12 Month Soccer Training Program

Soccer is the total sport.

And a well-thought-out soccer training program must reflect that.

Soccer players must perform with short bursts of power and speed AND have the ability to keep going for 90
minutes or more...

First and foremost though... a soccer training program should be individually tailored to your needs AND your
resources.

All the training theory - the perfect 12-month fitness regime - it all flies out the window if you simply don't have the
time (or the inclination) to train 3 or 4 days a week.

Start with what you have available.

Think about what you want to achieve in soccer. If you take the time to prepare now you will reap the rewards later
on...

Step 1 -- ask yourself honestly how much time you are willing to commit to your soccer training program. Then take
a bit off to account for over enthusiasm!

Step 2 -- what is your current level of conditioning? Be more precise than "fit" or "unfit". Which elements of fitness
do you need to work on most? Speed? Strength? Endurance? If you don't know...

Develop a series of simple fitness tests to find out. For example the 12minutes endurance test, beep test, push ups,
sit ups, 20m sprints, etc… You can do these in one afternoon and it's well worth the effort.

Of all the different types of soccer training you could perform (strength training, speed training, skill work etc.) 20%
will make 80% of the difference to your game...

Stay on the right side of the 80/20 principle. Build your soccer training program around those areas that need most
improvement, especially if your time is limited.

The 12-Month Soccer Training Program

Even if you only play 8 months of the year, your soccer training program should stretch the entire 12 months. More
on why in a moment. The first thing to do is split up our program into 4 distinct phases...
• Early pre-season soccer training
• Late pre-season soccer training
• In-season soccer training
• Closed or off-season soccer training

If you simply want to improve your fitness over the summer - ready for trials next season - base your program on
the late pre-season phase. Side Note At this stage don't worry about individual sessions. This is the "big picture" -
how all the different types of training fit together. You'll find lots more articles at the bottom of this page covering
strength, speed, drills and so on. But don't go to them just yet! OK, let's look at each phase in a little more detail...
Early Pre-Season (4-6 weeks)

Professional players might not see a ball for the first half of the pre-season.

The emphasis is on preparing yourself for the more demanding, late pre-season soccer training. At this early stage
break keep things light and not too demanding. The last thing you should do is dive straight into all out, stomach
wrenching interval training!

Endurance Training

Stick to predominantly continuous type training. This is lower intensity aerobic conditioning. Continuous training
should be the only form of endurance training you perform for the first 2-3 weeks. Gradually progress to more
intense interval training as you move into late pre-season.

Strength Training

Ideally you want to develop maximum strength a few weeks before the start of the competitive season. Why?

Before you can develop explosive power and even speed you must first develop a solid strength base. Maximum
strength can take up to 12 weeks to develop so if strength is a priority for you, start your strength training during
the off-season.

Speed And Power Training


No need for any speed or power work at this stage. Leave it until the late pre-season and In-season.

Flexibility

Don't under estimate the importance of flexibility in a soccer training program. Unfortunately most soccer players do.
Flexibility training is essential for recovery and injury prevention. The best players in the World are useless on the
sidelines!
Again you'll find some good soccer stretching exercises you can use to increase your range of movement below. And
do remember there stretching to improve flexibility is NOT the same as stretching during a warm up. There are some
key differences.

Skill And Tactical Training


The amount of skill work you do at this stage depends on the amount of time you have available. Players old enough
to perform demanding fitness training (Over 16) will have a relatively high level of skill. Having said that...

You can never stop improving!

Late Pre-Season (4-6 weeks)

A word of warning - these few weeks might have you asking, "Why didn't I take up golf?" but this is the phase of
your soccer training program that will have the greatest impact on your game... from a fitness perspective.

Endurance Training

By now, all of your endurance training should be in the form of interval training. Your soccer training should also
become more specific during the late pre-season. Try to match the movement patterns you would find in a typical
match. For example...

Keep the intervals short and intense, include twists and turns and running backwards, train on grass and juggle a
ball during active recovery periods etc.

