When we first came up with a focused training programe designed specifically for football (or soccer players if you read this in American) many people couldn’t understand why. After all, we are strength and conditioning specialists, and soccer isn’t about either of those qualities is it. Erm, yes, we think you will find that it is. And just as Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger weaned the English game off it’s post match pint of beer or ten, so too are we making inroads in advising leading football clubs on how to get their most valuable commodities into their best shape possible. After all, if you take two equally skilled players and make one of them healthier, faster and stronger, which one will perform better (and for longer)?!
There are many myths surrounding football training programe, many of which are discussed in our article “Improving upon Perfection: Could Zizou have been an even better player?!”, but it should be very obvious to budding Premiership stars that the right coaching for football physical success should address the following issues:
1) Speed and Agility Training
Speed is King in so many sports. What do they say of has-been footballers? “His legs have gone”. Focused and intelligent resistance training is partly responsible for the fastest men and women in the world, and yet we have found that footballers simply throw in a few sets and reps here in there, preferring to run endless drills instead. A smart footballer will want to develop non linear, explosive power so that he can change direction, angle, and velocity in a fraction of a second. The absolute cast iron guaranteed best way to acquire this ability is via a programme of resistance and plyometric training. And when all is said and done have you ever heard of a coach dropping a player because he is too fast?!
2) Maximum Endurance
A well conditioned athlete should never run out of gas during a game. Smart pre game nutritional protocols and training that develops BOTH explosive power and long range fitness are the keys to top performance.
3) Postural alignment
Many footballers exhibit limiting postural imbalances. Do you play with guys with rounded shoulders and heads tilted forward? If so, they are an accident waiting to happen. A good strength and conditioning program always includes corrective exercises to maximize your body’s ability to perform at a safe and optimal level.
4) Muscle imbalance correction and injury prevention
The human body is a single system, not just a series of muscles. It doesn’t matter how powerful your strongest muscles are as it’s the weakest link that determines your performance as an athlete whatever your sport. In football particular emphasis MUST be placed on strengthening the vastus medialis muscle of the lower thigh (the muscle that sits over your knee on the inside of your leg). Although this is quite a simple muscle to train via a variety of exercises such at the Petersen step up, it has historically been a huge area of neglect for football players. Why the muscle that has the key responsibility for maintaining knee integrity has been so long ignored by traditional soccer coaches is entirely beyond our comprehension. Think of Michael Owen’s knee buckling under him at the 2006 World Cup and you can think of several million reasons (£!) why strengthening the vastus medialis should be a top priority for all footballers who ever make lateral movements (such as evading tackle, sidestepping, or even just quickly changing direction!).
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