How to Build a 20-Minute Heading Training Session

Heading training works best in short, focused blocks rather than extended sessions. Twenty minutes of quality work, done twice a week, produces faster improvement than an hour of unfocused repetition.

Here is a session structure that works for U14 and above. For U12–U13 limits, see youth heading guidelines.

Phase 1 — Neck and mobility warm-up (5 minutes)

Do not skip this. Cold neck muscles are the primary injury risk in heading training.

• Slow chin tucks: pull the head straight back, hold 3 seconds, release. 10 reps.
• Lateral tilt: ear toward shoulder, hold 3 seconds each side. 8 reps.
• Isometric holds: press forehead into palm, resist for 5 seconds. Repeat pressing left temple, right temple, back of head. 2 rounds.

No ball contact yet.

Phase 2 — Technical block (8 minutes)

Pick two drills from the beginner or intermediate category. Low pace, high focus. This is not fitness work — it is skill acquisition.

Recommended combinations:

• Toss-and-head (solo, contact point) followed by partner seated headers (torso snap, no jumping)
• Standing partner headers (direction) followed by wall headers (contact point under mild fatigue)

Volume: 15–20 headers per player across both drills. Stop a set the moment technique degrades.

Phase 3 — Applied block (5 minutes)

One drill that adds jumping, direction, or mild pressure. This is where you test what was trained in Phase 2.

Recommended for this phase:

• Jump-and-head (timing at peak of jump)
• Attacking downward header (direction on goal)
• Defensive clearance (height and distance under pressure)

Do not introduce competition or contact in this phase — that comes in match sessions.

Phase 4 — Cool-down and review (2 minutes)

Two slow neck stretches each direction. Ask one player to name one technical thing they focused on. Reinforce the correct contact point verbally.

Session template summary

For the full drill descriptions used in this session, see the drills library.