The Daily Exercises Needed to Get in Shape for Soccer

A soccer game is 90 minutes of intense footwork and full contact with both teams of players. Getting in shape for soccer involves building your upper and lower body strength as well as doing aerobic exercises for cardio endurance. A typical soccer conditioning routine involves core exercises for stability, upper body strengthening, sprinting drills and exercises for the legs. Whether you are a recreational player who plays once a week or a professional or semi-pro, an effective workout routine will help you play at your best for longer.

  1. Upper-Body Strengthening

    • Upper-body strength can help you brush off tackles and scrabble in the box during corner kicks. Greg Gatz, author of “Complete Conditioning for Soccer,” recommends the standard push-up to build strength. He also recommends other types, including decline push-ups, incline push-ups and medicine ball push-ups. Also perform eight to twelve repetitions of the bench press, chin-ups and weighted dips. Train your upper body twice a week on non-consecutive days such as on Wednesdays and Fridays.

    Lower-Body Strengthening

    • Building your legs protects your knees from injury. Gatz suggests the following routine. Perform fifteen dumbbell squats, calf raises and physioball supine leg curls. Sprint for 100 meters or perform a 30-second burst on a stationary bike. Do twelve repetitions of dumbbell side lunges on each leg and end the circuit with a 60-second stationary bike sprint. Complete three or four sets with a one-minute rest in between each. Train your lower body twice a week with 24 hours of rest in between workouts.

    Cardio

    • Aerobic exercise improves your cardio endurance during a soccer game. The exercises usually involve sprint drills, so they shouldn’t take long to complete. Start with four 10-yard sprints, three 20-yard sprints, two 30-yard sprints and one 40-yard sprint. Rest for 60 seconds between sprints and run at about 80 percent of your maximum speed. Other cardio exercises include cycling, rowing and climbing. Aim to perform cardio workouts three times a week on non-consecutive days. Have a meal at least two to three hours before your workout.

    Footwork Drills

    • Footwork drills help improve your agility, which enhances your ball control and passing ability. Perform toe taps, roll and scissors, step overs, foundation side-to-sides while moving backward and forward and outside and inside dribbles. Do two sets of each drill with 30 seconds rest in between each set.