Soccer Conditioning : 3 Things You Must Know
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Author: Andre Botelho
Let it be known that a soccer conditioning program is the very basis on which the success of any team depends. 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.
Still, your team or you may face situations where there is paucity of time to train ahead of a tournament. This does not suggest you to cut back on your conditioning exercises. You don’t want your players to get injured before or during 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. There are one or two tips which work well with short but successful training plans.
Warming up: Guide the players to open with any of these; high knees, jumping, or heel flicks or a five minute jog. Take time to relax for a while in between. This should be followed by some stretching of muscles for about 5 minutes to tone them up. Be sure to include all the major muscle groups in these soccer workouts.
Running: Some coaches tend to make their players do continuous 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 exhausted since a walk after a sprint evens things out.
Just let the individual players make a decision as to what they want to do and when. If they wish to do sprints more than light jogging, there is no harm in it. As the stamina of the kids increases, you can increase the duration of the soccer conditioning program slightly.
Stretching: Encourage the players to do it whenever they can; after a training session and after the match. Concentrate on working out the whole body specially the hamstrings, groins, quads, calves and lower back. Keep the stretching positions longer than in the warm-up sessions. Usually, 20 to 30 seconds is perfect.
Make the players rest a day before the match. This will make the muscles build up strength as well as negate the possibility of injuries. Also, use this time to discuss your plan with the team and encouraging them.
Discuss some funny things or joke so that they feel lighter.
Trust me! Once these techniques are applied, your players shall start playing dramatically well. To know more about soccer conditioning, subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community which will leave you richer with resources on youth soccer.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/soccer-articles/soccer-conditioning-3-things-you-must-know-2029204.html
About the Author
Andre Botelho is known online as The \\\”Expert Youth Soccer Coach\\\” and he\\\’s a worldwide recognized authority in youth soccer coaching. His free youth soccer coaching reports and ebooks have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Andre Botelho influences well over 35,000 youth soccer coaches worldwide each year with his unique coaching style. Learn how to explode your players\\\’ skills and make training more fun. Download your free youth soccer coaching guide at http://www.soccerdrillstips.com
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