Position players in Soccer have a very unique musculature and energy system requirement to excel at the sport. It is a combination of powerful/sudden movements and aerobic/muscular-endurance that is unlike most other sports. Forwards, Midfielders and Defensive-Backs each have slightly different metabolic requirements (midfielders typically have the most need for aerobic development), but all require the ability to accelerate, change direction, and perform throughout long matches.
Core-stability is extremely important for these athletes, due to the constant change-of-direction and need to stop, plant, and strike multiple times. Single-Leg strength and muscular-endurance is also of utmost-importance for speed, agility, and planting/striking. Double-Leg and Upper-Body training is secondary, but is still trained to improve strength and stability.
Soccer Training Highlights:
- Core-Stability – focusing on stabilizing the spine during agility and striking movements, as well as rotational stability
- Single-Leg Strength/Endurance – focusing on single-leg hip-extension and hip-abduction/adduction, with repeated repetitions
- Deceleration/Injury-Prevention – focusing on decelerating from sprints and agility movements to prevent non-contact ACL injuries (especially in female athletes)
- Upper-Body Strength – focusing on stabilizing the shoulders to allow for fluid running-mechanics, and shoulder abduction for keeping opponents away from the body
- Conditioning – focusing on Anaerobic-Lactic and Aerobic energy systems (sprints up to 100 yards, and moderate-intensity runs with short rest periods)
