A few years ago, football fitness meant a couple of laps around the pitch before heading off to the pub - even some pro players followed a regime like that!

How ideas about football fitness have changed! Now professional players are among the best conditioned athletes on the planet, covering distances in excess of 10K inside 90 minutes on the pitch.

As the pros have changed, so have amateurs, so much so that football fitness is now an important part of every team's strategy.

Getting in shape means that a player can use his skills for 90 minutes, and be in the right place at the right time, even at the end of a grueling game.

If you want to learn more about getting in shape, there is no better source of information than the many books that have been written on the subject. These range from the official FA guide through to those targeted at parents and teachers. Choices include:

The Official FA Guide to Fitness for Football
The Complete Guide to Soccer Fitness and Injury Prevention: A Handbook for Players, Parents, and Coaches
Soccer Training: Games, Drills and Fitness Practices
Strength Training for Soccer
The Italian Football Diet and Fitness Programme