INTRO PAGE MAESTRO THE ULTIMATE BALL MASTERY TRAINING PROGRAM Welcome to MAESTRO, the ultimate ball mastery training program. If 100 people were asked to list the top 10 players in the world at this current moment, it would be no surprise to anyone to see names such as Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Coutinho making more than one of the lists. Their ability on the ball sets them apart from the rest. They seem to have full command of the ball, almost like it’s an extension of their foot. One thing all of them have in common is that throughout their younger development years, they spent hours playing futsal and small sided football anywhere that they could. In Brazil, they call this “Pelada” which refers to a game of football that can be played anywhere, anytime. Often you see shoes for goalposts, and sometimes if there isn’t much space, you can see intense matches happening in small alleyways, parking lots, or the middle of the street. Because of this, they grew up learning to handle the ball in tight spaces, having to be creative with their footwork to escape tackles and find spaces to keep the ball. There are very few places in the world that have the same kind of street football culture, and youth players in other nations develop less advanced with the ball at their feet as a result. This program is designed to allow players to get those extra thousands of touches every single day, using all the different surface areas of the foot inspired from the streets of South America, to take your ball mastery to the next level. MAESTRO is a 7 day program that should be treated as 7 levels. Once you have mastered all of the moves from a particular day of the program, you are ready to move on to the next. The “easier” skills will build the foundation that will allow you to execute the more advanced ones. There are 7 exercises to complete for 60 seconds everyday that have been carefully selected and structured to gradually increase in difficulty to promote a healthy learning speed, followed by a footwork combination that you can practice to challenge your mastery of the exercises together. This program should be supplemental (in addition) to your regular training schedule, not replacing. MAESTRO is designed to give you thousands of EXTRA touches outside of your team and individual training sessions. Although some of the moves can be used on their own as dribbling moves, the purpose of the exercises is to force you into manipulating the ball in various directions, using the entire foot in both simple and complex ways to increase your comfortability with the ball so you feel limitless when it’s at your feet. Remember to go at your own pace with each exercise/day in the program; everyone has different learning speeds. Don’t be frustrated if you don’t immediately grasp some of the exercises instantly, they are designed to challenge you. Most importantly, have fun with it! Michael Lewis Cunningham 7mlcTraining DAY ONE MAESTRO Exercise 1 Duration Exercise 5 Duration Toe Taps 60 Seconds Sole Rolls 60 Seconds Keeping the ball stationary, tap the top of the ball with the soles of both feet Transfer the ball from one foot to the other by rolling the foot over the ball Exercise 2 Duration Exercise 6 Duration Bell Taps 60 Seconds Sole Inside Push 60 Seconds Transfer ball from side to side in a “bell ringing” motion, using the inside of both feet Trap the ball underneath the foot and roll foot outwards to push ball across with the inside of foot Exercise 3 Duration Exercise 7 Duration Inside Outside 60 Seconds Brazilian Trap 60 Seconds Move the ball between both feet using the inside and outside of the foot Exercise 4 Duration Rocking Sole 60 Seconds Rock the ball from side to side using the sole of the foot @michaellewiscunningham Roll the ball across the body then trap the ball with the opposite sole of the foot behind standing leg Footwork Combo Duration 10 Reps Step 1: Sole Roll Step 2: Brazilian Trap Step 3: Pull and Push Step 4: Inside Push youtube.com/7mlc DAY TWO MAESTRO Exercise 1 Duration Exercise 5 Duration Single Leg Inside Outside 