Strength Training

Gradually decrease the number of strength sessions and replace them with power training sessions such as
plyometrics. Plyometric training can be extremely effective at developing power and explosive off-the-mark speed
but is not suitable for everyone.

Again, don't worry too much if "plyometric training" means nothing to you. We're still on the "big 12-month picture".

Speed Training

As the competitive season draws closer your soccer training should place more and more emphasis on quickness
and sharpness. Again your conditioning must be soccer specific. Vary your sprint starts for example, by running
backwards for a few yards first, jumping to head a ball or controlling and passing a ball before sprinting etc.

Flexibility

As the volume and intensity of your soccer training increases flexibility training becomes even more essential.

Skill/Tactical Training 

Combine skill work with some of your fitness training to save time. If you plan to do an intense interval training
session do your skill work first. If you plan to combine plyometrics or sprint drills with skill work always perform the
plyometrics or sprints first. It goes without saying...

The warm up should precede all of these.

Before we move on to In-Season training phase take a look at the chart below. It will give a quick reference as to
how all the different elements of soccer fitness integrate over a season...

Priority Of Fitness Elements in a Soccer Training Program

Early Pre- Late Pre-

In-Season
Season Season

Continuous
High Low Low
training

Maintenanc
Interval training Low High
e

Strength training High Moderate Low

Maintenanc
Power training High Moderate
e

Maintenanc
Speed training Low High
e

Flexibility training High High High

 In-Season Training
The goal here is to maintain the fitness you developed during pre season. Regular, competitive matches maintain
basic levels of endurance so any additional soccer training should concentrate on speed, power and anaerobic
endurance development.

Suppose your team trains on Tuesdays and Thursdays and plays on Saturdays, below is an example of how an In-
season training week may look...

In-Season Soccer Training Program

Frida Saturda
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Sunday
y y

Team training - Weights Team training Recovery

Interval
plyometrics and session and - interval Rest Match run and
Training
sprint work flexibility training flexibility

The competitive season can last up to 8 months. Training at the same level of intensity week in week out only
promotes the chances of injury and burn out. So...

Every 6 weeks or so give your body a break and a chance to recover. For a week, drop the intense speed and power
sessions and just perform 2 or 3 light aerobic sessions instead.

Closed Season Training

Nearly there!

Avoid abandoning all forms of physical conditioning now the season has ended. If you do nothing for 6 weeks much
of the hard work you've put in over the last season will be lost.

Do what professional players are advised to do...

Cross-training... or X-Training as it's also known.

Do some other form of activity that keeps your fitness levels ticking over AND gives you a mental break from soccer.
Swimming, cycling, tennis, basketball - any of these are good alternatives. Try to exercise 3 times a week for at
least 30 minutes.

Let's quickly sum it all up in one small table that covers the 12-month calendar...

Phases In A 12 Month Soccer Training Program

Mont Ma Ju Ju Au Se Oc No De Ja Fe Ma Ap
h y n l g p t v c n b r r

Phas EP LP
CS CS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS
e S S

CS = Closed season soccer training, EPS = Early pre-season soccer training, LPS = Late pre-season soccer training,
IS = In season soccer training.

Splitting the soccer training program up this way really is the most effective approach to conditioning. And it will give
you a tremendous advantage over other players and teams.

Different Types of Flexibility

Broadly speaking there are 3 types of flexibility. One is more relevant to soccer than the other two...

Static Active flexibility 


Your ability to stretch an antagonist muscle using only the tension in the agonist muscle. An example is holding
one leg straight out in front of you as high as possible. The hamstring (antagonist) is being stretched while the
quadriceps and hip flexors (agonists) are holding your leg up.

Static Passive flexibility


Your ability to hold a stretch using your body weight or some other external force. Using the example above
imagine holding your leg out in font of you and resting it on a chair. Your quadriceps is not required to hold the
extended position.
Dynamic flexibility

Your ability to perform a variety of movements within the full range of motion about a joint. An example is swinging
a leg back and forth as if to kick an imaginary ball.

Guess which is most relevant to soccer?

Yep, dynamic flexibility, although the other two play an important role.

