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In-Season Resistance Training The obvious goal of any coach is to have their team performing at the peak of their potential at the end of the season. But, as you know, this is easier said than done. No coach can deny that the physical part of soccer (speed, strength, stamina, power, etc) is critical for success. This, combined with a solid technical and tactical background, plus experience playing in pressure packed situations can elevate the player’s potential to reach their peak. But during the soccer season this multi-directional approach sometimes can become more uni-directional with the increased emphasis on the technical/tactical part combined with the heavy schedule of games and tournaments. Below is a model depicting what happens when the emphasis on the technical/tactical game outweighs the maintenance approach on the physical game.
Figure 1: Using a multi-directional approach to soccer training a strong, stable foundation of Athleticism Development can lead to even higher levels of Skill and Tactics, thus allowing the athlete to reach his or her potential. Figure 2: This depicts a uni-directional approach to soccer training which will lead to strength and speed losses as well as possible injuries, performance inconsistencies and decreases in overall athletic performance. In Figure 1 we see a higher peak due to the athletes maintaining the physical tools (strength, power, speed, stamina, etc) so that they can do much more with the skill, tactical knowledge, and experience they are developing each week during the season. This represents a balanced approach to training, rather the imbalanced approach we see in Figure 2. But how do we fit it in? With 2 games a week and practice for 2 or more hours a day, how do we maintain a solid foundation of the physical attributes needed to peak at the end of the season? It is actually easier than you think, and much more beneficial! During the season, all it takes is 1-2 sessions of 20-30 minutes of resistance training, combined with a structured approach to conditioning to see phenomenal results. First you incorporate a more dynamic warm up consisting of rhythm, mobility and low level, low volume plyometric activity 2x per week. The plyos should not be fatiguing, but rather stimulating to the nervous system (1-2 sets of 5-8 reps, or 3-5 seconds of quick explosive work). You can also put some agility work into this section as well, you will notice the benefits immediately as your players will react and move much quicker in the first part of your practice. Once again, this is not conditioning, just activation. Second, you can incorporate 1-2 days of strength training into your practices (pre or post practice) for 20-30 minutes. This will take the place of a warm up or conditioning. The strength exercises need to be basic and for the sole purpose of maintaining strength. There is no need to put in exercises that the players are unfamiliar with. Lifts should be multi-joint (squatting, lunging, box step ups, etc.) for the lower body. They should target the groin, hamstring, hip flexor and glutes for the lower body and shoulders for the upper body. The core work should be multi-planer (crunching, twisting, extending, etc.), and creative. For instance you can add a medicine ball workout to the routine and hit the shoulders and core with one drill (rotational med ball tosses). If your athletes are “efficient” enough in these drills they can also use the med balls to hit the lower body as well, giving you the option of a dynamic (med ball) day, and a strength day (dumbbell or barbell based). Much research has been done on this topic and the results are always the same. Research in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise recently found thatteams that stop resistance training during the season will show a decrease in soccer performance by the end of the season. We also did a study with several players and found the same thing. The results are shown in Figure 3 below.
Figure 3: This graph shows the results of a high school soccer season on athletic speed, power and agility tests when some of the athletes stopped strength training during the season. Here is a sample workout that you could use to maintain the physical attributes that enhance a players potential during the season. You could modify the exercises done in the weight room, to add variety, based on the experience of the athlete. Day 1- Dynamic Warm Up:
Day 2- Weight Room:
Day 3- Dynamic Warm Up: Day 4- Dynamic Strength:
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