Finally, the World Cup 2026 kicked off, and I personally cannot wait. I’ve fully prepared my schedule to catch as many of the England games as possible, so you could say I’m invested.
Recently, I caught a peek at Jon Fisher (of 101 Great Goals) and his take on how to train like England’s World Cup Stars. So, curiosity got the better of me, and I checked out the moves inspired by ballers like Declan Rice and Harry Kane.
You don’t need the gym, and you can use minimal equipment. Here’s what Fisher recommended, why and how to do each exercise yourself. I also put a quick workout together using the exercises Fisher provides, which you can check out below. Get ready for a serious burn, and grab one of the best yoga mats to get started.
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The workouts and exercises used by England’s biggest stars to improve strength, balance and mobility are simple enough to be recreated at home, without specialist equipment or professional coaching.
Fisher says, “People often assume professional football training is all about high-tech equipment and intense gym sessions, but a huge amount of it comes down to simple, repeatable movements done consistently.
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“That’s why so many of these exercises translate so well to everyday fitness. They help with strength, balance, mobility and coordination, which are useful whether you’re playing 90 minutes or just trying to feel fitter and move better.”
The moves:
- Single-leg balance stand: “Harry Kane’s career has included repeated ankle problems, so a huge part of his training focuses on strengthening and stabilizing the joint…Standing on one foot for 30 seconds helps train the small stabilizing muscles around the ankle and improves balance. For anyone less confident, it can easily be done next to a kitchen worktop with fingertips resting lightly for support.” You could try seated ankle circles to begin with. “A scarf or towel can also be looped around the foot for gentle resisted flexion,” Fisher says.
- Monster walks: “Bukayo Saka’s game is built on explosiveness, agility and the ability to change direction in a flash, and that all starts with strong hips and glutes,” says Fisher. “Place a band around the knees or ankles and take slow, controlled side or diagonal steps while keeping tension in the band. These fire up the glutes and hip muscles that power acceleration and quick turns. For a gentler option, people can hold onto a wall and take smaller sideways steps.”
- 20-minute walk: “Rice’s recovery routine could be the easiest fitness hack of all,” says Fisher. “One of the simplest adaptations is the 20-minute gentle walk. Rice uses low-impact cardio like cycling to get blood flowing and aid recovery, and for most people, a steady walk does exactly the same thing.”
- Seated banded leg curl: “He also puts a big focus on hamstrings and flexibility,” Fisher explains. “A home version of that can include a seated banded leg curl, pulling one foot back under the chair against light resistance, or a gentle stretching routine covering the hamstrings, hips, calves and chest.”
- Resistance band rows: “Kobbie Mainoo’s upper-body training includes exercises like pull-ups and weighted push-ups, but the same muscle groups can be trained much more simply at home,” Fisher says. “Mainoo’s strength work can be scaled for total beginners…For pulling strength, negative pull-ups or resistance band rows help work the back and arms. For pushing strength, wall push-ups or knee push-ups are a much more approachable version of the weighted push-up work footballers use.”
Now for a quick workout I’ve put together using Fisher’s advice.
Start with an incline walk at a fast tempo to increase your heart rate and warm up your legs. Think about getting to a 7/10 pace for walking.
Next, complete these moves as a circuit. Aim for 30 seconds of work (per move, per side for some moves), with 10 seconds of rest between moves and 5 rounds.
What to read next
- Single-leg stand: 30 seconds per side without rest
- Banded monster walks: 30 seconds (as many reps as you can)
- Seated banded leg curls: 30 seconds per side without rest
- Resistance band rows: 30 seconds per side without rest
- Push-ups: (knees or no knees) 30 seconds (as many reps as you can)
The benefits
“These movements may not look dramatic, but they build the kind of stability and control that benefits everyone,” Fisher explains. “They’re especially useful for improving balance and reducing the risk of everyday slips or stumbles.” While Saka is quick and reactive, you need to build the range, strength and mobility in the hips and lower body first.
“Rice is a good reminder that fitness is not always about pushing harder” Fisher adds. “Sometimes it’s about moving consistently, recovering properly and keeping the body mobile.”
It’s not about training exactly like the pros, but about using them as inspiration to find a version for your level and build from there.
The basics, like balance, strength, coordination, mobility and recovery, act as building blocks for players, but they can also help gym-goers, runners and those starting exercise routines to feel stronger and fitter.
Fisher adds: “You don’t need to copy a professional footballer’s entire training plan. The real takeaway is that many of the habits behind elite performance are simple, accessible and easy to adapt.
“That’s why these exercises can work for almost anyone, whether your goal is to improve your game, get fitter, or just stay active at home.”
My verdict
On a rainy Tuesday in June (not in Stoke, though), I rolled out my mat and got to work testing Fisher’s recommendations. I took the liberty of programming the workout myself based on my experience as a personal trainer, but still, I wasn’t expecting the burn.
Adapt the working sets, rest and rounds to your ability, and feel free to add progressions where you can, like holding a set of adjustable dumbbells or kettlebells, bands, or weighted vests. These will all increase the resistance on your joints and muscles, increase your heart rate and help you work at a higher intensity, just like the ballers Fisher mentions.
Equally, you can knock some rounds off if you like. Just listen to your body. Remember, it’s supposed to challenge your mind and body, but not cause injury.
I got to the end of five rounds and had built a light sweat and a big muscle burn, especially in my lower body. Balance work always hits my calves and shins hard, so be mindful of this for the first exercise.
While you’re not out on a pitch in searing heat playing 90 minutes of soccer, you can still hit your muscles hard, increase balance and build functional strength at home in just a short time using this routine.
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