Strength Training for Soccer Players

1. Strength Training for Soccer Players Steve Murray CSCS Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Macalester College

2. Overview • Start Basic • First years coming into program have separate workout • Teach proper form and technique on all exercises • Start basic on exercise selection and progress • Develop proper movement patterns • Address strength and flexibility imbalances • Front to back • Soccer players are generally Quad dominant • Emphasis on posterior chain • Flexibility Issues • Hip Flexors, Hamstrings, IT Bands • Side to side • Dominant plant leg and contact leg • Work towards unilateral movements

3. Overview • Core Strength • Kinetic Chain • Weak core creates inefficiency with force production from foot strike • Higher Risk of Injury • Would you rather open a can of paint with a screw driver or a wet noodle • Base Level of Strength • Squat body weight • RDL 100% of body weight(80% 6 times) • 3 min. plank • Properly perform all upper body exercises

4. Overview • Goals – Once basic level of strength has been established • Create strength and power through periodization • Progress to lower reps and higher weights • Progress exercises to be more explosive and complex • Maintain muscle balance and flexibility • Emphasis on posterior chain and unilateral movements • Dynamic warm up at the start of all workouts • Static Stretching at the end of each workout • Foam rolling incorporated into workouts

5. Overview • Improve Proprioception and Balance • Improve dynamic stabilization in joints through training the central nervous systems • Exercises designed for Proprioception training • Incorporate balance into existing exercises • Activation of Glutes and Abductors • Continue to develop core strength • Develop core through holds(planks), explosive movement(throws), and endurance(high repitition)

6. Workout Outline • Basics • Full body workout 2 to 3 times per week • One day is unilateral movements/stabilization and balance • Emphasis on ground based full body movements • Emphasis on posterior chain • Need to challenge themselves to failure in the weight room

7. Workout Outline • Activation • During warm up we utilize exercises that activate the glutes and other abductor muscles • Glutes • Bridges, Band Bridges, Single Leg Bridges • Repitition or holds • Prior to quad hip exercises • Abductors • Band Abduction Series, Step outs, Craby Lady, Body Weight Side Kicks • Also incorporated into Core and SAQ

8. Workout Outline • Triple Extension – extension of the ankles, knees, and Hips • Every explosive movement, from sprinting to jumping involves the extension of the ankle, knee, and hip • Progress from body weight exercises to Hang Cleans and Hang Snatches • Can accomplish this without a weight room • Med Ball Overhead Toss, Med Ball Hip Toss, Tire Flips, Vertical Jumps, Broad Jumps, Lunge Jumps

9. Workout Outline • Quad/Hip Movement • Assess through body weight squat or overhead squat • Decide starting point, progress to regular squats and advanced squating movements • Wall Squat, Assisted Squat, Body Weight Squat, Straight Arm Squat, Overhead Squat, Back Squat, Front Squat, Single Leg Squat • Must be able to squat body weight before moving on to advanced movements or maxing out • On stabilization/Unilateral movement days • Start with step ups and lunge variations before progressing to single leg squats

10. Workout Outline • Upper Body Push Exercise • Base level of upper body strength is needed to assist with speed development and positioning on the soccer field • Exercises • Push Ups, push up variations, Bench Press, bench press variations

11. Workout Outline • Posterior Chain • Target hamstrings and Glutes • Our main hamstring exercise is RDL’s • Very important to stress hamstrings to keep quad hip ratio • Other exercises • Weighted Bridges, Machine Hamstring Curls, Stability Ball Hamstring Curls, Manual Hamstring Curls, Glute/Ham Raises • Unilateral Movements • S.L. Hamstring Curls, S.L. Stability Ball Hamstring Curls, S.L. RDL’s, S.L. Manual Hamstring Curls

12. Workout Outline • Upper Body Pull Exercise • In order to keep the body imbalance we nee to have a pulling exercise for every push • Exercise examples • Pull Ups, Seated Row, Lat. Pull Down. Lateral Pull Ups, Bent Over Row, 1 Arm Bent Over Row • Additional Exercises • Shoulders, additional exercises for hamstrings, glutes, back, and lateral movements • Opportunity to target areas of emphasis • Develop balance and proprioception

13. Workout Outline • Core • Stabilizes spine, pelvic, and kinetic chain during all athletic movements • Its ability to stabilize the spine allows for force development and reduces the risk of injury • Develop strength, endurance and proper movement patterns • Strength in exerting and withstanding force • Strength means nothing if you don’t have the endurance to use that strength

14. Workout Outline • Flexibility • Dynamic Warm Up • Each workout will start with a dynamic warm up • Usually start with SAQ before a lift • See SAQ Dynamic Warm Up • Weight room dynamic warm ups • Hurdle Warm Up, Plate Warm Up, Hip Mobility Warm Up, Complex Warm Up • Foam Roll • In Season • Part of lift • Off Season • At the end of the workout • Static Stretch • After all workouts(practice, games, lifts, conditioning)

15. Example • Hurdle Warm Up • Band Abduction Series • DB Hip Swings 3 x 3 each arm • Ss w/ S.L. Bridges 3 x 10 each leg • Single Leg Squats 3 x 6 each leg • DB Alt. Bench Press 3 x 6 each arm • S.L. RDL’s 3 x 6 each leg • Pull Ups 3 x 6 – 8 • S.L. DB Alt. Shoulder Press 2 x 6 each arm/leg • Balance Board Squat Hold 2 x 30 sec. • Timed Abs 2 x 45 sec. each way • Planks, Side Planks, Dead Bug

16. Information • Steve Murray • smurray@macalester.edu • 651-696-6748 • Fitness at Macalester • http://athletics.macalester.edu/sports/2008/11/5/GEN_1105084519.aspx?tab=fitnessatmacalester • http://www.youtube.com • Channel: Macalesterfitness