I’ve made no secret of the fact I’m a bit obsessed with football. The impact of playing women’s 9 a side for me has been incredible both mentally and physically. But I’ve never really been a huge fan of smaller sided formats. As we enter 2026 though, I’ve made it something of a plan (not a resolution – I don’t do those!) to embrace smaller sided formats regularly as well and here’s why I’m even bothering.
Those Bloomin’ Fitness Goals…
It’s January 2026. The Christmas chocolates have finally been finished (even the Bounty ones) and it seems like the nation is collectively (and maybe reluctantly) signing up for gym memberships that we’ll inevitably try to cancel by March. Or that we maybe don’t cancel and then just continue to pay for the rest of eternity while never stepping a single foot inside of the place.
I’m a hiker and an outdoor lover. I do go to the gym as well (cos, well, I need muscles) but the gym can feel like a cage sometimes.
Staring at a wall while running on a “dreadmill” isn’t exactly inspiring to me. But you need something to keep the cardio up during the week so you can crush those ascents in the Peaks on the weekend.
Enter the game of 5-a-side football, a chaotic small sided and fast paced version of the game we all love.
You might think of 5-a-side as an excuse for a post-match pint (and you aren’t entirely wrong), but scientifically speaking, it is one of the most effective HIIT workouts you can do. Here is why swapping the spin class for the penalty spot might be the best fitness decision you make this year.
1. It is the Ultimate “Stealth” HIIT
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is the gold standard for burning fat and building cardio endurance. It involves short bursts of maximum effort followed by brief recovery periods.
Guess what a game of football is?
Sprint for the ball.
Jog back into position.
Jump for a header.
Walk while the keeper retrieves the ball.
Sprint again.
You are naturally doing interval training without a terrifying (and possibly borderline psychotic) instructor screaming “TEN SECONDS LEFT!” at you.
Studies from the Copenhagen Centre for Team Sport and Health have shown that recreational football lowers blood pressure and improves heart health faster than steady-state running. You can burn anywhere between 400 to 600 calories in an hour playing 5 a side, which isn’t too dissimilar o a brutal spin class. But, well, it’s more fun and you don’t get let with a sore bum!
2. Agility: The Hiker’s Secret Weapon
I appreciate you’re not all hikers. But when I consider any new sport or set a fitness goal, it’s always aimed at making my hiking easier and enabling me to achieve more in my hiking.
As hikers, we are great at moving forwards in a straight line. We can trudge uphill for hours. But ask us to move sideways quickly, and ankles start wobbling.
Football is multi directional. It requires lateral movement, twisting, turning and sudden stops too. This builds the stabilising muscles around your knees and ankles that hiking doesn’t always touch. By playing football midweek, you’re actually bulletproofing your legs for your weekend adventures on uneven terrain.
3. Bone Density (Use It or Lose It)
This one is for the long game. I’m 40 now and becoming increasingly concerned about the impact that the impending menopause (it’s gonna catch me at some point) may have on my body.
As women, bone health is massive, especially as we get older. Impact sports are crucial for stimulating bone density.
While swimming and cycling are great for cardio, they are “non-impact.” Running around a pitch, striking a ball, and tackling involves the kind of impact that tells your skeleton: “Get stronger, we’ve got work to do.”
4. The “Gamification” of Fitness
When you’re on a rowing machine, you are painfully aware of every second ticking by. And don’t those seconds tick by so slowly. I’m fairly certain that rowing machine years must be like 100 human years. You are thinking about your lungs burning. You are thinking about what you’re making for dinner.
When you play football, you enter a “flow state.” You are thinking about the pass. You are watching the defender. You are calculating angles. The physical exertion happens in the background. You’ll often find you’ve run kilometres without even realising it until you check your Garmin in the changing room.
5. You Can’t Snooze a Teammate
It is very easy to talk yourself out of a solo gym session. “It’s raining,” you say. “I’m tired,” you say.
But when you’re part of a 5-a-side team, you have accountability. If you don’t turn up, the team is a player down, and Brenda from goalkeeping will not be happy. That social pressure is often the difference between sitting on the sofa and getting a world-class workout.
I need that sort of accountability, which is why team sports have been vital in me sticking with my fitness goals over the past 18 months.
How to Get Involved
You don’t need to join a Premier League academy. Look for:
“Just Play” Centers: FA-accredited casual kickabouts.
Powerleague or Goals: These venues often have women’s beginner leagues or “turn up and play” nights.
Local 5-a-Side Leagues: Check Facebook for teams looking for a spare player (often called a “ringer”).
So, lace up. The gym will still be there in February, but the glory of a top-corner finish is waiting for you now.
