Quick summary: A study by football platform 101 Great Goals has identified how training exercises used by England players including Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka can be adapted for home use with no specialist equipment. The movements focus on strength, balance, mobility and coordination, and are suitable for a wide range of ages and fitness levels, from teenagers to older adults. Experts say consistent practice of these basic exercises can produce noticeable improvements in stability and everyday physical function, offering a practical and accessible route to better health ahead of the World Cup.
With the World Cup approaching, a study by football platform 101 Great Goals has found that training methods used by England’s leading players can be adapted for everyday home use, requiring little more than basic household items.
Jon Fisher, football expert at 101 Great Goals, said: “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. 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.”
Harry Kane: Ankle stability
Kane’s career has included repeated ankle problems, so a significant portion of his training focuses on strengthening and stabilising the joint. A single leg balance stand, holding one foot off the ground for 30 seconds, trains the small stabilising muscles around the ankle. Those less confident can rest fingertips lightly on a kitchen worktop for support.
Seated ankle circles are equally accessible. Sitting in a chair and drawing circles or tracing the alphabet with your foot takes the ankle through its full range of movement. A scarf or towel looped around the foot can add gentle resistance.
Fisher said: “These movements may not look dramatic, but they build the kind of stability and control that benefits everyone. They’re especially useful for improving balance and reducing the risk of everyday slips or stumbles.”
Jude Bellingham: Lower body strength
Bellingham’s power in midfield is built on lower body strength, stability and mobility. The sumo squat mirrors that foundation: standing with feet wider than shoulder width and toes turned slightly out, lower into a squat and push back up through the heels, working the glutes, thighs and inner legs. Beginners and older adults can replicate the same movement pattern with a simple sit-to-stand from a chair.
The static lunge hold, maintaining a lunge position for 20–30 seconds, builds hip stability, leg strength and balance. Holding the back of a chair keeps the movement controlled for those who need extra support.
Fisher said: “These are exactly the sort of functional movements that carry over into everyday life. They help with standing up, sitting down, climbing stairs and staying strong through the hips and legs.”
Bukayo Saka: Hip strength and agility
Saka’s explosiveness and ability to change direction quickly relies on strong hips and glutes. The clamshell replicates that training: lying on your side with knees bent, keep feet together and lift the top knee. It targets the hip muscles that support stability and protect the knees, and a resistance band can increase the challenge, though it works well without one.
Monster walks, where a band is placed around the knees or ankles while taking slow, controlled side or diagonal steps, target the glutes and hip muscles that power acceleration. A gentler version involves holding a wall and taking small sideways steps.
Fisher said: “Saka’s style relies on being quick and reactive, but before you get to the flashy stuff, you need strength in the hips and lower body. These drills are brilliant for that.”
Declan Rice: Recovery and mobility
Rice’s training emphasises recovery and mobility alongside intensity. A 20-minute gentle walk replicates the low-impact cardio, such as cycling, that he uses to aid recovery. His focus on hamstring flexibility translates at home to 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.
Fisher said: “Rice is a good reminder that fitness is not always about pushing harder. Sometimes it’s about moving consistently, recovering properly and keeping the body mobile.”
Similar principles extend across the squad. Marcus Rashford’s medicine ball slams can be adapted using a cushion or pillow, with side lunges scaled using chair support. Phil Foden’s coordination work includes wall passes and tennis ball drills that build reaction and control through repetition. Upper body and core work from Cole Palmer, reaction drills from Jordan Pickford, and scalable strength exercises from Kobbie Mainoo further demonstrate how professional habits can be adjusted for all fitness levels.
Fisher added: “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 for almost anyone, whether your goal is to improve your game, get fitter, or just stay active at home.”