Soccer Players: You Better Be In-Season Training

12 Sep Soccer Players: You Better Be In-Season Training

If your players aren’t in-season strength training, I question if the longevity of their careers is important to you.

And if you’re a coach who says, “well, weights will make them sore for my practices and the games!”

My answer: the two-to-three game a week template and practice every day template will make them sore. The weights will just excite the nervous system, if sets and reps are kept low.

Or if you’re a parent who utters, “we just can’t make time! It’s a crazy time of year between school and soccer!”

My answer: you can still do an immensely beneficial workout that will progress you kid’s strength, without making them sore. Oh, and it will take less than 30 minutes.

So, let me ask you this: is your kid’s health and long-term physical development important to you? Do you want your child who doesn’t get a lot of minutes to not get de-conditioned? Do you want your starting child to recover hard and be fresh for every match so they don’t blow out a knee?

Because yo. Left and right, I hear horror stories of high school teams with 3 ACLS in pre-season. Or worse yet, a local college in Baltimore, MD with 2 ACLS in one match…within minutes of each other.

This. Needs. To. Stop.

You see, in-season training can be one at home if time is an issue. And better yet, if soreness is an issue, if you have a strength coach who understands periodization, managing load, and tweaking based on game schedules, muscle soreness, mental fatigue, and school stress, you’re in caring hands. They won’t get sore from weights.

Recently, I wrote an extensive article for Stack.com on what in-season training looks like – from recovery, to proper set and rep schemes, to load monitoring for starters and players who play less minutes, and so much more.

You can read it here: Why In-Season Strength Training Is Essential For Soccer Players.

For more strength training drills, sample workouts, and recovery sessions, get The Total Youth Soccer Fitness Program.

For player and team load monitoring, Work With Me Online.