Muscle training for the soccer player is not done with the goal of either a bodybuilder physique or pure strength, according to Sports & Fitness magazine, in "Strength Training for Soccer." Your goals are to be prepared to deal with the ball and your opponent, and develop a strong core, powerful legs and a well-built upper body. Players who train their muscles can perform frequent, long periods of tough exercise during a game, Danish fitness professor and elite pro trainer Jens Bangsbo observes.
Time Frame
Certified personal trainer and former fitness consultant at the University of Wisconsin Robert G. Price divides soccer and muscle training into routines best suited for the off-season, the preseason and the season itself. He recommends working in the off-season to build muscle. He advises two pairs of two-day sessions splitting the training of the legs and that of the rest of the body, with rest days in between.
Types
Train in the off-season with endurance lifting to enable your muscles to work longer without fatigue. Lift lighter weights--about 60 percent of your one-rep maximum--doing 20 or so repetitions. Work on explosive power by lifting weights about 70 percent of your one-rep max, doing between eight and 15 reps.
Features
During your off-season program, work on endurance training during weeks one to four. On days one and three of each week, train the chest and shoulders with the barbell, the back with dumbbell rows, and the back and arms with hammer curls, dips and wide-grip pull-ups. On days two and four, perform two to three sets of leg training: squats, presses, extensions, curls, calf raises and lunges. Switch to power training in weeks five to eight, with leg work at higher weights and lower reps on days one and three, and back and upper body work on days two and four.
Considerations
During the five weeks of the soccer preseason, increase your power by starting with two sets of 15 reps for the exercises in weeks one and two, increasing to three sets of eight reps in weeks three and four and four sets of six reps in week five, Price recommends. As in the off-season, he recommends two-day splits twice a week, with legs on two days and core and upper body on the other two. Perform 20 reps of calf raises as often as possible. During the season itself, follow a maintenance program with two strength-training sessions per week.
Function
Muscle training of the legs helps soccer players increase sprinting ability, speed, jumping and shooting strength, as well as providing you with strength to protect your ankles. Back and abdomen training stabilizes your trunk and affords you greater mobility and a better tackling posture. Strength work on the shoulder and neck allows you to do snappier headers, and arm strength supports sprinting and jumping.
Warning
To avoid risk of injury, never perform exercises involving the lower back, the rotator cuffs and the mid-section with speed and intensity, Price warns. Use slow, careful movements instead. Stretch your muscles after each training session.
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