60 Seconds Squares 60 Seconds Hop on your standing leg, moving the ball side to side using the inside and outside of the foot Using the sole and inside of both feet, move the ball in a square shaped pattern Exercise 2 Duration Exercise 6 Duration No Touch Stepovers 60 Seconds Single Leg V Cuts 60 Seconds Keeping the ball still, step around the ball with both feet Using one foot at a time, create a V shape by pushing the ball to the inside and outside Exercise 3 Duration Exercise 7 Duration Brazilian Taps 60 Seconds V Cuts 60 Seconds Tap the ball with both soles followed by a third touch behind the standing leg Create a V pattern, this time using both feet, changing feet each time Exercise 4 Duration Footwork Combo 3 Point Push Pulls 60 Seconds Push the ball to the inside, centre and outside using the toe and pulling back with the sole @michaellewiscunningham Duration 10 Reps Step 1: Step around the ball Step 2: Touch ball with inside of both feet Step 3: Place sole on the ball Step 4: Pull towards opposite foot and back Step 5: Sole role across to the other side youtube.com/7mlc DAY THREE MAESTRO Exercise 1 Duration Exercise 5 Duration V Cut Exchange 60 Seconds L Drag Pivot 60 Seconds Perform a V cut by dragging the ball back with the sole of the inside of the opposite foot Perform an L Drag, pivoting on your standing leg to repeat the move continuously Exercise 2 Duration Exercise 6 Duration Sole Roll Stop 60 Seconds L Drag L Drag 60 Seconds Using the sole of the foot, move the ball across the body, stopping with the opposite sole Perform the L Drag then switch feet to repay the move on the opposite side Exercise 3 Duration Exercise 7 Duration Inside Touch Stepover 60 Seconds Elastico Elastico 60 Seconds Nudge the ball with the inside of your foot, step around the ball and repeat on opposite feet Exercise 4 Duration Sole Roll Stepover 60 Seconds Roll ball across your body using the sole, then perform an inside stopover with the opposite foot @michaellewiscunningham Push the ball with the outside of the foot, then move foot around the ball to push back with the inside Footwork Combo Duration 10 Reps Step 1: Hocus Pocus Step 2: Outside roll inside tap Step 3: Elastico Stepover youtube.com/7mlc DAY FOUR MAESTRO Exercise 1 Duration Exercise 5 Duration L Drag Sole Roll 60 Seconds Reverse L Drag Pivot 60 Seconds Perform an L Drag followed by a Sole Roll across the body to repeat the move Exercise 2 Duration Inside Touch Stepover Outside Touch 60 Seconds Touch the ball with the inside of the foot, step over the ball, take an outside foot touch then repeat Perform a reverse L Drag while pivoting on the standing leg to retrieve the ball and repeat Exercise 6 Duration Double Reverse L Drag 60 Seconds Perform a Reverse L Drag, switching feet mid move to repeat on the opposite side Exercise 3 Duration Exercise 7 Duration Sole Laces 60 Seconds Infinity Stepovers 60 Seconds Using the sole, drag the ball backwards and catch the ball with your laces to push forwards Touch the ball gently with the inside of the foot, step around ball with opposite foot and repeat Exercise 4 Duration Footwork Combo Reverse L Drag L Drag 60 Seconds Roll the ball behind standing leg and push forwards with the same foot, then L Drag to repeat @michaellewiscunningham Duration 10 Reps Step 1: Pull back to sole laces Step 2: Repeat on opposite side of leg Step 3: Tap opposite foot and repeat Step 4: Stepover and elastico youtube.com/7mlc DAY FIVE MAESTRO Exercise 1 Duration Exercise 5 Duration Outside Cuts 60 Seconds Sole Cruyff 60 Seconds Using the outside of your foot, cut sharply alternating feet each time Pull ball towards you with the sole then Cruyff across body and repeat Exercise 2 Duration Exercise 6 Duration The Cruyff 60 Seconds Fake Shot Sole Roll 60 Seconds Using the inside of the foot, hook the ball behind the opposite leg and repeat both sides Slightly flex leg to imitate a shooting motion then role ball across the body to opposite foot Exercise 3 Duration Exercise 7 Duration Half Maradona 60 Seconds Fake Rabona 60 Seconds Drag the ball towards you with your