The Different Types of Soccer Training That Enhances Players' Performance

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One of the most competitive sports, soccer also has the maximum fan following across the world. Soccer is perhaps the most demanding of all sports. In fact, the FIFA world cup is the most widely shown and viewed tournament in the world and attracted approximately 715.1 million people to watch the 2006 FIFA finals.

But what makes soccer so attractive and competitive? It is a combination of players and their performance and the game itself. 22 players and 2 teams face each other and give a power-packed performance for 90 minutes to decide the winner. You can well imagine the kind of soccer training required by players to give top performance through the 90 minutes and sometimes beyond that as well.

Modern Soccer and Training

Over the years, soccer has become far more competitive and the deciding factor is high performance. The only way players can produce high performance is through proper training as well as conditioning. The FIFA world cup is not just the only tournament, there is the UEFA championship; there are the local league championships, the European Cup, and the Pan-American cup championship as well.

In order to play in any type of soccer game, a player has to be completely fit and show stamina and running skills. Research conducted has revealed that players cover almost 8-12km during a single game of soccer. The 8-12km includes 36% jogging, 24% walking, 20% coursing, 11% sprinting, 7% backward movements, and 2% ball possession movements. The research also indicated that it induces an average intensity that is close to the lactate threshold, which is approximately 80-90% of the maximum human heart rate. Hence, without proper training and conditioning a player would collapse in the field or during the game.

Soccer Training Period

Ideally, the training period should be for 12 months but due to local games and championship participation, the maximum available time is 8 months. High standard soccer training is split up into 4 phases and they are:

1. Pre-season training - Early Season
2. Pre-season training - Late Season
3. During season training
4. Off-season training

Some of the essential aspects and a must have in soccer training for professionals as well as amateurs are:

Endurance Training: Endurance training should ideally start with low intensity aerobic conditioning in the first 2-3 weeks. This should be followed by rigorous interval training all the way into the late pre-season.

Strength Training: Strength training should focus on Anatomical Adaptation (AA), Maximum Strength (MxS) and conversion to Power/Power Endurance (P/PE). This type of training should last for a period of 3-10 weeks. Players can use barbells, light weight implements, medicine balls, dumbbells, and numerous other strength or weight training machines during this period.

Speed and Power Training: This type of training is conducted during the late pre-season as well as in-season. Speed training focuses on quick acceleration and high speed endurance.

Flexibility & Skill training: This type of soccer training is imparted to players during the in-season and is an important driver of on-field performance.

The bottom line is that soccer training is necessary at all levels to provide enhanced performance on the field.