In order to increase your range of motion and flexibility, there are number of stretching methods you can use. Some
are better (and safer) than others. Here is a brief outline...

Different Types of Soccer Stretching

1. Dynamic soccer stretching - often used at the beginning of a warm up. Making circles with the arms to loosen
the shoulders, twisting from side to side and swing each leg as if to kick a ball are all good examples.

2. Ballistic soccer stretching - bouncing or 'jerky' movements that use your bodyweight to increase the stretch.
Bending over and bouncing to touch your toes is a classic example. Avoid ballistic stretching. There are safer and
equally as effective ways to improve range of motion.

3. Static soccer stretching - muscles are stretched without moving the limb or joint itself. A good example of a
static stretch is the traditional quad stretch where, standing on one leg, you grab your ankle and pull your heel into
your backside.

There are other more advanced forms of stretching - PNF, CRAC and isometric stretching. They are a bit more
intense but can be very effective. We'll stick to static stretches for now. With that said let's move on to a soccer
stretching program...

Soccer Stretching Program

Stretching to increase flexibility rather than as part of a warm up requires a slightly different approach...

Each stretch should be held for 20-30 seconds and should be repeated at least twice (preferably three time). So for
example, you wouldn't perform a calf stretch, then a hamstring stretch then a quad stretch etc., and then repeat the
whole routine.

Instead you would perform 3 calf stretches, then 3 hamstring stretches and so on.

Don't perform a soccer stretching routine designed to increase flexibility at the start of a training session or a
game...

Some studies suggest it can decrease power and hinder performance. This is NOT the same as stretching as part of a
warm up - where stretches are held for shorter periods and are not performed back to back - you should always
stretch during a warm up.

Here are some other general, but important guidelines to bear in mind before you start your soccer stretching
routine...
• Do NOT hold a stretch that is in anyway painful. It should feel tight and that tightness should diminish as you
hold the stretch.
• Breath! Avoid holding your breath as you stretch as this can raise blood pressure and leave you feeling dizzy.
• For optimal results try to stretch every day or at least 3-4 times a week
• Makes sure your body in completely warm before you start. Either do 5-10mins of light aerobic exercise or do
your stretches at the end of a training session.
• Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds. "Shake out" the limb and joint and repeat for a total of 2 to 3 sets.
• Don't expect results overnight. It can take up to 6 weeks to see measurable improvements. Be persistent -
they will come.

Finally, consider testing yourself prior to starting a soccer stretching program then

again after 6 weeks. 






Two Leg Hamstring Stretch

1. With both feet together and legs fully extended, reach forward with both hands towards your toes.

2. Tuck your chin towards your chest to increase the stretch. 3. Keep your toes pointed towards the sky. 








Hamstring Split Stretch


1. Bending on one knee, extend the other leg out in front of you.

2. Reach with both hands towards your outstretched foot.

3. Keep your toes towards the sky and tuck your head to increase the stretch. Remember to
breathe!

4. Repeat for the opposite side. 








Lying Quadriceps Stretch


1. Lying on one side grasp your ankle and pull your heel towards your buttocks.

2. Keep your back straight and the other leg bent.

3. Do not grab your foot. Grab just above the ankle joint (the bottom of your leg).

4. Keep the thigh in line with your body. To increase the stretch push your hips
forward (only a slight movement). 

5. Repeat for the opposite side. 








Classic Quadriceps Stretch


1. Standing one leg, grab your opposite ankle and pull your heel into your buttocks.

2. Your bent knee should sty parallel with your standing leg rather then being pulled behind.

3. Push your hips out to increase the stretch and remember not to grab the ankle joint. 

4. Repeat for the opposite side. 









Standing Groin Stretch


1. Stand with your legs wider than shoulder width apart.

2. Shift your weight onto one side as you bend your knee.

3. Reach with one hand towards your outstretched foot.

4. You should feel the stretch right down the inside of your outstretched leg. 

5. Repeat for the opposite side. 






Sitting Groin Stretch

1. Sit with knees bent at 90 degrees.

2. Place the soles of your feet together to 'splay' your knees outwards.

 3. Gently use your hands or elbows to push your knees downwards. 








Lower Back Stretch


1. Sit with the legs straight out in front of you.

2. Bend the right knee so the sole of your foot is flat on the ground.

3. Turn your upper body towards your right knee and place your right hand on the floor
for support.

4. Place your left forearm on the outside of your right knee and gently pull your knee
towards you.

5. Resist with your knee and left hand to feel the tension in your lower back. 

6. Repeat for the opposite side. 






Standing Calf Stretch


1.Using a wall or bar to support you, place one leg outstretched behind you.

