Soccer-specific aerobic endurance training has a direct impact on the performance of a soccer player. A soccer game requires a series of repeated walks, jogs and sprints over a period of 90 minutes or more. Fatigue will increase the number of mental and physical mistakes made by a soccer player. Aerobic endurance will dictate a soccer player's ability to maintain performance, particularly in the second half of games or during overtime.
Types
An aerobic endurance foundation develops through jogging or cycling for long distances. The periods of intense work followed by slower runs and active rest in interval training accurately simulate the physical demands of a soccer game. Qualified strength and conditioning coach Phil Davies recommends on his Sports Fitness Advisor website that an interval training session for a soccer player should begin with a 10-minute steady jog to warm up. Jog for 60 seconds, run hard for 90 seconds, and jog for 45 seconds before sprinting for 10. Complete the cycle by jogging for 30 seconds, running backwards for 30, walking for 30 and then running hard for 60 seconds. Repeat this cycle three or four times during an interval training session.
Considerations
Different positions on a soccer team will require different types of fitness. For example, a central midfielder must have the ability to cover large areas of ground throughout the game. A goalkeeper must be able to produce short, explosive movements intermittently. Soccer Training Info, a website ran by a group of former soccer players, explains that each position is different and training should be tailored to suit the demands of each player. One way to do this is to devote a section of practice to fitness with players working in positional groups.
Features
The Expert Football website suggests varying long-distance drills for use in soccer-specific aerobic endurance training. Develop cardio endurance by running two miles at approximately 50 or 60 percent of your top speed two days per week. More intense training to build soccer-specific endurance can be performed on a sandy or elevated surface. Run one mile at between 60 and 80 per cent of your maximum speed.
Significance
In the modern game, coaches incorporate ball work and game play into soccer-specific aerobic endurance training sessions. Successful pro coach Jose Mourinho, at Real Madrid as of 2010, conducts all preseason fitness work with a ball involved to improve technical skills alongside fitness. Mourinho, who won the English Premier League as Chelsea coach and the Champions League with Inter Milan, uses intense, small-sided games to work on soccer specific aerobic endurance.
Expert Insight
U.S. Men's National Team coach Bob Bradley recommends conducting two workouts per week, such as a 30-minute run or cycle, to build an aerobic fitness base. Bradley also emphasizes the importance of interval training for a soccer player. Interval training increases a soccer player's ability to recover between periods of hard running and play during games, he states.
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