JUNE 2009 TIP #03

STRENGTH TRAINING FOR SOCCER

 Soccer requires a good foundation of strength.  From kicking to tackling to twisting and turning, sprinting and heading, the physical demands of soccer involve moving with balance and power through a wide range of motion.  For optimal performance, soccer players require strength in both the lower and upper body.  Adding muscle size and bulk is NOT building strength.

Appropriate strength training helps by reducing muscular imbalances which may lead to injury.  You do not need gym equipment to build strength.  Free weights, resistance bands (eg. theraband) and your own body weight can all be used to put together an effective strength program.

For soccer there are 4 types of strength training:

1 - Basic Strength

· Designed to strengthen stability muscles and balance right and left sides of the body.  Due to the nature of soccer, uneven demands can be placed on muscles such as overdeveloped quadriceps.  This places the hamstrings under uneven stresses.

2 - Maximal Strength

· Uses the high load low reps protocol ie. very heavy weight for a small number of repetitions.  This type of training limits the amount of muscle bulk but allowing the neuromuscular system to adapt.

3 - Explosive Power

· By definition power is the ability of the neuromuscular system to produce the greatest amount of force in the least amount of time.  A soccer player maybe very strong but unable to apply that strength rapidly, so their explosive power is limited.  Plyometrics is an effective way of training for this. There are many types of plyometric training, jump training is one such example.

4 - Muscular Endurance

· Uses the low load high reps protocol ie. light weight for a high number of repetitions.  For example, a circuit with multiple exercise stations such as push-ups, step ups, burpees, squats, and walking lunges.  Ideally, functional exercises such as high box step ups instead of leg press would be more specific to soccer.