Let it be known that a soccer conditioning program is the very basis on which the success of any team depends. Without strength, agility, and endurance, all of which are build as a result of soccer exercises, the players cannot even dream of being fit for a tournament, leave alone winning it.
Nevertheless, situations may arise where you or your team don’t get sufficient time to practice before a match. This does not suggest you to cut back on your conditioning exercises. You don’t intend to see your players suffering injuries during or prior to the game.
If a soccer fitness training series is devised correctly, even 3 days time would be sufficient to train the players fully. All that it takes is seriousness, good preparation, and its implementation. Here are a few tips to work with short but effective conditioning programs.
Warming up: The players must be told to begin with either of these; a five minute jog, jumping, high knees, or heel flicks. Take enough rest for a minute or so in between. Then do some stretching for another 5 minutes that will tone up the muscles. Make sure that these soccer workouts consist of all the main muscle groups.
Running: Some coaches have the habit of making their players do continuously rounds of running. Though it’s absolutely ok, but in my opinion the players should be made to practice only soccer specific running. This leads to the fact that they do running, jogging, walking, and sprinting in no set order for half an hour.
This running at varying speeds builds stamina and also helps players control their body. Also, they do not get fatigued since a walk after a sprint balances 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 kids develop more strength and energy, you can increase the length of the soccer conditioning program by 10 minutes.
Stretching: Instruct the players to do it religiously; both before and after the match or a training session. Concentrate on including the whole body but emphasize on hamstrings, groins, quads, calves and lower back. Ensure that the stretching postures are longer than the warm-up sessions. Normally, 20 to 30 seconds is fine.
Make the players rest a day before the match. This will give the muscles time to recuperate and also overrule the possibility of an injury before the big day. Also, this is a great time to talk to the players and giving them a high.
Make them laugh a lot so that they start getting positive.
Have faith in me! Once these techniques are applied, your players shall start playing dramatically well. In order to know more about soccer conditioning, subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community that will give you access to great soccer resources.
Andre Botelho is the author of “The Expert Youth Soccer Coaching Guide” and he’s a recognized expert in the subject of youth soccer coaching. Learn how to explode your players’ skills and make coaching sessions fun in less than 29 days! Download your free pdf guide at: Soccer Drills For Kids.
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