Soccer Fitness Training

Soccer Fitness Training

Training for soccer requires some specialized techniques. In order to succeed, the soccer player must have a combination of well trained technical, tactical and physical skills. Resistance to the effects of fatigue can only be accomplished through intensive and vigorous training that overloads the energy production systems. There are many different methods of training, such as continuous running, interval training, fartlek training and circuit training. Fitness in soccer is described by the five S’s –

1. Speed
2. Stamina
3. Strength
4. Suppleness
5. Skill

Team sports such as soccer makes it difficult to determine what areas of fitness are required. Soccer fitness depends upon the player's position and their role in the team. Strength training helps the player to accelerate quickly, run fast for a long time, reduce injuries, and be an all round stronger athlete. Body Weighted Circuit and other weight lifting exercises are recommended exercises for each muscle group and training terminology. In addition to strength training, players should stretch erll before the start of a match. Stretching helps to loosen up the body and warm up the muscles, thus allowing the joints to operate freely.

Aerobic and anaerobic exercises help to greatly improve the player's fitness level. Aerobic fitness determines the level at which a player can take in and utilize oxygen to perform an activity. It makes the players' heart and lungs more efficient for and thus will allow the player to be able to run further and faster for a longer period of time. Anaerobic fitness determines the intensity level of the player's workout. Anaerobic training, such as sprinting, makes the player's body more efficient at using glycogen as a stored fuel, which results in greater productivity.

It is suggested that the player do 5 minutes of jogging on the spot followed by high knee kicks, heel flicks, jumping jacks, and 5 minutes of stretching. The player can also perform press ups, squat thrusts, lateral raises by using the dumbbells or resistance bands, crunches, dips and sit to stand ups using the dumbbells. Instead of running at a continuous pace, the player can do some soccer specific fartlek running. Fartlek training involves running, jogging and sprinting in a random manner. The player can start by jogging for 5 minutes. This should be followed by sprinting for 20yards, slow jogging for 100yards, cruising for 200yards, backward running for 20yards, turning and sprinting for 30yards, walking for 50yards, and then jogging again for 300yards more. When the player finishs their training session, they should stretch the hamstrings, groins, quads, calves, and lower back muscles for up to 20-30seconds.

Rest and recovery are equally important for superior performance. Sessions of heavy training need to be followed by rest to allow the body to adapt and grow stronger. A combination of aerobic, anaerobic and other fitness training programs with intervals of rest will allow the soccer player to perform better every time they are on the field.