Soccer Conditioning

By Author: Mark Heffernan
Total Articles: 4717
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Soccer is a physically demanding game based on a variety of skills and coordinated team play. Soccer players know what they must do to compete. During a typical soccer game, the players cover between 8 and 12 kilometers. To cover that span, the players will walk approximately 24 percent of the time, will jog 36 percent of the time, will sprint 11 percent of the time, move backwards about 7 percent of the time and course about 20 percent of the time.

Soccer players need terrific endurance training and can never have too much speed. The player's heart rate is accelerated for long periods of time and breathing is an important part of the conditioning.

If you are serious about soccer or if you just want to enjoy the game, you cannot be too conditioned. If there was ever a game that demonstrated the theory of survival of the fittest, soccer is it.

Players with great aerobic capacity cover more ground and are able to perform at higher levels for extended periods. Most players also need to be able to execute a minimum of seven long sprints per game. Developing the ability to exercise at this level takes dedication, ...
... proper training and a fair amount of smart conditioning.

A worthwhile soccer-conditioning program can seem imposing. Good players pay their dues. That commitment is often what separates the great players from the field.

When the endurance and speed training is understood and practiced regularly, the benefits will be evident almost immediately. The player's contribution level will increase as well as the level of enthusiasm.

In addition to speed and endurance, the value of strength training has become more significant. Players are bigger and stronger and play is more physical than in the past. While there is no substitute for speed, strength runs a close second.

Strength training for soccer concentrates on the game's unique demands. Typically, there is a heavy focus on leg strength, improving the kicking power and using strength training to improve balance and muscular endurance. The primary goal is soccer-specific power, but the benefits are more comprehensive.

When considering the following components of soccer conditioning and training, keep endurance, speed, agility and strength in mind. When you have figured a way to improve all those areas, you are ready to take then field and perform at the highest level.

To perform your best, commit to a training program that includes:

- Soccer agility skills
- Soccer conditioning skills
- Soccer plyometrics - to increase speed and explosiveness
- Extensive endurance training
- Off season training
- Development of peak soccer strength
- Weight training for specifically for soccer
- Warm-up drills
- Soccer stretching drills
- Gauges to measure your progress
- Healthy diet for soccer training

Playing and enjoying soccer to the fullest requires comprehensive training. While programs can be tailored for age brackets, it is never too early to start learning good habits and proper conditioning strategies. By simply checking the list above, you can select the area where you need to begin.

As you enter conditioning programs, you will develop a daily routine that brings all the components together. You may be surprised. Embracing a healthy soccer-conditioning program will carry over to other areas of your life. Chances are that everything you do will become easier, and that you will feel stronger, fitter and more mentally alert than ever before. Get fit, get in the game and enjoy life. That's a formula for success.
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