TRAIN UPPER BODY LIKE THE PROS TO BE FASTER, STRONGER, AND MORE AGILE ON THE PITCH

Summary

In this video, Matt Stigler, a seasoned football coach, reveals how upper body training can dramatically enhance on-pitch performance. He explains common mistakes footballers make—ignoring upper body work, training like bodybuilders, or failing to connect movements functionally—and introduces a smarter approach. By incorporating alternating reaching and pulling exercises, rotational movements, and impulse training, players can improve sprinting, agility, and overall athleticism. Matt provides practical exercises like barbell push presses, medball scoop tosses, and slams, emphasizing speed, coordination, and full-body integration. This guide shows footballers how to train their upper body like pros and translate gym work directly to football performance.

Takeaways

• ⚽ Upper body training is crucial for footballers and can directly improve performance on the pitch.
• 💪 Many footballers either ignore upper body training, train like bodybuilders, or understand the importance of functional movements.
• 🔄 Alternating reaching and pulling exercises helps the rib cage and upper body move naturally during football actions.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Include 1–2 heavy compound lifts like bench press or pull-ups, but avoid over-relying on them.
• 🌀 Rotational and sport-specific movements enhance agility, change of direction, and sprinting performance.
• ⚡ Impulse training teaches the body to generate force quickly from zero tension, simulating real game scenarios.
• 🌐 Effective upper body training connects lower body, core, and upper body for efficient force transfer.
• 🥇 Recommended exercises include barbell push press, medball scoop tosses, and medball slams.
• ⏱️ Focus on speed and explosiveness in training, not just lifting heavy weights.
• 📈 Integrating functional upper body exercises improves balance, reaction time, and overall football athleticism.

Q & A

Who is presenting the video and what is his expertise?

The video is presented by Matt Stigler, a football coach with over 10 years of experience coaching players from youth to professional levels. He has helped hundreds of footballers improve their performance.

Why do many footballers ignore upper body training?

Many footballers ignore upper body training because they believe football is primarily played with the feet and think upper body strength is unnecessary, or they lack knowledge of functional, sport-specific training methods.

What are the three common approaches footballers take to upper body training?

The three approaches are: 1) completely disregarding it, 2) training like a bodybuilder using standard lifts, and 3) understanding the body’s interconnectedness and training upper body to improve overall athleticism.

What is the key trick Matt recommends for improving performance with upper body training?

Matt recommends alternating reaching and pulling exercises, which train the rib cage and upper body to rotate and transfer force effectively, improving sprinting, agility, and overall athletic performance.

Why are traditional exercises like pull-ups and bench presses limited for footballers?

These exercises are limited because they focus on static, square movements that do not mimic the rotational, dynamic, and force-transferring actions footballers perform on the pitch.

What is impulse training and why is it important?

Impulse training involves exercises that teach the body to generate maximal tension quickly, simulating real-game scenarios where rapid force production is needed, enhancing reaction, balance, and athletic performance.

Which specific exercises does Matt recommend for functional upper body training?

Matt recommends barbell push presses with speed emphasis, medball scoop tosses with progressive approaches, and medball slams (or simulated ball throws) to enhance rotational power and force transfer.

How should these functional exercises be incorporated into a workout?

These exercises should be performed after main compound lifts, in 2–3 sets of 8–20 reps, focusing on speed, rotation, and functional movement rather than just lifting heavy weights.

How does upper body training contribute to movements like sprinting and changing direction on the pitch?

Upper body training contributes by improving the rotational strength and force transfer from the lower body through the core to the upper body, creating efficient movement patterns that enhance sprinting, agility, shielding, and kicking.

What cultural misconception about strength training does Matt address?

Matt addresses the misconception that professional footballers don’t need strength training, highlighting that even players claiming to avoid lifting weights actually perform structured strength work to improve on-pitch performance.

Why is it important to vary speed and weight in exercises like the barbell push press?

Varying speed and weight helps train the body to transition from zero to maximal tension quickly, improving explosive force and athletic responsiveness in dynamic, game-like scenarios.