We see more & more players getting injured nowadays, it's becoming a huge part of the modern game.

And that's only the players we see on the big screens, the famous, elite players.

What about the players who aren't on the TV?

The amateur players, who don't have professional support from their club.

It's unfair, and changes must be made.

So, could you imagine a world where you don't get injured?

That's exactly what I'm going to discuss today.

*This email is for educational purposes, please seek professional healthcare advice for tailored football recovery regimes*

In this email, I'm going to be covering 9 topics for injury prevention.

So take notes.

Part 1 - Preparation

Okay you got me, I just mean warm up.

A warm up plays an absolutely crucial part of your training session, and overlooking the warm up leads to so many injuries.

Here's what your warm up for football sessions could look like:

0.1) For extra bonus points, have a 5-10 minute grounded walk on the pitch.

1) On ball warm up - think light dribbling, keepy-ups, etc. No intensity at all, no sprinting; no sudden change of pace or direction; no powerful kicking.

Do not be that guy who smashes a free-kick from 30 yards without warming up...

2) Off ball warm up - start with slow & light dynamic stretches.

Once you've gone through the dynamic stretches you'd like, perform some LIGHT static stretches.

Then return back to the dynamic stretches, ever so slowly increasing the intensity and pace at which you perform these stretches.

Start to implement direction & speed change, but still not 100% intensity.

You can also add some activation exercises, resistance bands are crucial for this.

3) Do a couple high intensity, short sprints with direction change just to make sure your body is 100% ready for the training session

Now, you can consider your warm up complete.

Within PPP 2.0, we create all of our players a video tutorial that they can follow so they don't need to worry about if they're doing any of the movements right or wrong.

Part 2 - Technique

The next topic will be strength training & the gym. But before we discuss that, we must discuss technique for both football training & the gym.

As one wrong step, jump, or lift can end in serious injury.

And this can be everything from running in a straight line, to performing a squat.

Football is filled with short, sharp unpredictable movements. Which is why it's so important you build & prepare your body for as many as these unpredictable movements as possible.

Whenever you're trying a new exercise, movement, or training drill.

It's important you research the proper form and technique so you don't risk getting injured.

You could also seek the advice of someone who is an expert in that field.

Whether that's your doctor, a physiotherapist, personal training, football coach, or anyone else who could help.

For example, for the players working with us - we share a video tutorial link to exercises to make sure they implement the right form.

Part 3 - Strength Training

There's way too much to discuss with this, but I'm going to break it down as well as I can.

The compound movements are a great place to start with.

Squats, push-ups, pull-ups, plank, sit-ups, lunges, etc.

If you're just starting out now with working out as a footballer, I'd suggest you start with these.

Bonus tip, do these exercises outside grounded - even on a pitch. Be outside, be under the sun, enjoy the fresh air. It'll do your body a world of good.

Many say your core is like a main hub of your body. And your athleticism highly depends on the health & strength of your core.

No, abs are not made in the kitchen.

They're made more visible in the kitchen if you're in a consistent calorie deficit.

But forget about the goal of building a 6-pack just for looks.

Aim to strengthen your core up.

Back to my previous point, of the unpredictable movements within football.

Plyometrics are a great way to prepare your body for this.

Movements like jumping skaters, jumping squats, box jumps, and other similar exercises are a great place to start with.

All of this is great, but you cannot forget the smaller muscle groups that won't be used during these exercises.

The smaller muscle groups that are prone to injury, and often ignored.

But I'll talk about that later.

Part 4 - Flexibility and Mobility Work

Do you want your body to simply work & feel better?

To wake up without any soreness, stiffness or pain in your lower back.

That's where flexibility & mobility work comes into play.

This should be done every single day, without question.

And no, mobility isn't just holding stretches in one position for 10 seconds.

Mobility exercises are one of the best forms of strength training.

For example, I wake up, go for a hot shower to my muscles aren't cold, and practise some mobility for 2-3 minutes.

Nothing crazy, just some light stretching to open up my hips & back for the day.

And it makes me feel 100x better for the whole day ahead.

If you can't fit in this to your schedule, then that's just an issue with excuses.

If you're just starting out, follow along yoga sessions on YouTube are great.

And if you think yoga is a bit zesty.... 🤣

Look a Ryan Giggs,

How long did he play for?

