Australian Rules Football asks a lot of your body: you need to run across a large oval, change direction quickly, win the ball in traffic and use it well under pressure. Beginners do not need to master everything at once. The best way to start is to build basic fitness alongside the core skills of kicking, handballing, marking and safe tackling.
A good training plan should help you arrive at your first match feeling prepared, not worn out. Start with manageable sessions, practise skills on both sides of your body and give yourself time to recover. If you have an injury, a health condition or have been inactive for a long time, check with a health professional before increasing your training.
Start with the foundations
Before worrying about tactics or fancy drills, get comfortable handling an oval-shaped ball and moving with purpose. If possible, join a local club or beginner training group. A coach can correct your technique early, especially for skills such as tackling and marking, where poor habits can affect safety.
- Ball handling: Practise picking the ball up from the ground while moving slowly, then at a jog. Keep your eyes on the ball and bend through your knees.
- Kicking: Learn to drop the ball onto your foot rather than throwing it down. Begin with short kicks to a partner and focus on a controlled, accurate pass.
- Handball: Hold the ball in one hand and punch it with the closed fist of the other. Aim for a partner’s chest, and practise with both hands.
- Marking: Track the ball in the air, move into its path and present your hands as a target. Start with gentle, predictable throws before practising overhead marks.
- Movement: Work on stopping, turning and accelerating in different directions. These actions come up constantly as play shifts across the oval.
Keep early drills simple. For example, kick to a partner from 10 to 15 metres away, then move back only when you can hit the target reliably. Practising accurate short kicks is more useful than repeatedly sending long balls that your teammate cannot reach.
Build fitness for the demands of the game
AFL combines steady movement with sharp bursts of effort. You might jog into space, sprint to contest the ball, slow down while play moves away, then accelerate again. That is why beginners need both an aerobic base and the ability to repeat short efforts—not just one long run or a few all-out sprints.
Start with two or three fitness sessions a week, alongside club training if you have joined a team. One session can be an easy run, brisk walk or bike ride at a pace where you can still speak in short sentences. Another can include short intervals, such as six to eight rounds of one minute of quicker running followed by one or two minutes of walking. Adjust the effort to your current fitness and stop if you feel sharp pain, dizziness or unusual shortness of breath.
As your fitness improves, add gentle changes of direction and short accelerations. Keep the number of hard efforts modest at first. Sprinting when tired can affect your running form and raise the chance of a strain, so take proper rest between repetitions.
A simple beginner training week
This example suits someone building towards regular team training. It is a guide, not a rule: reduce the load if you are sore or fatigued, and avoid stacking several hard sessions together.
| Day | Session | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Rest or easy walk | Recovery |
| Tuesday | 30–40 minutes of skills | Short kicks, handball and ground-ball pickups |
| Wednesday | Easy 20–30-minute run or bike ride | Aerobic fitness |
| Thursday | Strength session | Legs, hips, core and upper body |
| Friday | Rest | Recovery before weekend activity |
| Saturday | Club training or short interval session | Game-like movement and repeated efforts |
| Sunday | Rest or gentle mobility | Recovery |
If your club trains twice a week, those sessions may already include running and skills. Avoid adding extra hard intervals just to make the plan look tougher. The quality of your practice matters more than squeezing in training every day.
Use strength work to support your game
Basic strength training helps you control your body when you accelerate, land, turn and contest the ball. Beginners can start with bodyweight movements two times a week, leaving at least a day between harder sessions for the same muscles.
- Squats or sit-to-stands: Build leg strength while practising controlled movement.
- Step-ups or split squats: Develop balance and strength on each leg.
- Glute bridges: Strengthen the hips and help support running mechanics.
- Calf raises: Build lower-leg strength for repeated running and jumping.
- Planks and bird-dogs: Train your core to stay steady as you move.
Begin with one or two sets of 8–12 controlled repetitions, or shorter holds for core exercises. Keep the movements smooth and stop before your form breaks down. You do not need to lift heavy weights to get started; a qualified coach can help you progress safely.
Practise making decisions, not just doing drills
In a match, a clean kick or handball is only useful if you choose the right option. Once basic technique feels comfortable, add simple decisions to your practice. Have a partner call “left” or “right” as you receive the ball, or practise picking up a ground ball and handballing to a moving target. This teaches you to scan, control the ball and act quickly.
Learn the basic team habits too. When your side has the ball, look for space and offer a clear target. When an opponent has possession, stay balanced, close the distance under control and follow your coach’s instructions. Do not practise full-contact tackling without supervision, suitable conditions and clear coaching on safe technique.
Warm up, recover and track progress
Before training, spend 5–10 minutes moving: jog lightly, move sideways, loosen your hips and shoulders, and build up to a few short accelerations. Finish with a few easy kicks or handballs before moving into harder drills. After training, walk until your breathing settles and drink water. Regular meals and enough sleep also support recovery.
Keep a simple record of sessions, effort and any soreness. If a movement causes pain that persists or worsens, stop and get advice rather than trying to train through it. Progress gradually: increase one part of your training at a time, such as the length of a run or the number of skill repetitions.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many days a week should a beginner train?
Two or three structured sessions a week is a sensible starting point for many beginners. Include recovery days, and count club training as part of your total workload. Build up only when you are recovering well.
Do I need to be fit before joining an AFL club?
No. Clubs often welcome beginners with different fitness levels, and team training can help you improve. Tell the coach that you are new so they can guide you through drills and adjust the workload if needed.
What should I practise first?
Start with short, accurate kicks, basic handball technique, ground-ball pickups and moving into space. Practise with both sides, but focus first on clean control rather than power.
Can I practise tackling on my own?
Do not practise live tackles without a qualified coach and a suitable training environment. Work on balance and footwork on your own, then learn contact technique through supervised club instruction.
Final Thoughts
Beginner AFL training works best when you balance skill practice, fitness, strength and recovery. Start with the basics, add game-like decisions as you improve, and increase your workload at a pace your body can handle. With regular practice and good coaching, you will build the confidence to run, contest and use the ball more effectively on the oval.
Aiden Cross is a sports writer and editor at BeliveSports, covering a broad range of sports with a focus on clear, accurate, and practical information. His work covers rules, techniques, player roles, competitions, equipment, statistics, and the details that help readers better understand how different sports are played. Aiden takes a research-driven approach to sports writing, using reliable sources and established sporting information to provide context rather than simply repeating surface-level facts. His goal is to make complex topics accessible while maintaining the accuracy and depth expected by knowledgeable sports fans. At BeliveSports, Aiden contributes to the site’s editorial standards by focusing on accuracy, clarity, useful context, and reader-first explanations.
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