2. Keeping the other leg bent lean against the wall to apply pressure to your beg leg.

3. Make sure you keep your back heel flat on the ground.

4. Repeat for the opposite side. 








Shoulder Stretch

1. Place one are outstretched across your chest.

2. Place the hand or forearm of your other arm on your outstretched
elbow to apply pressure.

3. Gently pull your outstretched arm closer to your chest, keeping it as
straight as possible.




How to Determine Your Level of Soccer Fitness

What does a high level of soccer fitness really involve?

What better way to find out than looking at the physical attributes of the game's top players?

In this article we'll look at some of the ways you can test your own level of soccer fitness...

Testing or setting a bench mark before you begin a training program is an important step to success.

You can test yourself before the start of pre-season, again at the the start of the in-season and midway through the
in-season.

There is nothing more encouraging than seeing objectively how much your fitness levels have come on.

Endurance in Soccer
Several studies into the physiological demands of soccer have shown that outfield players can travel up to 13 km or
8 miles during a 90-minute game (see the chart below).
 !

A soccer fitness program should be built around developing a good aerobic base.

Just as we gauge maximal strength with a one repetition maximum lift, there is also a measure for maximal aerobic
power - or aerobic endurance...

It's called VO2max and is simply the most amount of oxygen you can consume per minute relative to your
bodyweight.

Elite endurance athletes like cross-country skiers and Tour de France competitors have VO2max values as high as
85mL.kg.min. To give you a frame of reference, VO2max is about 40mL.kg.min in males and 30mL.kg.min in females
for the average population.

How do soccer players fair? Have a look at the table below...


Average VO2max for Pro & Semi-Pro Soccer Players

(mL.kg.min)

Full
- Centre Midfield Strik Goalkeep
Position
bac -back player er er
k

Professional

62 56 62 60 51
players

Semi-
professional
 55 55 58 54 n/a
players

Compared to the average population then, soccer players unsurprisingly have excellent endurance capacity.

You can estimate your own VO2max with a simple soccer fitness test like a 12-minute run.

Strength in Soccer
Strength forms the basis for power and speed. Soccer players also need strength to hold off challenges from
opponents.

Professional soccer players don't tend to have the same absolute strength as American football players or rugby
players for example. Too much bulk would hinder their agility and speed off the mark. Aerobic and strength
endurance play a more substantial role in soccer than they do in American football.

The most common method for measuring absolute strength is to determine one repetition maximum. Usually the
bench press is used for the upper body and leg press for the lower body.

Perhaps more important in soccer than absolute strength is relative strength...

Relative strength is simply your absolute or maximum strength adjusted according to your body weight. So a 140lb
player who can leg press 280lbs is said to have greater relative strength than a player who can also press 280lbs
but who weighs say, 165lbs.
If you can bench press your own body weight and leg press twice your body weight you have excellent relative
strength.

Of course, this is a rough measure because 100lbs on one weights machine is often more difficult to lift than 100lbs
on another machine.

Soccer players tend to have very well-developed quadriceps. The quads should be approximately twice the strength
of the opposing hamstring muscle group, but in some players this difference can increase.

It's a good idea to spend time strengthening the hamstrings in relation to the quads if this is the case.

Speed & Agility in Soccer

Another significant component of a soccer fitness program is speed and agility training. The speed of play in today's
game is said to be quicker than ever. While elite soccer players are by no means Olympic sprinters, all other things
being equal, faster players have a marked competitive edge.

A very simple speed test is a sprint over 30 yards from a standing start. You can do this easily if you have someone
time you. Take the average time over 3-4 sprints (with plenty of rest between attempts).