sole, hop and exchange feet and roll 90 degrees. Exercise 4 Duration The Ronaldinho 60 Seconds Sole roll the ball across body and stop with back foot, then drag away and push forward @michaellewiscunningham Bring leg behind opposite leg to fake a Robona, then cut the ball across and repeat Footwork Combo Duration 10 Reps Step 1: Brazilian Trap with 360 Pivot Step 2: Reverse L Drag Step 3: L Drag Step 4: V Cut Exchange youtube.com/7mlc DAY SIX MAESTRO Exercise 1 Duration Exercise 5 Duration Sole Sole Inside Inside 60 Seconds Stepover Sole Rolls 60 Seconds Perform a double sole roll followed immediately by double bell taps and repeat Roll the ball between the soles, stepping over the ball between each touch Exercise 2 Duration Exercise 6 Duration Outside Drag Toe Nudge 60 Seconds Inside Double Stepover Outside 60 Seconds Drag the ball down the outside of your leg and nudge forwards using the toe of the same foot Nudge the ball with the inside of the foot, stepover the ball with both feet then nudge with the outside of opposite foot Exercise 3 Duration Exercise 7 Duration The Ronaldo 60 Seconds Stepover Inside Inside 60 Seconds Roll the ball across, step over the ball with the opposite leg and catch with the laces of behind leg Step around the ball, hopping into an inside to inside touch Exercise 4 Duration Footwork Combo Rollover Snap 60 Seconds Roll your foot over the ball then snap the foot down to flick the ball in the opposite direction @michaellewiscunningham Duration 10 Reps Step 1: Roll Stepover Step 2: Outside Outside Step 3: Roll Snap youtube.com/7mlc DAY SEVEN MAESTRO Exercise 1 Duration Exercise 5 Duration Drag Pass 60 Seconds Outside Nudge Stepover 60 Seconds Use the sole of the foot to drag the ball towards the inside of opposite foot to tap the ball and repeat Lightly nudge the ball with the outside of your foot then step over the ball with opposite foot Exercise 2 Duration Exercise 6 Duration Roll Stepover Cut 60 Seconds Ronaldinho Fake Pass 60 Seconds Roll the ball with the sole of the foot, stepping over the ball and cutting with the inside of opposite foot Roll the ball back as if you were performing an L Drag but instead catch the ball with the laces Exercise 3 Duration Exercise 7 Duration Double Sole L Drag 60 Seconds Neymar Chop 60 Seconds Roll the ball twice across the body followed by an L Drag to repeat in the opposite direction Exercise 4 Duration L Drag to V Cut 60 Seconds Perform an L Drag, immediately followed by a V Cut @michaellewiscunningham Roll foot over the ball then as the ball rolls to the other side, chop behind the leg with the inside of opposite foot Footwork Combo Duration 10 Reps Step 1: Hocus Pocus to Outward Roll Step 2: Elastico Chop Step 3: Stepover Inside Inside Step 4: Drag Pass Sole Roll Step 5: Brazilian Trap Pivot youtube.com/7mlc MAESTRO VIDEO LINKS Day 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=sARjTpHeA6w Day 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=lNpC3-if2BU Day 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=McWe4mk7ILw Day 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=k-7GZZRlNUA Day 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asp5iwmgak Day 6: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=KaJs5a00QbA Day 7: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=xDTLYrN0qeo Full Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist? list=PLSYLQBF8yu6fgpNvnSqYPS9Z4urwy-qd6 CONGRATULATIONS! You have completed the Maestro Ultimate Ball Mastery Training Program. Imagine your mastery of the ball is a bank account; you have just deposited thousands of high quality touches into your account. It’s a great investment into your football career. You have already accomplished a high level of ball control, but don’t let the hard work stop here. You now have the program with you at all times, and can complete it anywhere, so be sure to repeat the program regularly, trying to increase foot speed and minimizing mistakes each time you take it on. Remember, if you can master the ball, you can master the game. @michaellewiscunningham youtube.com/7mlc
