The No-Equipment Foundation Program
Two sessions a week. Thirty minutes each. No gym, no weights, no excuses — just the strength and control that fast, durable players are built on.
Soccer players aged roughly 10 to 18 who want to be faster, more robust and harder to knock over — and who don't have a gym, a rack or a set of dumbbells.
Everything in here uses your own bodyweight. The only thing you need is a towel and something solid to loop it around.
Parents: this is written so your athlete can follow it on their own, but every exercise has an easier version. If something looks too hard, it almost certainly is — use the easier version. Nobody has ever been set back by starting too gently.
This is a foundation program. Two sessions a week, about 30 minutes each. It builds the strength and control that everything else in your athletic development sits on top of.
It is not a substitute for a full strength program, and we're not going to pretend it is. What it will do is get an untrained young player to the point where they can handle real training without breaking — which is where most players get stuck.
If you do these two sessions a week for eight weeks and do them properly, you will move better than you do now. That's the honest promise. Anyone selling you more than that from a free PDF is selling you something.
Hamstring strains and groin problems are the two most common injuries in football, and the great majority happen with nobody else involved — sprinting, cutting, stretching for a ball.
So this program is built around the things those injuries actually respond to: eccentric hamstring strength, adductor strength, single-leg control, and ankle stiffness. Every session has all four.
Being straight with you. There's good research showing that eccentric hamstring programs and adductor programs meaningfully cut injury rates in footballers. Those studies used bigger doses at fuller range than what's prescribed here. This program is the stage before that — the base that lets you tolerate those doses later. Starting a novice on the full versions is how people end up sore, discouraged and quitting in week two.
Session A and Session B, once each per week. Leave at least one day between them.
If you train or play with your team, do these on lighter days — not the day before a game, and not the day after a heavy session or a match. If the week gets away from you and you only manage one, do one. Consistency beats perfection by a distance.
About 30–40 minutes including rest. Rest between sets until your breathing is back to normal — usually 60–90 seconds. There's no prize for rushing.
Sets and reps. "3 x 8" means do 8 repetitions, rest, and repeat until you've done it three times.
Each side. "8 each side" means 8 on the left leg and 8 on the right leg.
Tempo. The speed of the movement. It matters as much as the number of reps.
Count the three seconds out loud at first. Almost everyone goes too fast — the slow lowering is where most of the benefit lives.
Session A is slow. Control, balance, and moving through a full range. This is where strength gets built.
Session B is fast. The same movements, driven quickly, plus a springy element. This is where that strength gets turned into speed.
Strength without speed is slow. Speed without strength is fragile. Do both.
You don't need any. But if you've got dumbbells, bands or a pull-up bar at home, most exercises list an alternative under Got gear at home?
Only swap in a loaded version once you can do the bodyweight version cleanly for all the prescribed reps. Load a movement you can't control and you just get better at doing it badly.
Not compulsory, but worth doing — especially before Session B, which has fast and springy movements in it.
Muscle soreness a day or two after training is normal, especially in the first few weeks. It fades.
Sharp pain, joint pain, or pain that makes you limp or change how you move is not normal. Stop that exercise. If it doesn't settle within a few days, see a physio — don't train through it and hope.
Slow, controlled, full range of movement.
Tempo for every strength exercise — 3 seconds down, 1 second pause, 1 second up.
This is the session where strength gets built.
| # | Exercise | Sets & Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Push-up | 3 x 8–10 |
| 2 | Towel Row (one arm) | 3 x 8–10 each side |
| 3 | Split Squat, Back Foot Raised | 3 x 8 each side |
| 4 | One-Leg Reach | 3 x 8 each side |
| 5 | Side Lunge | 2 x 8 each side |
| 6 | Kneeling Hamstring Lower | 2 x 5–6 |
| 7 | Side Plank with Top Leg Lift | 2 x 10 each side |
| 8 | Plank Shoulder Taps | 2 x 10 each side |
| 9 | Wall Ankle Hold | 2 x 35–40 sec each side |
Shielding the ball, holding off an opponent, and getting off the floor fast. It also builds the trunk stiffness that stops you folding in a challenge.
Bottom position. Head, hips and heels stay in one line.
Chest, shoulders, arms, and the ability to hold your whole body rigid while your arms work.
The body moves as one piece. Head, hips and heels stay in a line the whole way down and the whole way up.
Put your hands on a bench, a step, a couch or the kitchen bench, and do the push-up on the slope. Your feet stay on the floor and your body stays in one straight line — only the angle changes. The higher your hands, the easier it is. Move to a lower surface as you get stronger. This is a better option than push-ups on your knees, because your body still has to hold itself straight.
