Improvement of Defensive Ability and Decision-Making Under Pressure
Duration: 90 minutes
Objective: Improve defensive ability, especially in 1v1 situations, and develop skills to make quick decisions under pressure.
1. Warm-up (10 minutes)
Description: Mobility with an emphasis on leg work to improve agility and reaction speed, essential for defensive situations.
Exercises:
Agility Ladder Drill: Improves foot speed and coordination, working on quick leg movements.
Dynamic Stretching: Focused on leg flexibility to prevent injuries and improve the range of motion.
Benefit: This warm-up prepares players for fast and agile movements, necessary for improving their defensive skills and recovery ability in pressure situations.
2.Technical Work (45 minutes)
Description: Individual defensive exercises, slide work, and recovery of position in 1v1 defensive situations.
Exercises:
Drill 1: Sharks and Minnows: (10 minutes) A fun and dynamic exercise where players practice evading defenders and making quick decisions while being chased. Attackers must try to evade defenders to reach a goal, while defenders must anticipate and react quickly.
Drill 2: 1v1 slide and recover Drill: (15 minutes) Improves defensive ability by practicing quick slides and recovery of position in 1v1 situations. Players will practice sliding laterally to stay in front of the attacker and quickly returning to their original position if the attacker changes direction.
Drill 3: 4v4 Slide and Recover Drill: (20 minutes) An exercise to encourage defensive communication and quick recovery, where players work as a team to maintain coverage and prevent the attacker from gaining space.
Benefit: These exercises improve individual and team defensive technique, allowing players to adapt quickly to the attacker’s actions, recover position, and maintain effective defense under pressure.
3. Tactical Work (15 minutes)
Description: Defensive 1v1 situations and team defense work, with an emphasis on quick decision-making under pressure.
Exercises:
Drill 1: Inside out 5v4 drill: This exercise simulates a numerical superiority situation (5v4), where the defense must work together to stop the attacker, while the attackers must make quick decisions to exploit their numerical advantage.
Benefit: This exercise help players improve their ability to defend in numerical superiority situations for the attack, as well as refine their ability to make quick decisions and react to unexpected situations.
4. Games/Competition (10 minutes)
Description: 1v1 competition in pressure situations, where players apply defensive skills and decision-making under real attack scenarios.
Exercise:
1 v 1 with a Hole Slide: In this exercise, players will compete in a direct 1v1 confrontation, with an emphasis on individual defense. Defenders will be pressured to make quick decisions on how to position themselves, use their body to block the attacker, and recover position if necessary.
Benefit: The competitive game simulates real match situations where defenders must react quickly and apply what they've learned in a high-pressure environment.
5. Cool-down (10 minutes)
Description: Leg stretches and muscle relaxation to prevent injuries and aid recovery after the session.
Exercises:
Static Leg Stretches: Includes stretches for the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves to relax the muscles and improve flexibility.
Muscle Relaxation: Deep breathing and relaxation exercises to reduce muscle tension.
Benefit: The cool-down is essential for muscle recovery, reducing the risk of injury, and improving overall flexibility for the players.
Benefits of the Session
This session focuses on improving defensive ability, especially in 1v1 situations, and developing skills to make quick decisions under pressure. Drills such as the 1v1 Slide and Recover Drill and the 4v4 Slide and Recover Drill improve individual and team defensive skills. Tactical drills like the Inside Out 5v4 Drill and Sharks and Minnows develop the ability to defend in numerical superiority situations and make quick decisions under high pressure. Finally, the 1v1 game allows players to apply what they've learned in a competitive setting.
By the end of the session, players will have improved their defensive ability, their speed in making decisions under pressure, and their ability to defend effectively in 1v1 situations.
