Creating a Personalized Training System
If you want to become a truly great soccer player, create your own training program that lets you embellish your strengths while focusing on your weaknesses. Form your plan around the time you have available to train independently. Though it is important to be ambitious and set high goals for yourself, do not devise a plan that you will not be able to stick to. Above all else, be consistent about when and how long you practice. As you devise your training program, think about what areas of soccer skills you need to target. Decide which areas you should focus on, whether they be speed, accuracy, agility, or strength. Once you have done this, devise a plan that has you focus on each of these areas for a certain period of time. For example, if speed is a strength for you, it is important to spend a few minutes every day polishing that skill, but much more of your time will be focused on accuracy or strength. If you need some help devising your plan, check with parents, coaches, or even friends.
The Importance of Flexibility in Soccer
If soccer players are not flexible, they can cause damage to themselves by overextending their muscles. Overextension can happen at any time during practice or during a game. All soccer players should learn how to stretch properly, and do so daily. The responsibility to learn safe stretching exercises lies with the players and with their coaches. Stretching should take the first 15 minutes of practice, and coaches and players should remember to implement some cool-down stretching exercises after the game. Some stretches soccer players need are pretty simple; others are quite complex. When trying a new stretch, players should always know what muscle groups they are supposed to be focusing on. In order to really be flexible, players should stretch often and stretch well.
Areas of General Training for Soccer
Strength, speed, and agility are all important abilities when it comes to the game of soccer. It is obvious why speed is important in soccer: soccer is a fast-paced game. If you can surpass others on the field in terms of keeping up the ball, you are in a great position to make valuable plays for your team. Soccer demands lots of fast spurts of speed within a general marathon-like running session, so develop your speed over both short and long distances. Another key skill to work on is agility. This will help you dodge other players, protect the goal, and make contact with the ball. If you want to defeat other teams in terms of power, strength training is a third crucial area to develop. It also gives you the energy and endurance you need to outlast other players on the field. As you work on training exercises to develop these three athletic traits, you will notice that your abilities and your statistics on the field will increase substantially.
Strength Development Exercises
Strength is an important but overlooked area of soccer training. Be sure to implement it in your practices. Some strength training exercises used in any sport are also great for soccer. You can build strength by doing push-ups and sit-ups as well as weight lifting. Make sure to implement exercises that develop strength in your legs. Soccer also demands certain strength abilities that you can work on specifically. One of the most important attributes a soccer player has on the field is stamina. Try using resistance tools, such as running sleds or parachutes, as you run. Arm strength is especially important for goalies, but it will help any soccer athlete. Weighted balls are available to help you develop your strength. They should not, however, be used for kicking or heading.
If you want to become a truly great soccer player, create your own training program that lets you embellish your strengths while focusing on your weaknesses. Form your plan around the time you have available to train independently. Though it is important to be ambitious and set high goals for yourself, do not devise a plan that you will not be able to stick to. Above all else, be consistent about when and how long you practice. As you devise your training program, think about what areas of soccer skills you need to target. Decide which areas you should focus on, whether they be speed, accuracy, agility, or strength. Once you have done this, devise a plan that has you focus on each of these areas for a certain period of time. For example, if speed is a strength for you, it is important to spend a few minutes every day polishing that skill, but much more of your time will be focused on accuracy or strength. If you need some help devising your plan, check with parents, coaches, or even friends.
The Importance of Flexibility in Soccer
If soccer players are not flexible, they can cause damage to themselves by overextending their muscles. Overextension can happen at any time during practice or during a game. All soccer players should learn how to stretch properly, and do so daily. The responsibility to learn safe stretching exercises lies with the players and with their coaches. Stretching should take the first 15 minutes of practice, and coaches and players should remember to implement some cool-down stretching exercises after the game. Some stretches soccer players need are pretty simple; others are quite complex. When trying a new stretch, players should always know what muscle groups they are supposed to be focusing on. In order to really be flexible, players should stretch often and stretch well.
Areas of General Training for Soccer
Strength, speed, and agility are all important abilities when it comes to the game of soccer. It is obvious why speed is important in soccer: soccer is a fast-paced game. If you can surpass others on the field in terms of keeping up the ball, you are in a great position to make valuable plays for your team. Soccer demands lots of fast spurts of speed within a general marathon-like running session, so develop your speed over both short and long distances. Another key skill to work on is agility. This will help you dodge other players, protect the goal, and make contact with the ball. If you want to defeat other teams in terms of power, strength training is a third crucial area to develop. It also gives you the energy and endurance you need to outlast other players on the field. As you work on training exercises to develop these three athletic traits, you will notice that your abilities and your statistics on the field will increase substantially.
Strength Development Exercises
Strength is an important but overlooked area of soccer training. Be sure to implement it in your practices. Some strength training exercises used in any sport are also great for soccer. You can build strength by doing push-ups and sit-ups as well as weight lifting. Make sure to implement exercises that develop strength in your legs. Soccer also demands certain strength abilities that you can work on specifically. One of the most important attributes a soccer player has on the field is stamina. Try using resistance tools, such as running sleds or parachutes, as you run. Arm strength is especially important for goalies, but it will help any soccer athlete. Weighted balls are available to help you develop your strength. They should not, however, be used for kicking or heading.
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