Put your feet up on a step or a low chair so your hands are lower than your feet. Or slow the lowering down to 5 seconds instead of 3.
Balances out all the pushing. A strong upper back holds your posture together when you're sprinting tired in the 80th minute, and it matters in shoulder-to-shoulder duels.
Pulled-in position. Elbow driven back past the ribs, shoulder blade squeezed.
Upper back, shoulder blades and arms. This balances out all the pushing your athlete does.
Loop the towel around a solid anchor at about waist to chest height — a verandah post, a stair railing, a fence post, or a door handle.
If you're using a door: use a closed door, loop the towel around the handle on the hinge side so the door can't swing open towards you, and have an adult check the handle is firmly fixed before the first set. If the handle is loose or the door is hollow, use a railing or post instead. Never use a door that opens onto a driveway, a road, or a fire exit.
The body stays straight and still and the shoulder does the work. You should feel it between your shoulder blades, not just in your arm.
Stand more upright. Walk your feet backwards so you're leaning back less — the closer you are to standing straight up, the easier it gets.
Walk your feet further forward so you're leaning back further. Eventually your body can be almost horizontal.
If you have a pull-up bar you can swap this for pull-ups. 3 sets of as many good reps as you can, taking 3 seconds to lower down each time. Can't do a full one yet? Jump up to the top and lower yourself slowly over 3–5 seconds, or loop a resistance band under your feet or knees for assistance. Both work well.
Soccer is played on one leg. Every stride, every strike of the ball, every landing from a header. This is the single best no-equipment exercise for building that.
Bottom position. Chest tall, front shin fairly upright, back knee close to the floor.
One leg at a time — thighs, glutes, and balance. This is one of the most valuable exercises in the whole program.
You go down and up, not forwards and backwards. The chest stays tall. The front knee points the same direction as the front toes.
Take the back foot off the step entirely and stand in a normal split stance with both feet on the floor, one in front of the other, and lower straight down from there. When that feels comfortable, put the back foot on something very low like a couple of books, then a low step. Hold a wall or a chair with one hand for balance for as long as you need to — there's no rush to let go.
Raise the back foot higher (a low chair rather than a step). Or hold a heavy household item — a backpack loaded with books works well — against your chest.
Hamstrings. Hamstring strains are the most common injury in football, and almost all of them happen while sprinting — not in a tackle.
Bottom position. Flat back, soft knee, back leg lifted in line with the body.
Hamstrings, glutes and single-leg balance. Strong hamstrings protect athletes when they sprint.
A flat back the whole way. The hips stay level — the back hip doesn't roll open towards the ceiling. You'll feel a stretch down the back of the standing leg.
Instead of lifting the back leg all the way up, keep your back toes lightly touching the floor behind you and use them for balance — like a kickstand. Rest one hand on a wall or a chair. Don't reach as far down. Build the range up slowly as your balance improves.
Take away the hand support entirely, and close your eyes for the last set. Or hold a weighted backpack in the opposite hand to the standing leg.
Cutting, side-stepping and pushing off. It also loads the groin and inner thigh, the second most commonly injured area in the sport.
Bottom position. Both feet flat and pointing forward, weight sitting back into the hips.
Moving sideways — which is most of what sport asks for. Works the inside of the thighs, the glutes and the hips.
Weight goes back into the hips, not forward over the toes. Both feet stay flat and pointing forward. The chest stays proud.
Take a much smaller step out to the side and only go down a little way — even a quarter of the depth in the photo is a useful starting point. Hold a chair or a wall for balance. If that's still awkward, plant both feet wide and simply shift your weight from one side to the other without stepping at all.
Go deeper. Or hold a weighted backpack against your chest.
The hamstring in the exact position it gets injured in — long and under load at the end of a sprint stride.
Ankles anchored, leaning forward. Aim to keep hips, knees and shoulders in one straight line — don't let the hips fold.
The hamstrings, in the position where they're most likely to get injured during sprinting. Very effective — and one that must be built up gradually.
Read this before you start. This exercise is deliberately written in its easier form here. That easier form is the exercise for most athletes in this program — it is not a lesser version. Only move on when you can hold the straight line comfortably at that range for three weeks running.
The body stays in one straight line, like a falling plank. The movement is slow. You control how far you go rather than dropping.
Do exactly the same movement but travel a very short way forward — even 10 to 15 centimetres of controlled lean is worthwhile, as long as the hips stay straight. You can also set a chair in front of you and rest your hands on it, taking some of your weight through your arms as you lean.
