Soccer players are typically lean and don't appear to carry much muscle mass, but all elite players from high school to the professional level participate in strength training. Lifting weights develops strength and power and better equips the athlete to perform on the field. As when training for all sports, weight training should be specific to developing the physical capabilities necessary during competition.
Needs Analysis
In order to develop a strength-training program that's specific to soccer, first analyze what an athlete needs to succeed at the sport. Soccer is a highly strenuous sport that requires speed, agility, strength and power. You don't want to increase your muscle mass; possessing a lean frame is beneficial. You need to be able to sprint 10 to 20 yards, beat other players to the ball, kick with power and elevate over others. A soccer strength-training program needs to be tailored toward developing these abilities.
Benefits
Participating in consistent strength training directly improves all athletic aspects. Athletes will see sport specific improvements such as being able to sprint to balls faster and jump higher to execute headers. The time needed for recovery after competition or practice will be significantly less for those players who incorporate strength training into their fitness regimens. Marios Christou found in a 2006 study that was published in the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research" that adolescents who completed a 16-week strength-training program saw significant improvements in upper and lower body strength, vertical jump height and speed in the 30-meter sprint.
Program Organization
Despite the competitive season only being about eight months, soccer players should participate in year-long strength training. The program should be split up and organized so you're achieving different goals at different times. Directly after the season ends, participate in an offseason program that focuses on improving general strength and fitness. Approximately three months before the season, embark on an early preseason program that keeps your general strength up but starts to incorporate more sport-specific activities such as explosive lifts. With about a month before the season, the late preseason program begins and all emphasis is placed on the explosive lifts that are meant to develop power. Weight training should continue through the competitive season but should scale back in intensity and focus solely on maintaining strength and power levels.
Exercises
It's obvious that the legs are a huge component in the sport of soccer, so many of the strength-training exercises should focus on their strength and power development. Exercises such as squats, hang cleans, jump squats and lunges should be done during each workout session. But the overall body needs to be developed as well, and exercises such as bench press, push-ups, seated rows, pull-ups, shoulder press and core exercises are necessary for you to be able to perform on the field. Plyometric exercises will need to be included in nearly every workout session to help develop power.
Misconceptions
Some soccer players are hesitant to participate in strength training because they're afraid of putting on too much muscle and subsequently losing the lean stature that's typically beneficial to soccer. But lifting weights in a manner that's specific to soccer will only benefit the athlete and help improve overall athletic performance.
Member Comments