What we need to remember is that training speed and power is much more demanding on our bodies and therefore should not be a year-round focus. This should be the emphasis of our preseason training. Since the demands of soccer require the ability to perform quick bursts of speed and power movements over the course of a game, we need to train ourselves to improve this ability. Tends to increase risk of muscle pulls due to force production, injury The development of Fast twitch muscle fibers (FT) which are less efficient over longer activity periods, Here are the negative effects of only performing speed workouts:

The emphasis on running for conditioning is helpful in off season, but as you move in the preseason training the focus should shift to more speed/sprint/agility workouts.Ĭan I just do Speed Work and Sprints to improve my endurance? As we stated in the last question, relying on one specific method of training will not develop the many aspects of conditioning needed for the sport of soccer. This is not to say we that we should not do any longer distance runs, but if this is the only training you are doing then you will not achieve the explosive muscle power or endurance needed for today’s soccer stamina.

There is also a greater likelihood of injury or overuse from more extensive running time and mileage. Physiologically speaking, long-distance running tends to favor the development of Short Twitch (ST) muscle fibers which has a negative impact on our speed and power, and therefore limits our ability to recover quickly from short bouts of intense sprinting. However, this does not train our ability to sprint or make quick cutting our change of direction movements that are a significant component of our endurance needs with soccer. Middle to long distance running will certainly boost our aerobic capacity and has many positive effects on cardiovascular training, conditioning, and weight control. Most of these are relatively short duration, probably 20m or so in length. During the game, they might have 35-50 “sprints” depending on the position. Let’s look at some statistics taken from FIFA about the rough stats for 90 min of playing time: Individuals cover 10-11km with 75-80% being spent at jogging/walking speeds, 10% at medium speeds, and 10% at high speeds. There is some inherent value in cross-training considerations during these periods in order to train muscles differently and provide a break from soccer both mentally and physically, helping to balance the body and avoid overtraining injuries.Ĭan I increase my stamina and build endurance simply by running? Soccer is a sport that demands much more from us than just pure running. Identifying some areas of weakness and addressing these during breaks in play thru the year is important. Many individuals play soccer year-round now, which does not provide much “off” season time. It is good to start some general focus toward demands of the next sport about 6 weeks prior to transitioning from one to another. Skiing is a very quad dominant sport and does not prepare us well for the demands of running and cutting activities. One clear example of this is skiers, who then need to transition to spring soccer. Many individuals participate in multiple sports and therefore should consider training different aspects when transitioning from one sport to another. In general, off season/early season should be low intensity - gradually advancing to higher intensity workouts and culminating with In-season training to maintain gains in speed, power, and endurance. There are some differences between Early season, Pre-season and In-season training. Training may be different depending on the time of year. Here are few general concepts to consider along the way In this article we will discuss some training ideas, and focus on the preseason training. This is especially important if you want to enhance your performance, particularly in the last 15-20 minutes of a game when fatigue sets in. Since few sports mimic the physical stamina and conditioning needed in soccer, we need to focus our endurance training to account for many of these areas. It is by nature a mixed endurance sport: a combination of running and sprinting activities, but also involving agility, cutting, jumping, stopping/starting and change of direction movements. Soccer is a very unique sport in that it requires a variety of physical traits such as speed, power, endurance, strength, agility and flexibility.

Muscular endurance exercises for soccer