Header Training Made Simple

Training at practice for headers needs to be made simple…

In this quick article we will breakdown the training program to develop the simple movement patterns, the strength and power to get off the ground, and the coordination and awareness to be more successful once you get into the air.

Background:
To improve you skill during headers you have to have a solid foundation in several areas:

• Spatial, Temporal and Kinesthetic Awareness
• Balanced Coordination
• Rhythmic Coordination

Players are limited by their deficiencies in a specific area.  It might not be that the player needs more reps at a particular task, but more specifically more reps at a particular aspect of that task.  For instance do they have trouble tracking the ball (temporal), or do they lack the rhythm (coordination) to get off the ground in stride.  Is it a strength and power deficiency or is it the inability to control his or her body in the air (kinesthetic or spatial awareness). Your assessment of each of these tasks is crucial in developing the right program for your players.

This program will cover all areas, some of which will be easy for your players, and some of which will be more difficult.  We will start from the beginning and work our way up to more advanced drills.  This is not only a good way to assess what the deficiencies are, but also a good workout progression, letting one drill lead into the next.

The Program:
After warming up with some flexibility and mobility exercises followed by some drills to increase the heart rate and core temperature, you would go into some low level plyometric work.  This would consist of some rapid and short response jumps, skips, and sprints.  This warm up will get the body ready to respond and react to the next few drills.  The athletes should be ready to go (mentally and physically).

Skipping:
Start by having the player’s line up and skip for 20 yards.  The first set will be skipping for rhythm, keeping the motion fluid and athletic (gliding).  The next set will be skipping for power (a little distance and a little height).  The third will be more of an athletic skip where they take a step or two diagonally (forward and to the right), and then jump off their left leg trying to reach maximal height, while not drifting to far away from where they took off.  Upon landing they will take a step or two diagonally (forward and to the left), and then jump off their right leg (and so on for 20 yards). To progress this we will put the players in a line, with each standing about 3-4 yards apart.  Have the player at the end of the line weave in and out of the line, timing their footwork so that they jump off the inside leg (leg closest to the player in line) at each player. Once the first player is by the next person in line, that player starts, and so on.

• Skips for Rhythm
• Skips for Power
• Header-like Skips
• Skips Down the Line

Lob Headers:
Have the players stand about 5 yards apart facing each other while player 1 (with the ball) lobs the ball to player 2.  Player 2 will start off with active feet (light chopping with a stance slightly wider than shoulder width, like a tennis player awaiting serve), then when the ball comes use a quick snap-like action of the torso to punch the ball back to player 1.

Next have the player’s partner up and have 1 ball between them.  Have them stand about 5 yards apart with the player 1 (with the ball) facing straight ahead (lets say north) and player 2 turned 90 degrees to the right (lets say facing west). Then have player 1 lob the ball about 10 feet in the air just in front of player 2, so that player 2 has to take a step or two then jump off the left leg, pivot in the air and head the ball back to player 1. As soon as player one has the ball, player 2 turns around (now facing east) and player 1 lobs the ball 10 feet in the air just in front of player 2, player 2 takes a step or two jumps off the right leg and pivots in the air heading the bal back to player 1.  Repeat for several sets of 10 or so reps.

Once they have this down spread the drill out to 10 yards and have them throw the ball a little higher and a little more out in front of player 2 forcing them to track the ball, anticipate the trajectory, time the jump and use the appropriate footwork to accelerate into the jump. This will get them to wait, time and attack the ball instead of rushing and trying to adjust to the ball on the fly.

If they are doing this well, you can progress to lining the players up on the side line with a group of players with balls lined up about 20 yards apart across the field.  Have the players with the balls lob them up and have the first player in line run and head the ball back off the run. This will get them covering more ground, tracking and adjusting on the fly and trying to improve rhythm and accuracy.

• Short lobs

• 1-2 step lateral controlled lobs
• 2-4 step higher lateral lobs
• Running across the field lobs

Headers vs. Another Player:
Now go back to the lob header drills and put another player in the drill.  Player 3 will be standing in the middle and player 2 will have to go up over player 3 to get the ball. At this point they will have to see the path of the ball, track the trajectory, anticipate the contact point, and then feel the other player and time the path that they take to the ball around the other player.  This is a good fun drill that will enhance their ability from multiple levels.

Remember that this is just the basics for those that lack the tracking ability or basic rhythm to do what need to be done to successfully control the ball.  We will have another article at a later date that focuses around the improving strength and power to elevate above your opponents.