Do what you've always done, get what you always got!

Albert Einstein believed that the definition of insanity is to continue to do the same thing but expect a different result.

Unless your lucky enough to be on a cup run*, if you're a non-league football player you can safely hang up the boots for the summer months. By now you'll be glad for the rest.

But before you do, take heed of Mr Einstein, he was a clever bloke. If you're planning something big next season, now's the time to plan.

Do a debrief of your season. Do it now, not next week or at the start of preseason. Now. Because you need clarity.

1. What areas of your game did you excel?
2. What areas were not up to the same standard?
3. Are there opportunities available to you to step up to the next level (e.g. get into the first team or move to a bigger club)?
4. Are there other players coming through that might steal your place or have you been relegated (meaning lower stndard next year)?

Over the coming weeks I'll be posting some articles on key areas of your physical preparation where massive improvements can be made in a short space of time. Some of the topics I will address are:

• How to get blistering acceleration
• Get off your toes!!
• How to drop your man and create time on the ball
• Great footwork, not fast feet
• Performance nutrition
• Gym work that will transfer on to the pitch
• The power of the core
• Flexibility - what's useful and what's not
• Injury prevention
• Staying power - who slows down the least wins!

When you do something new, your potential for improvement is massive. We just have to make sure that we have the end goal in mind. There's no point in getting great at something that has no carry over to your sport.

If you have any other topics you would like to see added, then just add it to the comments below.

Yours in speed

Rob

p.s. *that's the last time I use the word lucky. Winning games has nothing to do with luck.