Introduction: “I Train Every Day” ≠ “I’m Getting Better”
“I do keepy-uppies every day.” “I practise against the wall every evening.” Whenever a player tells me this, it genuinely makes me happy. The motivation to train on your own is something truly valuable.
But I’d like you to pause for a moment and ask yourself:
“Why am I doing this training?”
Honestly, this is probably the one thing I wish I could have told myself as a kid.
At Glocal Football, we always talk about “Think WHY” — and this applies just as much to solo training as it does to sessions on the pitch. Time spent just going through the motions may feel productive, but it can easily become time that is simply consumed rather than invested. In this article, I’d like to share some key principles and session ideas for turning your time alone with a ball into real, lasting growth — drawing from my own experiences as a player.
Three Key Principles for Solo Training
1. Have a “Theme”, Not Just a Volume Target
In Japanese youth football culture, long hours and high volume are often seen as virtues. I grew up being told, “Just keep kicking every day.” In Spain, however, what struck me most was how clear players were about the purpose of each session.
Before you start training, ask yourself:
“What do I want to improve today?”
For example: “I want more control with my left foot inside pass” or “I want to stabilise my first touch after turning.” With a clear theme, even 30 minutes becomes a deeply meaningful session.
2. Picture a Match Situation While You Train
This is something I emphasise constantly in Glocal Football sessions. The biggest reason players become good in training but struggle in matches is that their training and their match play are disconnected.
When you’re doing wall passes, ask yourself: “What if a defender is pressing me right now? Where would I play it next?” When you’re doing keepy-uppies, focus on the feeling of controlling the ball in the air. The same physical action becomes an entirely different exercise depending on where your mind is.
3. Value the Things You Can’t Do Yet
When you train alone, no one is watching. That’s exactly what makes it the perfect opportunity to challenge yourself with the difficult stuff.
Which will it be — repeating easy things and enjoying the comfortable feeling of success, or tackling harder things repeatedly and building up the experience of failing → succeeding? The latter is what leads to genuine, lasting technical development.
Looking back at my own childhood, I’m convinced it was the frustration of not being able to do something that pushed me to grow the most.
Solo Training Menu
Here are the sessions I recommend to players up to U-14 at Glocal Football. All you need is one ball and a bit of space.
① First Touch & Turn (Wall Passing)
Goal: Develop a reliable touch in the moment of receiving the ball
Kick the ball against a wall and control the return pass into a position where you can immediately make your next move. The key — something we talk about constantly at Glocal — is “control orientado”: not just stopping the ball, but taking a touch that sets up what comes next. Each time, decide where you want to go before you receive.
② Weak Foot Finishing (if you have space)
Goal: Build finishing confidence with your weaker foot
Picture a real match situation and shoot. The point here is to deliberately practise with your weaker foot. The time when no one is watching is the perfect time to work on your weaknesses. Practising your non-dominant foot also helps your brain learn new movement patterns for your whole body.
③ Keepy-Uppies (Feeling Over Numbers)
Goal: Develop a sense for the ball’s weight and sweet spot
Rather than chasing a high score, focus on using different parts of your body — thighs, feet, head — and pay attention to how the ball moves. Japan’s keepy-uppy culture is genuinely wonderful, but building a “conversation with the ball” matters far more than the number of touches. One drill I particularly recommend for match realism: kick the ball up a little higher, look away briefly, then get back under it — all while keeping it up.
④ Mental Imagery (No Equipment Needed)
Goal: Sharpen your cognitive speed and decision-making
No equipment, no space required. Watch match footage and ask yourself: “What would I do here?” Or reflect on a recent game: “If I could replay that moment, what would I do differently?” The coaches I worked with in Spain placed enormous value on this kind of training that happens off the pitch.
Finally: Solo Training is Time to Be Honest with Yourself
Team sessions are where you grow alongside your teammates. Solo training is different. It’s the time when only you can face your own weaknesses honestly.
Living in New Zealand, kids have far more free time and open space than they typically would in Japan. What you do with that time is entirely up to you as a player.
To every player who wants to get better: Don’t just kick — think while you kick. Build up those moments of intentional practice, and they will absolutely shine through when it matters most in a match.
To parents: Please support your child in learning to think for themselves. But never forget — enjoyment of the game comes first. No one improves when they feel forced. That love of football has to be their own.
If you have any questions or would like to talk things through, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Let’s think about football together.
Glocal Football is a football school based in Christchurch, NZ, offering small-group coaching for players up to U-14. We aim to help young players grow not just as footballers, but as thinkers — on and off the pitch.
→About Glocal Football