What did he do every single day without failure?

Yoga.

All of the players in our Professional Player Program use our footballer-based follow-along yoga video to make sure they're on top of their mobility.

Part 5 - Injury Awareness

You owe it to yourself to educate yourself more on football injuries. If you don't know the most about your own body, you're doomed.

You should constantly be studying and educating yourself on your body, the way it works, why injuries occur, and what is needed in order to prevent them.

Now because you're reading this, you've already stated this journey - so congrats.

Staying healthy isn't just luck, yes luck plays a big part but another big part is skill.

Yep, you heard that right. Staying healthy is a skill.

Listen to your body, it sends you signals or a reason. Try to listen out for early signs of injury. This could be anything from slight tightness in a muscle or area of body, to actual pain.

Listen to these signals and act accordingly.

One thing you owe your coach is to tell them if you're feeling any sort of way when it comes to your health.

If and when you do get injured, don't let your pride get in the way of seeking professional help.

Be proactive, no reactive and seek the help you need to return to the pitch as soon as possible.

Part 6 - Rest & Recovery

I've said it 1000s of times already, I'll say it another 1000 times.

Sleep is the single BEST tool for footballers.

If you don't prioritise sleep, you suck.

You think the world's best elite sleep a stupid amount for no reason?

LeBron, 10+ hours per day

CR7, 10+ hours per day

Federer, 10+ hours per day

And yet here you are, sleeping 7-8 hours a day.

If you want to be a pro, why aren't you acting like a pro?

If you take anything from this entire newsletter, take this.

Just sleep bro 🤣

As a footballer, you'll often have multiple sessions per day.

Whether that's two trainings, or 1 training & a gym session.

You must leave enough time between these sessions to rest and refuel yourself to prepare the body for another round of training.

And again, listen to your body.

Would you rather skip 1 session & stay healthy, or get injured and be out for potentially a lot longer?

Your recovery day should consist of you doing nothing all day.

Active recovery like swimming, cycling or a long walk are amazing ways to increase recovery.

Part 7 - Hydration and Nutrition

Start. Eating. Real. Foods.

So much of our food today is processed.

Your goal should be using as least ingredients as possible.

Eat real foods like meat, fruits, and vegetables.

If it didn't come from an animal, or the ground - just think about what it is you're actually putting into your body.

Where did it come from?

How did it become this?

And is it the best for you?

Have a balance between good proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

My personal favourite sources of protein would be beef and eggs.

Get fats from dates, avocado, fish, nuts, etc.

And you can get carbs from potatoes, and a whole bunch of fruits.

Hydration is just as crucial as nutrition.

You already know you need to drink a lot of water, but have some electrolytes after matches too in order to replace those body fluids you just sweated out during the match.

We make sure all of our players are eating the right foods, the right amounts, and at the right times.

Come work with us & we'll create your custom player regime.

Part 8 - Injury Screening and Assessment

You should constantly assess your current situation regarding your body & it's health. You can search up injury screening test examples and try some out.

If and when you feel any form of pain or discomfort, it will give you a clearer idea of what you need to do in order to get over this hurdle.

And make your body function as it should.

Again, seeking professional advice from a physiotherapist will help you so much.

Address any issues through strength training & mobility to make sure you strength balance is in place.

Or to make sure any pain is handled appropriately.

If your groin is hurting, why is that?

What could have caused that, and what can you do to get over that pain?

Well that's not for me to answer right now.

It's up to you to do the required research and help seeking from doctors or other health professionals.

Part 9 - Mindset

You MUST hold yourself accountable.

You must be the one who knows why you're feeling certain things, you must be the one who takes action and makes the required changes.

You have to be proactive when it comes to injuries and don't wait for an injury to make a change that you know deep down is needed now.

Take ownership of your own injury prevention and well-being.

Listen to your body at all times and take action when required.

Adapt training & workout intensity according to how you're feeling to minimise the risk of unnecessary injury.

Seek help from doctors, coaches, health professionals and anyone else who can help when you need it.



And that, is your entire injury prevention regime.

You're welcome .

If you want to work with us personally so you can stay healthy, then check out our Professional Player Program 2.0.

And if you wanted to start prioritising your development as a footballer and secure a professional football trial, then you can do that here too.

See you soon,


💡 Nathan & Josh