Offseason Soccer Training Programs

Soccer requires a more conditioned body than perhaps any other sport. After walking away from the end of the season in peak physical shape, many players make the mistake of resting their bodies for too long. During the offseason, the body should neither be pushed to the extremes it endures during the season, nor completely at rest. Light training three days a week will help the athlete stay in shape for next season.

  1. Aerobic Exercise

    • Maintaining speed fitness during the offseason is crucial. As opposed to long runs that build endurance, aerobic exercises that focus on running in short bursts are helpful for speed. One drill for this is called 15-30-15. The athlete sprints for 15 yards, then rests for a few seconds before running another 15 yards. This is repeated for 24 repetitions. Cycle two consists of sprinting 30 yards for 18 reps. Cycle three is another 24 reps of 15 yards. This drill also helps with acceleration and deceleration.

    Strength Training

    • During the offseason, no athlete should try to keep up the maximal strength training that is needed during the soccer season. But working to keep the body's core strength stabilized will prove to be helpful when full training for the next season begins. Resistance training that is focused on the core is best. Exercises for the lower back, hamstrings and stomach muscles are ideal, such as training with a fitness ball or stability board. Sit-ups and lunges are also good for core strength. Training two or three times a week, for less than 45 minutes per session, is plenty.

    Endurance

    • The endurance needed to run up and down a soccer field so many times throughout a full season is difficult to achieve. Once it is, athletes must be careful during their downtime to not let that level of endurance slip away entirely. Experts discourage long-distance running during the offseason. It's important to take time to rest the joints. Instead, taking part in another sport is a way to maintain heart rate and endurance. Swimming, cycling and tennis are good options.

    Footwork

    • The rapid and nimble footwork necessary in soccer is a skill that takes a long time to learn and it must be practiced, like any skill, in order to remain strong. Simple balance techniques, such as bouncing the ball off of each foot and then each knee, trying to reach a higher count each time, are a relaxed way to maintain nimble reflexes with minimal strain on the body, Casually kicking the ball with a partner or jumping rope also help with footwork.