Uncover Basic Soccer Conditioning
It’s a known fact that a soccer conditioning program provides a strong base for a team’s success. Soccer exercises build strength, agility, and endurance without which players cannot even think of being in shape for a live match, forget about winning it.
However, there may be situations when you and your team do not get enough days to train before a tournament. This does not suggest you to cut back on your conditioning exercises. You don’t wish to see your players getting hurt prior to the match or at some point in the game.
If a soccer fitness training series is devised correctly, even 3 days time would be sufficient to train the players fully. All you need to do is be honest in carrying out the plan based on some good homework. These are some guidelines that lead to short but useful conditioning plans.
Warming up: Instruct the players to start with any of the following; a five minute jog, high knees, jumping, or heel flicks. Take adequate rest for a few seconds in between. Then do some stretching for another 5 minutes that will tone up the muscles. Be sure to include all the major muscle groups in these soccer workouts.
Running: Some coaches have a tendency to make the players do constant running. Though it’s absolutely ok, but in my opinion the players should be made to practice only soccer specific running. It means that for 20 to 30 minutes, they do a mix of running, jogging, walking, and sprinting in no set order.
This form of running at different speeds helps the players get strong and have more control over their bodies. And they do not feel tired since a walk after a sprint keeps the heart rate normal.
Just let the individual players decide on what they wish to do and when. If they enjoy doing sprints more than jogging, that is OK. As the players progress and their strength increases, you can augment the time of the soccer conditioning program by 5 to 10 minutes.
Stretching: Persuade the players to do stretching exercises both after the training session as well as a match. Focus on the whole body but lay emphasis on hamstrings, groins, quads, calves and lower back. Ensure that the stretching postures are longer than the warm-up sessions. Generally, 20 to 30 seconds is a good duration.
Instruct the players to take adequate rest a day before the match. This will allow the muscles to recover and also prevent the possibility of an injury. It is also a good time to have a discussion with them and boost their confidence.
Discuss some funny things or joke so that they feel lighter.
Understand me! Once these techniques are applied, your players shall start playing dramatically well. To know more on soccer conditioning, subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community and benefit from its immense resources on youth soccer.
Andre Botelho is the author of “The Expert Youth Soccer Coaching Guide” and he’s a recognized expert in the subject of youth soccer coaching. Learn how to explode your players’ skills and make coaching sessions fun in less than 29 days! Download your free pdf guide at: Soccer Drills For Kids.