March 18, 2010
I’m not sure if you know this but in soccer practice, almost everyone feels that players are born with the physical capacity to play the game. Even though a lot depends on the genetics but it is still possible to teach the players some basic fitness components that help improve the player’s performance.
To come up with an efficient soccer training plan, first understand what the demands of the game are. The game of soccer is based on a variety of fitness components.
To name a few, flexibility, control, power, pace, agility, and resistance are some.
The prominence of each element can be adjusted to fit to your individual goals and requirements. But it must be noted that training all the components will have an energizing effect on the player’s performance.
In soccer drills, let’s take a closer look at the given fitness components in order to know their relation with the player’s performance. The game of soccer calls for certain movements that entail a wide range of activity. For this reason, flexibility training should be made a part of the daily soccer practice routine.
The benefits of better movement and flexibility will be realized after days of practice. It’s easier to sustain flexibility than it is to develop it.
With a view to improving the live performance on the field, devote time on teaching players to maintain a complete range of movements. In most cases, practice daily all such flexibility drills which incorporate sprinting, jumping, and kicking the ball. The game of soccer is mostly reactive, and therefore improved flexibility will perk up the player’s ability to take quick decisions.
Goalkeepers can cover a lot of ground both in both horizontal and vertical positions. So, they need a lot of variety in movements. Midfielders who possess the ball also require jumping, kicking, running etc around the field. Attacking players have the advantage because they can move when they maneuver the ball among opponents.
Together with providing increased range of activity, keeping the body flexible can prevent injuries. In a practice session, the focus is to prevent injuries at all costs. Flexibility is crucial in situations where due to increased running and training, the muscles feel exhausted and the playing posture is affected. And then, cool down exercises bring a lot of relief to the players.
If there is no flexibility in soccer coaching, fitness gets severely impacted. Whereas, if the players are flexible, they can do a lot of movements freely. Speed is another supplement to great flexibility. With agility in your hip, knee, and ankle joints, you will be able to quicken your pace during sprinting.
In conclusion, always remember that being flexible in soccer practice sessions requires a progressive and a regular routine. This will happen only when there are a variety of flexibility exercises in your routine.
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Andre Botelho is a recognized authority in youth soccer coaching and has already helped thousands of youth coaches to dramatically improve their coaching skills. Learn how to explode your players’ skills and make training fun by downloading your free ebook at: Soccer Training Drills.
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