Gradually increase how far you lower, one small step at a time over weeks. The full version is lowering all the way to the floor under control. That takes months to build, and there is no rush.
Hip stability. Every time you plant a foot to cut, the muscles down the side of that hip stop your knee collapsing inwards.
Start (hips lifted, legs stacked) and finish (top leg raised). The hips stay high throughout.
The side of the hip and the glutes, plus the muscles down the side of the trunk. Important for staying stable on one leg when running and changing direction.
Hips stay high and stacked one on top of the other. The top leg lifts straight up, not drifting forward in front of the body.
Bend both knees to 90 degrees and take your weight through your bottom knee and your elbow instead of through your feet. Your body makes a straight line from your head to your knees rather than to your feet, which is much less to hold up. From there, lift the top knee towards the ceiling like a clam shell opening, keeping the feet touching.
Add a 2-second pause at the top of each leg lift. Or lift the bottom arm off the floor and reach it towards the ceiling.
Holding your shape when someone leans on you, and keeping your hips square when your arms and legs are doing different things at a sprint.
One hand tapping the opposite shoulder. The hips must not rock as the hand lifts.
Teaching the trunk to resist twisting. Every time you lift a hand, your body wants to rotate — your job is to stop it. This is exactly what the trunk does when sprinting, changing direction, or holding off an opponent.
The hips do not move. If someone put a cup of water on your lower back, it shouldn't spill. The hips stay square to the floor the entire set.
Start on your hands and knees — hands under shoulders, knees under hips, back flat like a tabletop. Slowly reach one arm straight forward and the opposite leg straight back at the same time, until both are level with your body. Hold for 2 seconds, return under control, then swap to the other arm and leg. 2 sets of 8 each side. Keep the hips square and completely still — imagine balancing a glass of water on your lower back.
Do the shoulder taps exactly as described, but with your hands on a bench, a step or a couch instead of the floor. The higher your hands, the easier it is to keep the hips still. Keep the feet wide.
The main exercise, as described above. Feet wide, hips square.
Bring the feet closer together, eventually to hip width. Much harder to stop the twist.
Feet up on a step or a low chair, hands on the floor.
From the push-up position, rotate your whole body up into a side plank with the top arm reaching for the ceiling, hold 2 seconds, and rotate back down. Alternate sides. Only attempt this when the hips stay completely still on Level 4.
Ankles and Achilles. Stiff ankles cost you acceleration, and a weak Achilles is a season-ender that builds up quietly over years.
Back leg is the working leg. Heel flat, knee bent, shin driving forward over the foot.
Loading the lower calf and Achilles tendon in a deep, stretched position. Stiff ankles and weak Achilles tendons show up everywhere — in squat depth, in landing, in sprinting.
The back heel stays flat. The back knee is bent, not locked straight. You should feel it low down in the calf and through the Achilles tendon, just above the heel.
Shorten the stance so your back foot is closer to the wall, and lean in less. Hold for 20 seconds instead of 40 and build up over a few weeks.
Lengthen the stance and lean further into the wall. Or put the ball of the back foot on a book so the calf and Achilles are loaded through more range.
This free program is the foundation. A full APX assessment goes much further — breaking down acceleration, max velocity and change of direction frame by frame, then building a plan around what's actually holding your athlete back. Below is a real assessment report with the athlete's name, club and photos redacted for privacy.
The same movements, driven fast, plus a springy element.
Lower under control, then drive up quickly. The load doesn't change — the intent does.
Technique first. Fast and sloppy is worse than moderate and clean.
| # | Exercise | Sets & Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Push-up (fast up) | 3 x 6–8 |
| 2 | Towel Row (fast pull) | 3 x 8–10 each side |
| 3 | Split Squat, Back Foot Raised (fast up) | 3 x 6–8 each side |
| 4 | One-Leg Reach (fast up) | 3 x 6–8 each side |
| 5 | Side Lunge (fast push back) | 2 x 6–8 each side |
| 6 | Side Plank with Leg on a Chair | 2 x 15–20 sec each side |
| 7 | Pogo Hops | 2 x 15–20 reps |
| 8 | Plank Shoulder Taps | 2 x 8 each side |
| 9 | Wall Ankle Hold | 2 x 35–40 sec each side |
Same technique as Session A. Same straight line from head to heels.
Same bottom position as Session A. What changes is the speed on the way up.
Fewer reps on purpose. Once the speed drops off, the set is done. Stop at 6 if rep 7 would be slow.
