It’s Soccer Season! Are You in the Right Condition?

Summer soccer season is quickly approaching so it is time to start thinking about getting in shape to have a great season.  Many think of soccer as a purely aerobic sport meaning that players are running at a low to moderate intensity for a long period of time.  It is definitely a reasonable thought considering that the game is played on a large field with two halves of 45 minutes at the professional level without any team timeouts available.  However, those that closely study the sport recognize that soccer is heavily reliant on the body’s anaerobic systems which supply energy for short bursts of high to maximal intensity.  Although different positions require different skill sets, the type of running required by each position (except goalkeepers) is very similar.  They are required to perform high intensity bursts of energy that are followed by periods of rest when the ball changes possession or sides of the field.

Therefore, an appropriate pre-season conditioning program should consist mostly of sprints and short, high-intensity change of direction type drills.  This is a change from the prior belief that soccer players should simply run long distances over for prolonged periods of time in order to get in proper shape for the season.  A conditioning program heavily based on agility (change of direction) and sprints will not only get players into proper shape, but will also improve quickness and sprint speed.  While professionals often times cover several miles over the course of the game, it is the way in which they accumulate those miles that is important to address during pre-season conditioning.

Sample:

Speed Ladder: warm-up for footwork

Sprints: 10-20 seconds of work, 1-2 minutes of rest

Cone Drills: T-drill, Box drill, W-drill

Long distance run: 1-2 mile run

For more information on how to get started for Soccer Season contact us at info@perscription-fitness.com or call 216-552-6729

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Written by: Stephen James

B.S. Exercise Science & Psychology

Certified Personal Trainer

Prescription Fitness

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