Anytime under 5.0 seconds is good. Professional players average 4.0 seconds.

Perhaps more important than all-out speed is speed endurance...

Sprint Fatigue Times for Professional Soccer

Players

Time (seconds) Best sprint time Fatigue

Average 6.80 0.64

Range 6.53 - 7.01 0.15 - 0.92

*To calculate fatigue take your fastest sprint and subtract it from your slowest sprint

Flexibility in Soccer
Last and certainly not least is flexibility.

In most cases increasing your range of motion can be very beneficial - not only in the prevention if injury but to
increase your speed, agility and power too.

Flexibility sessions should feature heavily in your soccer fitness regime.

Measuring flexibility is a simple procedure.

A test like the modified sit and reach, groin flexibility test or truck rotation test are all specific to soccer. You can also
buy a large protractor called a goniometer to quickly measure the range of movement about a joint.

Soccer Speed Training

At any level, speed separates the outstanding players from the average...
So, soccer speed training sessions should play a major role in your training.

Speed in soccer can be quite complex. It certainly entails more than just running fast. When
you talk about speed in your game, here are some of the attributes that will make you a
better player...
 • Quick speed off the mark

• Quick acceleration over 10-15 yards

• Good speed endurance

• Speed in possession of the ball

• Quickness of feet or agility

• The ability to quickly change direction

• The ability to execute skills quickly

• Last but not least... speed of thought

You can see from the above that good 100m sprinters don't necessarily have the attributes
to be quick soccer players. And by the same token...
Players who are not typically fast runners can excel in soccer if they have sharp feet and
quick speed of thought. Remember that old phrase...

"The first 10 yards are in your head."

Absolute speed or your ability to run fast is determined by a number of factors - the
obvious one being genetics.

But if you've been blessed with less than favorable sprinting genes don't worry too much...
A good soccer speed training program will improve the efficiency of your muscle fibers (if
not the type or amount of them) and that will make you faster.

So, one goal of your soccer speed training schedule should be to increase your sprinting
power - particularly your acceleration and speed off the mark. Soccer players rarely sprint
more than 50 yards in a straight line.
A second, and equally important, goal is to increase your speed endurance.

Speed endurance training significantly improves your recovery after a bout of repetitive
sprints. Your body's ability to remove lactic acid increases which can make such a difference
to your game.
Thirdly, a soccer speed training program should improve agility, foot speed and reaction
time. Exercises to improve agility don't tend to be physically taxing. The emphasis is on
short, sharp movements of a high quality.

Finally, incorporating a ball into some of the speed and agility drills is important to make all
those gains in speed transferable to the field of play.

How to Improve Your Speed & Sprinting Power

Before we move on to agility and fast feet, let's look at how training can significantly
improve absolute speed and acceleration. There are 4 important elements that will make you
a faster athlete...

1. Strength and Power Training


Power relates directly to absolute speed. 100m sprinters are very powerful. So are
footballers. Weight lifters are very strong - but not necessarily as powerful.
Power is a combination of both strength and speed of contraction. Increase either one and
you increase power. Ideally, you want to increase both.

Weight training increases strength and plyometric training "converts" that strength into
speed and power.
Both strength and plyometric training for soccer are covered in the following 2 articles...

2. Sprint Training

To improve speed off the mark, running mechanics and acceleration training should feature
in your soccer speed training routine. It doesn't have to be much - just one short session a
week before practice is enough during the in-season.
Drills should be completed over short distances with plenty of rest between sprints. The idea
is not to tire you. Concentrate on form and speed of leg movement over the first few yards.

Over the course of a season, start sprint drills in mid to late pre-season and continue right
through the in-season. Because they aren't fatiguing you can perform they the day before a
game. A lot of pros teams feel that they help to increase mental sharpness in preparation for
an upcoming game.
As a side note, sprint drills should be performed at the start of a training session when you
are fresh.

3. Speed Endurance Training


Be prepared - this type of training can be a killer. A few athletes I know have nicknames for
some of these drills. None of them are repeatable here!

