10 Apr Plyometrics for Girls Soccer Players: No One Does Them Correctly
One of the biggest misses in girls soccer speed, strength and agility training is plyometrics.
Or, should I say, mess?
Either way, 99.9% of plyometric training I see on social media or at the soccer fields here in Tampa Florida are wrong for several reasons:
1. Girls aren’t popping off the ground fast enough.
2. Girls aren’t in the proper postures and positions and aren’t hitting the ground with the correct part of the foot.
3. Girls aren’t doing the appropriate drill for their level.
4. Girls aren’t doing the correct sets and reps for the type of plyo drill.
5. Girls are being labeled as doing plyometrics, when they really aren’t.
Newsflash: a box jump for 1 rep is not a plyometric. That is a deceleration/landing drill.
In fact, I only know a handful of strength coaches who know the definition of a plyometric and who actually coach it well.
Defining Plyometric
A plyometric is when the body uses the stretch shortening cycle (SSC) when going from a rapid eccentric to concentric action. In other words, when the body brakes and the produces force quickly, so an athlete must do more than one hop or jump in order for it to be called a plyo.
Think leaps, hops and bounces when you’re going from one rep to the next fast.
Plyo drills are used to improve speed and fast changes of direction, allowing the athlete to be better at transitioning from eccentric (braking forces) to concentric (acceleration) forces.
Here are examples of plyometrics for girls soccer players that must be in every strength program:
Progressed strength training is amazing for girls soccer players, but they also need the fast, twitchy movements like plyometrics in their speed program.
Strength is the foundation and plyometrics are what give girls the edge for their speed! Plyometrics are also an amazing ACL injury reduction tool so girls are more comfortable with braking movements on the field. In fact, they’re a major part of my ACL return to play program for my girls here in Lutz Florida. Plyometrics NEVER leave the program during ACL rehab.
Plyometrics must be programmed properly.
For lower intensity plyometrics like leaps and shorter hops, girls can do more reps, and for higher intensity plyometrics like various hops or deep tier plyometrics, or depth jumps, reps should be lower.
Don’t do plyometrics wrong, otherwise girls will remain slow and a step behind.
Make sure plyometrics are a part of every strength training program.
Be springy!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Erica Mulholland is a former college 3x All-American soccer player and now Hall of Famer from Johns Hopkins University. She holds a Master of Science in Exercise Science and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach, who has been helping female athletes of all sports with speed, agility, strength, power, and conditioning for 14 years. She works with youth female athletes who want to become stronger and faster, as well as ACL and meniscus surgery rehab for female athletes in the later stages (over 3 month mark post-surgery) who want to return to sport better than they were prior to injury.
Work with Erica in Tampa and Lutz Florida for speed, agility, and strength training, OR late stage ACL rehab (must be at minimum 3 months into physical therapy and post-surgery): BOOK ASSESSMENT HERE
Interested in REMOTE TRAINING for Female Athletes? BOOK A CONSULT HERE
Get Erica’s book FEMALE ATHLETE HIGH PERFORMANCE
No Comments