Nick Humphries - Chasing the Dream | How to make it as a professional soccer player / footballer, Soccer Players Blog » fitness

Weekly Review 13th – 19th December 2010 [athlete paranoid]

Nicky — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 22:07:39 +0000

I feel kinda depressed and paranoid at the moment. It’s because this whole week I’ve been out of my routine, I haven’t had much time with the ball, my fitness is probably dropping after no club training for almost two weeks and this is not good when the Australian U-17 and U-20 coach is going to take a look at me shortly after the new year, which is probably my biggest opportunity in my career so far. Really my biggest worry is my ability and fitness dropping with not training three hours every day and now have hardly touched the ball within the last week from being caught up in travelling, jet lag, seeing friends and family, etc.

So I think it’s time for a re-focus to get my self physically and most importantly mentally fit again. because when I do lose my routine, I tend to get pretty paranoid. So for this week, I am going to commit myself doing something everyday (expect one day for rest) whether that’s going to the gym, or going to the oval for a kick around, watching games and learning. I need it, it’s like my food!

There’s really not much to say this week, nothing really exciting happened. I am just here in Australia, but the hot sun, 30 degree weather and blue skies I’ve prayed for, has for the most part been replaced with grey skies, and rain. I was watching an a-league game and I just realised how sloppy they play. It’s slow, unimaginative, and just not that great. The a-league would definently have to be the minimum playing level of my career. I have to be just as good they are at some point (if not now) with what I’m seeing. But whatever, my goal always remains of playing in the 2014 world cup and for a world class team.

Next Week
7 hours in total, missed 3. No penalty (holiday). Next week 13 hours.

So next week I am going to make sure I can look back and reflect on what was a reaaaaaalllly good week!

Believing you will suceed will make you succeed.

Nicky — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:34:46 +0000

So last night after watching Will Smith’s video on wisdom, I became really motivated. I have this red, mini football I got from my club’s Christmas party. I set a unreasonable target for myself that I would get 100 juggles with this mini ball by the end of the night. I could barley do 10 or 15 kick ups to start, my record was probably about 20, but I never stopped believing that I wouldn’t get 100 and eventually I got closer and closer until around two hours later YES! I got over 100 juggles.

So basically what seemed like an impossible task to start wasn’t actually impossible at all, it was just a state of mind.

I have also just come back home from a pretty hard fitness training, I hate them so much but I have realised that in order for me to become one of the best players that ever lived I need to have tough mental challenges for myself and so things like that is good for me and now I am enjoying it, that while i’m going through physical exhaustion that the exhaustion is just a state of mind, by body telling me that I can’t keep going. But in truth I can and like Will Smith says “I’m not afraid to die on the treadmill” ha ha

First weeks training back in the new year

Nicky — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 14:16:39 +0000

Like I said before 2010 is the year!

I think the first week has gotten off to a good start. We’ve started our two months of mostly fitness trainings this week. Although I thought I was going to struggle in training because I didn’t really follow my coaches training plan over my one month break, the running session we had really wasn’t so bad and I was keeping up with the best; so it was kind of surprising but I probably keep my fitness because i’m young. I reflected after each session I had with my club, these are the things I learnt and need to improve on:

Wednesday:

Although i’ve heard this before I heard it again and that is to use your body to shield the defender from a pass, don’t be scared if you get kicked because it’s and foul anyway + it will make you a stronger player.
Need to work on having smaller touches for better control, especially smaller touches with left foot as it feels a bit uncoordinated.

Thursday:

Improve on first touch a little
One on one finishing still a big problem
One on one with an opponent.

Saturday:

Look up first then pass
On the positive: One touch passing has definently improved, mostly from passing ball against wall.

I think I am being really self critical, but I also need to properly identify my strengths so i’ll do a little reflection on that too next week.

Also, I worked a little on my free kick technique using the side of my foot to strike the ball. I got it off Drogba’s free kick 3-0 goal against Arsenal last year. I’ve worked on my style heaps and heaps over the years, but I think this way is definently working for me and the ball seems to go where I want it too when I strike the ball. I have to post a video of myself doing it, but here is that Drogba goal.

Anyway, there’s four trainings and a game to cap it off next week so can’t wait for that.