But from a personal perspective, the rewards are worth the temporary "discomfort" you feel
after (and during) a short session.
As you can probably gather these drills are intense. They are designed to generate large
amounts of lactic acid quickly. That way your body adapts by increasing its removal and
dramatically speeding up your recovery.

What does this have to do with speed?

Soccer is a multi-sprint sport and there are many occasions over 90 minutes when you are
forced to make repeated sprints in quick succession. Your ability to maintain high percentage
of your speed and power relies, in part, on your body's ability to remove lactic acid.
Besides...

There's nothing worse than receiving the ball after several sprints chasing opponents - as
they triangle around you! Try doing a Cruyff turn then!
As taxing as these speed endurance drills are they make a game feel easy. It's a real
confidence booster and well worth the effort.

During mid to late pre-season you can perform 2 speed endurance sessions a week
(separated by 24-48 hours).

4. Flexibility training

It's always an uphill struggle trying to get athletes to stretch for the purpose of increasing
their range of motion. They'll do it to warm-up but there are so many benefits to moderately
increasing range of motion.

One of them is increasing power and speed of motion.

A muscle can only contract as fast as its opposing muscle can relax. Flexibility training can
release tightness and promote this speed of relaxation.

Increasing range of motion also helps to lengthen leg stride and is important for quick and
agile changes in direction.
Try to do some stretching exercises three times a week - following a training session when
muscles are warm.
 How to Improve Your Quickness & Agility

A soccer speed training program should also cater for agility...

Agility defines your ability to accelerate, decelerate and change direction quickly, whilst
maintaining speed, body control and poise. Often times you have to do this while in
possession of the ball.

Whereas strength, power and all-out sprint training are designed to improve your maximum
speed, agility and quickness drills help to increase the speed of finer movements. They
improve co-ordination, balance and foot speed.
You can easily combine agility exercises and sprint training exercises into one session - or
even a part of one session (usually at the beginning).

If you've ever seen an athlete use an agility ladder they are training to improve foot speed.
But you don't need anything other than a set of marker cones and a little creativity to design
effective drills.
You should also try to use a ball in some of the drills, although it's not the time to try
elaborate skills. Typically, if you're using a ball, you should touch it the minimum of times
and focus on the movement between touches.

Not all types of training can or should be performed at the same point in the season. A
plyometrics session substitutes a weights session for example.

Soccer Strength Training

Few players get soccer strength training right.

Today's soccer performers must be "complete athletes"...

They have to be quick off the mark and over 10-20 yards. They have to have the upper body strength to resist
challenges. They need excellent levels of both aerobic and anaerobic endurance to last the duration.

If you simply lift weights - in much the same way as a bodybuilder - you are doing yourself and your game a great
disservice.

Bodybuilders, and athletes whose sports are predominantly strength based, will train to increase size, bulk and
maximal strength. They're not too concerned if it's to the detriment of their aerobic endurance levels or even their
agility and flexibility.

If all you do is follow the typical 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions all year round, you are far from getting the most from
your soccer strength training sessions.

Let's take a closer look why...

Different Types of Soccer Strength Training

In soccer, lower body strength is required for kicking, jumping, tackling, twisting and turning and also forms the
foundation for explosive speed.

Upper body strength is required for shielding the ball, holding off opponents, throw-ins and also contributes to
overall power and explosiveness.

We can split "strength" into three broader categories...

Absolute or Maximal Strength


Absolute strength is the maximum force that a muscle group can exert in single, momentary contraction. For
example, a player who can leg press 250lbs has greater absolute strength than a player who can leg press 200lbs.
In soccer, good maximal strength is beneficial for holding off opponents and shielding the ball. More importantly it
also forms the foundation of muscular speed and power.

But there's a caveat.

Maximal strength (usually measured by one repetition max) makes no allowances for time - for example, a
weightlifter can spend 30 seconds or more slowly lifting a weight inch by inch.

Not much use to the soccer player.

As a rule of thumb then, maximal strength training serves a greater purpose than just increasing absolute strength...

The end result should be to increase your explosive speed and power.

