Foot-Tech Academy

Every summer it's the same. The laps come out, the bleep tests come out, and kids get run into the ground in the name of preseason.

But here's the thing. Kids aren't mini adults. Their bodies genuinely don't work like ours, and most of what we were taught about football fitness just doesn't apply to them.

Here are the myths, and the truth behind them.

The myth: they get tired like we do.
The truth: kids produce less lactic acid and clear it faster, so they recover quickly and just go again.

The myth: laps and runs make them fitter.
The truth: pre-puberty, the biggest driver of fitness is simply their bodies growing, their hearts and lungs getting bigger, not the running they're made to do.

The myth: the kid who runs the most is the fittest.
The truth: smart players run less, because they read the game, position themselves well, and make faster decisions. That comes from football, not fitness drills.

The myth: running builds football fitness.
The truth: football fitness comes from playing football, all the dribbling, passing, pressing and decision-making that running laps never gives them.

None of this means kids shouldn't work hard. They should. It just means we should make them fitter the way their bodies actually respond to, by playing.

If you found this useful, share it with a coach or parent who needs to see it.

And if you want to know how we build football fitness the right way at Foot-Tech, drop us a message.

Due to the Roundhay Festival our Soldiers Fields sessions will be moving to John Smeaton Leisure Centre on the 4th July.

Our indoor sessions at St Edmunds are running as normal but please plan ahead as there are some road closures.