also one of the toughest cardiovascular activities. Soccer players can run up to 12km in a single game, and the movements include a combination of aerobic and anaerobic actions.
Can you build endurance in 2 weeks?
Bottom line: “As long as the exercise you're doing is difficult enough to stress your body and force it to adapt, you can definitely see changes in a week or two,” says Van Pelt. “They may be small changes, but depending on the level you're starting at, I'd say up to a 10-percent increase is possible.”