Muscular Power

Power is a product of both absolute strength and the speed of movement. Increase either one (without lowering the
other) and you increase explosive power.

Yes, if you do nothing but follow a generalized weights routine you find in nearly every issue of popular fitness
magazines, you will increase your power. That, of course, assumes you continue to maintain your speed and
flexibility.

But even those generalised programs can be enhanced if you consciously increase the speed of contraction.

Another, highly effective form of power training is called plyometrics. Plyometrics bridges the gap between strength
and speed by combining elements of both in single movement patterns.

It sounds complicated but it's not.

In fact it's a very easy form of training to perform so long as the player and coach rigidly adhere to the guidelines.

As we'll see in a moment, soccer strength training should fall into some distinct phases. The first phase is used to
develop a solid functional strength base in the off-season. You can then move on to a maximal strength phase before
converting this into soccer-specific power or...

Strength Endurance

Strength or muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle group to perform repeated, high-intensity movements.
Strength endurance is essential for soccer - and like power, perhaps more essential than all-out strength.

At some point in your soccer training routine you should focus on developing strength endurance. Going back to our
3 sets of 8-12 reps example, general weights programs are inefficient at best for developing soccer-specific strength
endurance...

A much more efficient set-up is circuit training. And if you can incorporate stations into the circuit that match the
movement patterns in soccer, you are way ahead of the game!

With all these different types of soccer strength training, things can start to get a bit overwhelming. How do you
train for maximal strength AND power AND muscular endurance - especially when you have limited training time?

Obviously, the answer is you don't.

Not even professional players can... or should.

Instead, we break a soccer strength training program into several phases - each lasting between 4 and 12 weeks
(although some phases can vary in length).

The 4 Phases of a Soccer Strength Training Program

The Off-Season - Build Functional Strength


The goals of this phase are:

• To prepare the joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons for more intense work in subsequent phases
• To strengthen underused stabilizer muscles
• To balance the right and left side of the body
• To redress the balance between the flexors and extensors (soccer players, for example, are notorious for
having over-developed quads from repetitive kicking actions. No wonder hamstring injuries are so prevalent
in the game).

A good portion of your soccer strength training should focus on core stability. It's a form of training that is
becoming more and more popular, and rightly so...
The core - the abdominals, lower back and trunk - all form your "center of power". Every twisting, turning, stopping
and starting movement is supported by your core. It allows your upper and lower body to work in cohesion,
minimizing shock and stress.

This is the most important phase of any soccer strength training program. Yet most athletes dismiss it. And
it becomes doubly important for younger players.

The foundations you lay in this phase literally determine the quality of strength and power formed in later phases.
More importantly, without this phase, injures - both short and long-term become much more likely.

Early Pre-Season - Build Maximal Strength


The goal of this phase is to develop the highest force possible. Since power is our overall outcome, it makes sense to
develop strength first and then convert it into soccer-specific power.

The aim is to complete this phase before the start of the season. That way the latter stages of pre-season training
can focus on power and strength endurance training.

----- Side Note -----


Maximal strength is relative to the other phases. For obvious reasons younger athletes should lift weights
below their maximum. However, this phase should use higher loads than the other phases.

-----------------------

Late Pre-Season - Muscular Power and Strength Endurance


In this phase of soccer strength training, goal is to convert your strength gains into soccer-specific power and
muscular endurance.

Soccer is one of the few sports demands roughly equal amounts of explosive force and strength endurance.

Plyometric training and/or circuit training should replace sessions in the weight room for this phase. It will last
roughly 4-6 weeks depending on your schedule.

In-Season – Maintenance



To become a balanced player you have to accept that you'll lose a small amount of maximal strength to develop
more competitive types of strength. But it will make you a better player!

During the in-season, the goal is to maintain the gains you've made during a strenuous pre-season period without
over reaching or over training.

This is not one big, continuous phase in your soccer strength training routine.

Because the competitive season can last up to 9 months, you should split your strength routine into smaller cycles.

Each might cycle might last 6-8 weeks for example. At the beginning of each cycle you lift lighter weights and
perhaps perform few sets. You reach a peak in the middle of the cycle (week 4-5) and taper off again towards the
end.

