Running Training for Soccer

Soccer is a game of constant movement. Whether running, sprinting, jogging or backpedaling, a good soccer player will cover, on average, six miles per match, according to active.com. For this type of physical performance to be maintained and performed at a high level, players must train specifically for the running they do in soccer.

  1. Benefits

    • Soccer requires peak physical conditioning of its players to be played at the highest level. The only way to achieve this level of conditioning is training specifically for soccer and the amount of running done in a match. The benefits of this training vary from better performance on the pitch (soccer field) for longer amounts of time to a decreased chance of injury or cramping before, during and after a match. Also, the better conditioned a player is, the more likely he is to perform with the same amount of skill necessary when passing, dribbling and shooting at the end of the game as the beginning. At any level above a school level, soccer limits the amount of substitutions a team can make. Therefore, any player who tires easily becomes a liability.

    Time Frame

    • Two types of running should be done to improve and maintain a player's fitness. The first is "offseason" training. It should be done two weeks after the previous season ends and should finish 10 days before the next season begins. The focus should be on maxing out potential and increasing gains in speed, recovery and endurance.

      The second type is "in-season" training, which should be done before and after games. It needs to focus on maintaining endurance and muscle recovery. Training should not be done more than 12 to 15 hours after a game, unless its stretching and loosening the muscles through light jogging.

    Types

    • The most common soccer running exercises address the three major areas of running fitness–speed, endurance and recovery. For speed training, wind sprints with varying distance levels are best. The focus should only be about running as fast as possible for the desired distance. For endurance, there are drills that combine sprinting and running known as interval training. The focus is to maintain a constant speed while running, then in 10- to 15-second intervals, sprinting as fast as possible, then returning to the running speed. For recovery training, players can do sprint circuit training. This involves sprinting a desired distance, from corner flag to corner flag diagonally across the field, then barely jogging from that corner across the goal line to the other corner flag, then sprinting diagonally across the field again.

    Concerns

    • Players should avoid focusing only on one or two types of training. Soccer is a game of constant, but varied movement. It is crucial to train for each type and to train on transitioning from one to another. There is a also concern that players can over-train during a season. The adrenaline used in match competition is almost impossible to re-create in practice. Players are best advised to err on the side of caution when training in season.

    Precautions

    • Check with a doctor or team trainer before beginning a training regimen, especially for running drills. The amount of running often causes lactic acid buildup in the legs and players need to be aware of proper diet and stretching methods to avoid cramps and injuries.