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Today's football places a number of physical demands on the players. Players require a basic level of fitness composed of endurance, speed, agility, flexibility and strength. The player must build on this basic level to develop a fitness level specific to football. 1. Endurance
This fitness component is commonly referred to as stamina and in football it is the ability to run or keep on the move for the duration of the game. 2. Speed
Speed has long been identified as a major fitness requirement in football. This characteristic is important for gaining and retaining possession, through leading, running at a loose ball or breaking clear of an opponent. 3. Agility
Agility is closely related to speed and refers to the ability to change direction quickly. Players need to be able to twist and turn, get up from the ground and accelerate away from an opponent. 4. Flexibility
This component refers to the range of movement at various joints within the body. Improved flexibility will assist speed and agility and prevent injury to muscles, tendons and ligaments. 5. Strength
Strength is the capacity to exert force maximally. It is demonstrated in football when a player breaks a tackle, jumps for a mark or crashes through a pack. To with stand the physical demands of football, all components of fitness must be developed into the footballer's fitness program. The following section outlines the development of these components of fitness in more detail.
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