Soccer is a game that requires a lot of physical endurance, stamina, leg strength and agility. Keeping your lower body loose, flexible and strong is a key to preventing injury and performing your best. Performing specific stretching and strengthening exercises will keep your legs soccer-ready all year round. Consult your doctor before any new stretching regimen.
Two-Legged Hamstring Stretch
Flexible hamstrings will help you extend your legs when you kick the ball and to avoid injury. Sit on the floor with your feet together and legs extended in front of you, the Sports Fitness Advisor website instructs. Tuck your chin to your chest and reach with both hands toward your toes. Keep your feet pointed to the sky to enhance the stretch.
Side-Lying Quad Stretch
Your quadriceps muscle, on the front of your thigh, can easily tighten up and strain or tear when playing soccer, so flexibility is a must. To stretch your quad from a lying position, lie on one side with your bottom hand under your head. Use your top hand to grab hold of your top ankle and pull your leg toward your butt until you feel a stretch in your quad. Do the stretch on both sides.
Seated Groin Stretch
The seated groin stretch is also known as a butterfly stretch because your legs resemble a butterfly's wings. To do the stretch, sit on the floor and bring the bottoms of your feet together up near your groin, the WakeMed Health and Hospitals website instructs. Press down on the insides of your knees with your hands or elbows to feel the stretch in your groin and the inside of your thighs.
Lunges
Lunges strengthen your quads and stretch your hamstrings and glutes at the same time. You can do lunges with your hands on your hips, holding dumbbells down by your sides or a barbell across your shoulders. With your feet shoulder-width apart, take a big step forward and bend your front leg until your thigh is parallel to the ground. Then you can either step back and repeat, or step forward with your back leg and continue alternating legs.
Squats
Squats are a basic, effective exercise for building strength in your quadriceps. Strong quadriceps will help you with the sudden bursts of speed required in soccer. You can use your own body weight, a barbell or dumbbells to perform squats. Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder width and squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Push back up to the standing position and repeat.
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