Hands elevated on a bench or step, still pushing up fast.
Aim for your hands to actually leave the floor at the top. Land softly with bent elbows.
Same setup as Session A — towel around a solid anchor, body leaning back in a straight line. The pull is quick. The return is not.
Same setup and the same safety rules as Session A.
Stand more upright so you're leaning back less.
Walk your feet further forward so you're leaning back further.
Same set-up as Session A. Back foot on a low step, front shin fairly upright, chest tall.
Same bottom position. Drive up fast from here.
Technique still comes first. If the front knee starts caving in when you speed up, slow it back down.
Both feet on the floor in a split stance, no elevation. Hand on a wall for balance.
Raise the back foot higher, or hold a loaded backpack against your chest.
Same technique as Session A. Flat back, soft knee, hips level.
Same bottom position. Snap the hips forward from here.
Back toes lightly touching the floor for balance, hand on a wall, smaller range.
No hand support, full range, or a loaded backpack in the opposite hand.
Same technique as Session A. Both feet flat and forward, weight back in the hips. Think of it like pushing off to change direction in a game.
Same bottom position. Push back hard from here.
Smaller step out, less depth, hand on a wall.
Go deeper before pushing back, or hold a loaded backpack.
The groin. Adductor problems are second only to hamstrings in football, and they are notoriously stubborn once they take hold.
This photo shows the FULL version, with the ankle on the bench. That's what you're working towards — not where you start. Start with your knee on the chair, as described below.
The groin and inner thigh muscles. These are among the most commonly injured areas in field and court sports, and they're hard to train without equipment. This exercise is one of the best options there is.
Read this before you start. As with the Kneeling Hamstring Lower, the version described here is deliberately the easier one, and it is the version this program is asking for. The full version in the photo is genuinely demanding and takes months to earn.
Hips high and stacked. Body in a straight line. Shoulders square — not rolled backwards.
Rest the top knee on the chair but leave the bottom hip on the floor. Simply press down through the top knee without lifting the body at all, and hold that press for 10 seconds. This trains the same muscles with none of the bodyweight.
Rest your top ankle or foot on the chair instead of the knee, so the leg is straight and the lever is much longer — this is the position in the photo. Only move to it when 20 seconds with the knee version feels comfortable and the hips stay high the whole time.
Pure acceleration. The faster your ankle can absorb and return force, the quicker you are over the first five metres.
Both feet together, legs almost straight, tall through the trunk.
Spring. This trains the ankles and calves to act like stiff springs, which is what makes an athlete quick off the ground.
Quiet, fast, bouncy — like a skipping rope rhythm. The heels may lightly kiss the floor but the weight stays on the balls of the feet.
Why the numbers are kept low. Jumping and landing loads the growing body. We keep this to about 30–40 total contacts because more isn't better here, and it sits alongside training and games. Please don't add extra sets.
Do 10 reps instead of 20, and bounce lower and slower until you find the rhythm. Hold a wall or a chair with one hand if balance is an issue.
Bounce higher while keeping the ground contact just as quick. Or progress to hopping on one leg — and only once the two-footed version feels light and quiet — start with 5–8 reps per leg.
Same exercise, same technique as Session A. This one does not get faster — the whole point is stopping movement, so speeding it up defeats the purpose. Fewer reps here simply because it comes later in a session that already includes hopping.
Hips square, feet wide. This one does not get faster.
The test: the hips must not rock. If they do, drop to an easier level.
Bird Dog on hands and knees (2 x 8 each side), or shoulder taps with your hands on a bench or step. Full instructions and all six levels are in Session A, exercise 8.
Bring the feet closer together, elevate the feet, or progress to plank-to-side-plank rotations.
Exactly as in Session A. Hands on the wall, one foot stepped back, back heel flat, back knee bent and driving forward over the foot.
Back leg working. Heel flat, knee bent, shin driving forward.
Shorter stance, lean in less, 20-second holds.
Longer stance, lean in further, or ball of the back foot on a book.
This program is deliberately general. It's built to be safe and useful for almost any young player, which means it can't be built for you.
Two players doing the same session can have completely different problems. One collapses through the left hip every time they cut. One can't get their ankle past 15 degrees, so they'll never squat deep no matter how strong they get. One has a hamstring that's fine at walking pace and gives up the second they hit top speed. A generic PDF can't see any of that.
A full biomechanical assessment can.
Full biomechanical assessment, report and plan.
And if you never book anything? Genuinely, that's fine. Do the two sessions, do them well for eight weeks, and you'll be better off than when you found us. That's the whole point of giving it away.