Introduction to Soccer Conditioning
Nutrition: Before anything, I want to mention nutrition. Your work outs and training are only going to be as good as what you put in your body. What you eat and drink is the energy that you have to release in training. If you load up on junk, your performance will be junk. It is not just what you intake before a work out…It is what you intake during and after as well. You have to replace fluids and nutrients that are used up during exercise. It is a constant process. Follow the nutritional guidelines that you have received from me and on the website. Proper nutrition for an athlete is first and foremost before anything else.
Warm up and Cool Down: Make sure you warm up and cool down 10-15 minutes before and after each training session. The warm up should consist of 5 minutes of light jogging, jump rope, etc. followed by dynamic and static stretches. The cool down will need to be a walk, to reduce your heart rate, and more stretching (remember after a training session is the best time to work on flexibility when your muscles are warm and loose).
Anaerobic and Aerobic Exercise
Soccer players require both kinds of exercises: aerobic for endurance and anaerobic for speed, agility, and strength.
Anaerobic: These are intensive exercises which are short in duration. This type of exercise does not supply oxygen to the muscles; it utilizes energy from glycogen and stored energy. Weight training, sprinting and calisthenics are examples of anaerobic exercise.
Aerobic: These are exercises which increase your heartbeat to 65% of it’s maximum rate for an extended period of time. This type of exercise works on large muscle groups and provides oxygen to the muscles, working on the bodies cardiovascular system. This includes brisk walking, jogging, cycling, and swimming.
A soccer player needs the aerobic fitness as the base for an intensive anaerobic workout. This is the base of recovery from sprints and burst on the soccer field. It is extremely important that you maintain a good base by running at 65% capacity for 25-30 minutes three times per week.
Anaerobic conditioning is not meant to tire you out. You really want to keep a 5:1 work / rest ratio when anaerobic training (ex. Sprint 5 seconds and rest/walk recover for 25 seconds). You want to be fresh for every exercise. It’s about good technique and full power every time.
The best speed and agility training combine numerous training methods: Sprints, change of direction, strength training (weights), plyometric, and ladder drills should be incorporated into your training regime. The more power you have the faster and more agile you will become.
I have divided these sessions on the web page. You need to look at all of the sessions and incorporate them into your training. Enjoy and work hard!