[hlnx1]

Teams that press high ask players to repeat short, intense efforts again and again, often without the ball. The physical profile is a bit different from simply covering lots of distance.

• Pressing involves frequent accelerations, decelerations and short sprints, often in quick succession
• Good aerobic fitness helps players recover between pressing actions
• Collective organisation matters as much as individual fitness; a well-coordinated press can reduce wasted running
• Fatigue later in matches tends to reduce high-intensity actions, which can make the press less effective

Further reading: the physiology of high pressing and Rodri’s pressing economy.

Does your team press as a unit, or does it depend on who is on the pitch?

[hlnx1]

In training, many coaches build pressing fitness through games with pressing triggers: for example a 6v6 plus goalkeepers where the team must win the ball back within a few seconds or concede a point. It trains the physical and tactical side together.

Separate repeated sprint work can then fill gaps.

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