Ages 10–13Outdoor Conditioning
Two sessions for a dry day and a pair of trainers.
20–30 minutesTrainers and two conesTwo sessions a week
Two different days, not one long one. Session A is stop-and-start, which is what a shift actually is. Session B is easy running, which builds the engine underneath it. Warm up and finish the same way on both, leave a couple of days between them, and do neither the day before a game.
Warm up — both days
1
Marching high knees into A-skips2 × 20 yd
- March first: knee to hip height, opposite arm forward, tall through the chest.
- Then add a small skip. Quick off the ground, stay light on the feet.
Common mistake: Leaning back as the knee comes up.
2
Walking knee hug into lunge6 each side
- Hug one knee to your chest and rise onto the other toe.
- Step that leg out into a long lunge and hold for a beat.
- Alternate down the floor, no rush.
Common mistake: Short, quick steps. Make each one long and deliberate.
3
Strides4 × 15 sec
- Build up over about five seconds, hold fast and relaxed, then ease down.
- Not a sprint. Around eight out of ten, with the face and shoulders loose.
- Walk back as your rest so every one is fresh.
Common mistake: Straining. Strides are about running fast smoothly, not about effort.
Session A — stop and startThe hockey-shaped one. 90 sec walking between rounds.
4
Shuttle runs6 × 30 sec
- Two cones, about 10 and 20 yards out. Sprint out, touch down at the cone, sprint back.
- The stops and starts are the point — that is what a shift actually is.
- Drop the hips to stop. Do not stop with a stiff leg out in front.
Common mistake: Rounding the turns to save the legs. Touch down and change direction properly.
Session B — build the engineEasy the whole way.
5
Easy run15 min
- Conversational the whole way — if you can't talk in sentences, slow down.
- This is the base under everything else. It is meant to feel too easy.
- Soft, quiet feet. Land under your hips, not out in front of you.
Common mistake: Running it too hard. An easy run done at medium pace gives you the downside of both.
Finish — both days
6
Walk and loosen off5 min
- Walk until your breathing settles before you stop moving.
- Then the stretches: quads, hip flexors, calves and hamstrings.
Common mistake: Sitting straight down in the car. Walk it out first.
7
Calf stretch on a wall30 sec each
- Hands on the wall, back leg straight, heel down, hips forward.
- Then bend the back knee slightly to reach the lower calf.
Common mistake: Letting the back heel lift off the floor.
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