These physical components are achieved through a strength and conditioning program. Muscular endurance is a major component of performance on the field. Programs for soccer include high intensity-training, weightlifting, and metabolic conditioning.
Weightlifting for Soccer Players
Most soccer practices use a soccer ball for training and drills to improve game performance, such as practicing agility drills with an agility ladder. However, soccer fitness should extend beyond just field work. Focusing on building maximal strength in the weight room is key. This includes working on upper body strength, lower body strength, and power.
There are many benefits for soccer athletes to have strength. Being involved in a strength and conditioning program for soccer helps with,
Injury prevention
Kick power and distance
Agility
Endurance
Physicality
In youth soccer, you will not find athletes performing weight training as much. Young soccer players focus more on improving the skills of the sport and minimal agility or conditioning. As an athlete grows older, they will find themselves weight training more often. This allows them to focus on other injury prevention exercises as well.
Total Body Strength
While the lower body is used a tremendous amount in the sport, the core and upper body also play a large role. The core is the midline of the body and is responsible for all movement and rotation. It stabilizes the body and contributes to having balance on the ball. In addition, it increases an athlete's physicality against opponents.
Strength is achieved in the lower body through exercises as simple as the squat. Power comes through plyometric exercises like jumps. And speed can be achieved through sprinting mechanisms.
Developing Force
Force production is a huge component of all three of these attributes needed for soccer. Working on both concentric and eccentric training contributes to building max force. Low intensity, fast movements paired with eccentric loading will help. By taking advantage of the stretch shortening cycle, you can build quicker and more efficient movements.
Planes of Motion
For a soccer workout, you want to train as much as you can in the frontal plane. Lateral speed is crucial for the sport. Training in this plane reduces injury and improves agility and change of direction. Include the following exercises in your strength training sessions:
Lateral lunges
Mini band lateral walks
Lateral step-ups
Lateral sled drags
Metabolic Conditioning
Cardiovascular endurance is a big part of soccer. Maximal aerobic capacity contributes to overall soccer performance. The size of the field along with constant sprint intervals requires a great amount of endurance.
The ability to sprint repeatedly is important. Getting used to short recovery periods will help an athlete maintain technique when they are fatigued.
Acceleration and speed are part of metabolic conditioning. For a soccer player to be able to maintain this throughout the entire game shows true performance.
A soccer player also frequently changes direction. Reaction time and quick adaptation to the game environment will come down to muscular strength and conditioning.
To target metabolic conditioning in a strength and conditioning program, incorporate the following:
Jump roping
Change of direction drills
Lateral single-leg bounds
Side box jumps
Agility ladders
Hurdles
Both speed and agility contribute to soccer athletes' performance. Offering this training can also boost your business as a strength and conditioning coach.
Sample Soccer Workout Program
The entire program should be laid out based on the number of practices and games athletes have each week. Let’s say an athlete has 3-4 practices each week and 1-2 games.
With 3-4 practices, your athlete will receive plenty of aerobic conditioning, speed, and agility work. This is also where technical skills are fine-tuned.
At least 3 times per week athletes should be in the weight room performing strength training only. They can incorporate light conditioning exercise.
Compound exercises should include Olympic lifts and even bodyweight exercises. These should make up most of the training session.
Phase 1
Phase 1 focuses on hypertrophy. During this phase, every athlete uses high volume and low intensity. Building a base of support during pre-season is crucial. Allowing the body to build muscle makes way for the strength phase.
Some soccer exercises to consider for high volume training:
Single-leg squats
Step-ups
Lunges
Romanian deadlift
V-ups
Lateral raises
Phase 2
Throughout the strength phase, athletes begin focusing on some sport-specific exercises. All training during this time encompasses high intensity and low volume. Each athlete has muscle built, so they have a base to build strength off now.
Exercises to implement into the strength training:
Back squat
Front squat
Conventional deadlift
Barbell hip thrusts
Phase 3
Phase 3 is known as the competition phase. Athletes are moving into the season and must adapt to their competition schedules. Use low intensity and power development movements. This means fast-paced and quick movements only during the power phase.
Plyometric and power development exercises:
Jump squats
Power cleans
Box jumps
Skater jumps
Split jumps
Phase 4
The transition phase is the final phase of the strength program. It includes active rest using low intensity and low volume. This is important following a soccer season. The transition lasts from the end of the season into the preseason. Our goal is to help your athlete recover, de-load the body, and rest as much as possible. All without completely stopping exercise.
Recovery is just as important as the training.
To recap, each athlete would perform three total-body strength workouts per week. Make sure to encourage them to perform big power or compound lifts at the beginning of the week.
As the week progresses, they move to lower intensity exercises and focus on the volume. Leave at least one day in between each strength training workout. On those off days perform 15 min of speed and agility drills.
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