It's another technique used by the pros to keep their bodies (and their minds) fresh and free from injury.

Sample Soccer Weight Training Routine

One of the most efficient and effective set ups for strength endurance is circuit training...

By its very nature it builds both strength and endurance. Most of us are familiar with some form of circuit training
but for the uninitiated here's a recap of the general guidelines...

• Lower weights and higher repetitions - the resistance should be about 50% of one repetition maximum (1-
RM) or light enough to perform 15-25 repetitions. Very often body weight is enough resistance.

• Time is often used instead of repetitions - rather than prescribing a set number of reps, each exercise can be
performed for a set period of time (i.e. 30 seconds).
 • Short rest periods between exercises - to develop endurance, minimal rest is allowed between each stations
and circuits.

• Alternate body parts - each station should work a different part of the body from the station before - ideally
upper body, lower body, upper body and so on.

Here's the routine...

Reps: 30sec per station


Circuits: 2-3

Rest between stations: 20-30sec

Rest between circuits: 2min

Increase the intensity gradually over a period of weeks by increasing the time per exercise/station (45-60sec) or
decreasing the rest periods. For exercises that use freeweights gradually increase the weight as it becomes easier.
However...

Just change one parameter at a time - either the exercise/station time, rest time or weight - NOT all three!
• Push ups
• Side crunches
• Lunges
• Alternating supermans
• Dips
• Fast feet
• Obliques
• Shoulder press with dip

Soccer Conditioning Drills

Drill #1 - Tight Space Dribbling

If you have the luxury of having a ball per person this is a great drill to develop touch and fitness
simultaneously.
1. Perform this drill towards the start of a session - following the warm up and before more
physically demanding drills. 

2. Mark out a space about 20x20 yards (for 15 players). Adjust the size according to the number of
players.

3. For 60 second intervals have the players 'express' themselves with the ball. They should try turns,
faints and tricks. Encourage players not to be running around in a circle (which WILL happen at
first). They should change direction constantly and randomly.

4. Decrease the size of the area after each 60 second bout and repeat for 5 or 6 intervals with a 20-30
second break between.



Drill #2 - Two Versus Two with a Spare

1. In groups of five, two players act as attackers and two players act as defenders. One player is
spare and should wear a bib or vest to stand out.

2. Mark an area of approximately 12-15 yards square. The attackers are given possession of the ball.

3. The spare player is an attacker - in effect he or she is always on the side of the team in possession.

4. The defenders must dispossess the attackers by intercepting the ball. They also receive possession
if the ball goes out of the marker area.

5. Bouts of 2 minutes is ample and the floating player should change at each interval.
This drill is physically demanding but tactically quite clever. The defending pair must work
hard but smart. The team in possession can relax but they will stay alert because giving the
ball away mean hard work.
Drill #3 - Step Jumps

This is a plyometric exercise and should be completed towards the beginning of the
session but only after a thorough warm up.
1. Stand beside a cone or soft object to be cleared.

2. Bring knees up and jump vertically but also laterally off ground and over the
marker.

3. Land on both feet and jump back in the other direction.

4. Ground contact time should be minimal - don't dip into a full squat position.

5. Repeat for 30 seconds maximum and a total of 3 sets. 



Drill #4 - Killer Shuttles

Simple. Excruciating. But very effective. You can perform this drill on your
own or as part of a group in a line. Leave this soccer conditioning drill until the
end of a training session because it can leave legs feeling weak (not ideal for
skill practice!).
1. Place 5 cones out 10 yards apart.

2. Starting on cone 1, run to cone 2 and back, then cone 3 and back, 4 and back, then 5 and back.

3. The sprint should be flat out and players should turn sharply off a different foot at each cone.
4. Rest for 30 seconds and repeat. Rest another 30 seconds and repeat for a third time. This is one
set. Now rest for 2 minutes and repeat for a second set (i.e. 3 lots of shuttle runs with 30 seconds rest
between each).

5. Now do a cool down to disperse all that lactic acid!