Speed Training and Soccer

It is important to understand that body control is an important part of the equation. Although many sequences in soccer occur in very small spaces and for short distances, it is not just about moving as fast as possible from Point A to Point B, as this can easily result in a loss of body control as well as a failure to utilize/recruit the musculature properly. After two or three explosive steps, the player should be in control enough to adjust as the situation dictates rather than being out of control with limited chances of success.

It even can be beneficial to familiarize a soccer player with how to best run a 100-meter dash. That distance is long enough where the athlete's max velocity that he/she is capable of can be attained and maintained before the inevitable deceleration. A soccer sequence even more so than football may have the athlete sprinting for an extended distance. Even if not being asked to sprint for a long distance, having that skill in the player's tool box can allow him/her to adjust the body positions, quicken the rhythm/cadence, etc..., as needed for the various situations. In addition, efficient movement results in less wear and tear on the joints, tendons, and musculature when starting, stopping, changing direction, jumping/landing, etc..., during play.

Some athletes, without being told anything are better than others at coordinating their actions and recruiting the right muscles to push-off explosively into some kind of sprint, have their body aligned well during the process, as well as doing a good job of keeping the body segments in front of the body, while eliminating unwanted action that occurs to the back of the body, ie, a visual that can be observed during top speed running is that the thigh of the leg that is pushing off should travel no more than just a little bit past being in line with the torso, and then will recover up in front of the body. This is referred to as having good front side mechanics. It is definitely easier to be effective at decelerating, changing direction, stopping, etc..., when the legs are recovering up in front of the body as they should, feet under the center of gravity, and in the appropriate dynamic posture for the given sequence. Meaning, that an athlete that runs with too much backside mechanics has a harder time being effective in these situations. The same goes for having good trunk and shin discipline (explained in the Preparing Athletes for Sports That Feature Starting, Stopping, and Changes of Direction blog).

When the body is in an acceleration posture where the hips and torso are angled forward, ie; during the start and initial acceleration, the same thigh to torso relationship for front side mechanics applies, but the athlete needs to be skilled at assuming what is called "option positions", meaning that a body position is assumed that is functionally well suited for a situation where the player needs to respond skillfully. When sprinting, during the start and initial acceleration, the head is angled downward, and the eyes are focused downward. When engaging opponents on the soccer pitch, however; although the hips and torso may be angled forward, the head is basically up, and as many skills are executed the hips have to be able to roll, flip, snap, etc..., to be in the proper alignment for maximum effectiveness. The hanging forward that is done during the drive phase on the track is replaced by whatever is most appropriate for the skills that need to be executed.

In track, during a sprint the balance is challenged during an initial first few steps. A high degree of eccentric strength can help the athlete to be balanced at this time, as well as when planting a foot, landing from a jump, etc....

Check out this Fastest Soccer Players of All-Time video for examples of what an asset speed can be on a soccer field. Training for speed also can be a very important part of knee care training, as properly recruiting the glutes and hamstrings are important for knee care as well. In my mind, considering knee care should be mandatory for sports that include jumping, cutting, and pivoting like basketball, soccer, and volleyball. FYI - Non-contact ACL tears are especially prevalent in these sports, especially among females. Although the injury rate is not as great among males, they also need to give attention to knee care as well. In my opinion it is a mistake to conduct a program meant to increase explosive performance in soccer players without also giving attention to the knee care aspect. Most non-contact ACL injuries in soccer happen while defending. This video on defending does a great job of including details like staying low and light on your feet while defending, which helps prevent these types of injuries. Check out this key info on common movements in soccer that lead to ACL injuries.

Another important aspect is when players are moving about in a not too fast manner, but at a moment's notice may need to react quickly and move explosively and powerfully. This is where body part alignment and movement efficiency during the lesser intense movement is very important, and the explosive movement, of course, needs to be executed in a fundamentally sound manner in regard to the soccer situation.

Beginning the type of training I'm suggesting in the off-season allows the time for programs to take their time in pulling this off. My suggestion for a big picture off-season plan is:

1. Basic conditioning which, along with running, includes; good bending, good glute and hamstring recruitment to start movement in a variety of ways. Assess athletes ability to bend properly.

2. Strengthening key areas of the body Many body weight exercises can suffice.

3. Promote running with appropriate forefoot landings and technique in general when running at various speeds. Leg stiffness training fits in here.

4. Practice jumping, hopping, landing (this is called sticking the landing and is part of a training progression), cutting, pivoting, stopping, and back pedaling skills, etc..., first without a ball and without game-like competition to help instill basics while assessing what athletes have concerns. Before adding a ball and competitive game-like situations and games, have a plan for those that have demonstrated significant injury risk during assessments, so obviously there has to be some note taking and recording of what is observed while assessing the athletes.

5. Add the ball and competitive game-like situations, drills, and games.

For pre-season and during the season, various activities, exercises, and drills can be rotated into team warmups that promote knee care. At the end of the day, the goal is for all players to be able to play soccer, executing the skills and movements at a high level and in a safe fashion. Please check out my blogs that detail sprinting and allow time for the lessons to translate into performances on the field.