Soccer Strength Training and Conditioning

Soccer is a game that is extremely demanding and is dependent upon many different athletic qualities. Speed, agility, power, quickness, flexibility, strength, and aerobic and anaerobic capacity are all qualities that must be trained to perform at a high level in the sport. A good soccer strength training and conditioning program is designed to address strength, power, mobility, coordination, balance, and reactive ability.


Soccer Strength Training and Conditioning

Strength training plays a huge role in increasing the ability to produce force and ultimately power but also in reducing the chance of injury. By improving an athletes' ability to produce force and capacity to do work, there is an increased potential for the athlete to carry over the force produced to the actual game which can translate into moving faster and at a higher rate, becoming more explosive and making movement much more efficient. Strength training should be balanced and focus on developing all areas of the body to reduce the chance of injury.

The number of days per week that a soccer player should strength train will vary depending on several factors. There are times of the year where volume and intensity must be decreased so that the risk of injury is not increased. Each soccer player will have their own specific needs, but as a rule I would say 2-3 days of strength training depending on the time of year (pre-season, in-season, post-season)

As an example I currently work with a few HS level soccer players 3 days a week, but now that school and regular practice is about to start I will need to adjust the program on a weekly or even a daily basis depending on the athletes needs.



The Program Any well designed program must contain the following:

-Dynamic Warm-up/Dynamic Flexibility
-Core
-Plyometrics (lower/upper)
-Movement Training
-Explosive Movement (jumps/Oly)
-Squat Movements (2 and 1 Leg)
-Upper Body Push (Horizontal and Vertical)
-Bend/Post Chain Movements (SL and BL)
-Upper Body Pull (Horizontal and Vertical)
-Scapulae Stabilization
-Rotator Cuff Endurance
-Glute Activation
-Calf/Anterior Tibialis Strength
-Conditioning
-Tissue Quality (Foam Rollers)
-Tissue Length (Stretching)


I must note that not everything listed will require the same amount of attention! Each athlete will have specific deficiencies that they will need to work on. Some athletes may need more flexibility work than others, while others may need more core work or more posterior chain exercises to enhance glute activation.

This is just a few things a Strength and Conditioning coach should take into considered before sitting down to write the actual training program. Remember, no one program will work for everyone, it might start out the same, but changes need to be made on a weekly or daily basis the individual athletes program.



Brian Van Hook is a Strength and Conditioning Specialist in Las Vegas, NV