Intense Soccer Training

Preseason training is, without doubt, the hardest and most intense period of time for a soccer player. The drills require the players to be in peak physical condition, ready for the new season. Much of the training will be without the ball until the coaching staff believes the players are physically and mentally prepared. Intense soccer training can be described as the five S's.

  1. Stamina

    • A soccer players must be able to play well and keep running around the pitch for the whole match. Stamina training will prevent the player from wilting and feeling tired toward the end of the game. Running long distances at a steady pace will help to improve stamina. The soccer team with the fittest players usually wins the match.

    Speed

    • Being able to outpace the opposing players is a handy skill and a potent weapon on the soccer pitch. Speed drills can be performed using the pitch markings. Line the team up horizontally on the touchline, either side of the goalposts. The team jogs to the six-yard line, then sprints back to the touchline. Repeat the process using the penalty area line, the halfway line, the opposite penalty area line, the opposite six-yard line and finally, the opposite touchline.

    Strength

    • Strength will improve with natural fitness, but there are drills that will make players physically stronger. Several sessions of sit-ups and push-ups will strengthen the stomach muscles, biceps and shoulders. A player who is physically stronger than his opponent will stand a better chance of winning the ball in the tackle and be harder to dispossess while in possession of the ball.

    Suppleness

    • A soccer player needs to keep his muscles supple to avoid cramps and injuries. A good level of fitness plus an active warm-up before a game will help keep the muscles from tightening. A gentle jog followed by stretching the legs is a good way to warm up. Groin strains are a common injury in soccer, so lifting the legs outward with the knee bent will prevent injury.

    Skill

    • Soccer players will start to train with the ball once the required fitness levels are reached. Intense skill training will involve hard running while keeping the ball under control. Control skills are achieved by using a line of plastic cones placed an equal distance apart, to dribble the ball around on alternate sides. The cones will be moved closer together as the players' skill develops.