High School Soccer Speed Training Drills

Soccer can be a demanding sport, and so can training for it. Soccer players must possess the endurance to jog a 90-minute game and the strength and conditioning for constant sprints and upper body battles with opposition players. At all levels of the game speed is an important skill that can separate elite players from average ones, and winning teams from losers. Acceleration, endurance and recovery are aspects of soccer speed that can be improved with practice and focus on form and technique; overall speed potential is enhanced with leg strength exercises and drills that improve muscle reaction and contraction speed.

  1. Seasons

    • Speed training for soccer can be done all year-round but players may benefit from focusing on different types of routines in different seasons. Most elite players work to build leg muscle and improve overall strength in the off season when they have the time and energy to do it properly. Heavy leg workouts during the season can be physically draining and might take away from practice and game performance. Legs also tend to bulk up after gym workouts, and this can interfere with your stride and take away from your speed during the season. Many pre-season speed programs focus on interval training, which can build speed and endurance simultaneously and get players into game shape. As the season progresses, coaches and trainers might like to start paying more attention to technique and form to maximize the strength gains made in the off season and to build toward peak performances in the post-season.

    Types of Drills

    • Off-season gym workouts for improved leg strength include basic squat and lunge drills, quad presses, calf and hamstring curls and heel lifts. Effective pre-season drills include alternative start sprints where players begin on their knees or by lying on their stomachs before being called to sprint 30 meters. Over-speed training can involve running down a slightly inclined hill and resistance speed training can be accomplished by sprinting for short distances up hills, or by sprinting against the force of a resistance band or parachute. Ladder drills and skipping strides are common regular season activities for speed maintenance and enhancement.

    Routines

    • A well-planned training routine adapts to the athlete's improving performance levels and gradually raises standards. For example the first week of a speed training routine might include two days where you run 3x30m sprints, 3x60m sprints and 3x90m sprints with 45 seconds of rest between sets, and one day where you run a 50m-100m-150m-200m-150m-100m-50m sprint pyramid with a rest ratio of three times the time it takes to accomplish each sprint. The second week of this program should involve slightly increased sprint distances for the first two sessions and reduced rest times for the sprint pyramid, perhaps decreasing the rest ratio to two times the time it takes to accomplish the sprints, for example.

    Warm-ups

    • Speed drills can put a lot of strain on your lower body, and shin splints and pulled hamstrings are common soccer injuries associated with sprinting. Be sure to run a proper warm-up before beginning speed training drills. A half-mile jog followed by dynamic and static stretching should do the job.

    Considerations

    • Age and competition level are important considerations for choosing soccer speed drills. Sprinting form and technique is probably more important for elite players playing at high competition levels than for younger players or those out to play recreationally. Time committed to speed training drills should also be accompanied by investments in an athlete's overall health, including proper nutrition and sleeping habits, and training sessions should be planned to allow the body time to recuperate and refuel.