Speed rules in soccer. Faster players get to loose balls quicker than others and players with supreme speed can recover from disadvantageous situations quickly. Fast players can create space when they have the ball and that will lead to more open shot opportunities and more passing lanes. Speed is not entirely genetic, so you can perform drills to get faster and get better at soccer. You will not notice results right from the beginning, but a soccer speed training program that lasts around eight weeks will show results.
Resistance Drills
Power leads to speed for all athletes, so drills that build leg power also build speed. The resistance speed training drills on the Sports Fitness Advisor website focus on developing power by running intense sprints while pulling weight. Sprint up and down an incline of about 30 degrees like a grassy embankment or a steep hill to strain the legs and build muscle while running hard. You can also run on level ground while wearing a resistance parachute, which will require you to fight the wind resistance and pull from the parachute. The Sports Fitness Advisor states that resistance parachutes can be expensive and are not practical for team training.
Fly 20s, 30s and 40s
Learning how to extend maximum velocity for longer stretches will make you a faster player overall. The Fly 20s, 30s and 40s on the Soccer Training Info website will teach you how to maintain your top speed for a longer stretch by relaxing, and it will take you longer to feel fatigued. Set cones at 15, 35 and 55 yards away and sprint all-out to the first cone. Maintain that speed by relaxing to the next cone, then decelerate for the final 20 yards and stop at the final cone. Move the second cone 10 yards farther to make it a fly 30, or 20 yards to make it a fly 40.
Manchester United Speed Drill
Rather than focusing on one aspect of speed development, the Manchester United Speed Drill encompasses power, agility and acceleration, according to Elitesoccerconditioning.com. Set up a start cone, then six more in a 5-meter stretch. Measure 5 meters more and place a finish cone. The first task is to sprint to the finish, round the cone and sprint back to the start, round that cone and then go through the finish. Do the drill again, but start on the opposite side of the starting cone, which will make you turn the opposite direction you did on the first go-through. The third step is to sprint to the finish, then backpedal to the starting cone before stopping and sprinting forward to the finish. Then do the drill starting on the opposite side.
Member Comments