Soccer Specific Conditioning - what attributes does your player need?

An oft-asked question is which are the fittest athletes in the World.  It's a fair question, but also a tough one to quantify.  The fitness attributes required of a boxer are different to that of swimmer, or a triathlete or a sumo wrestler.  One thing is for sure though and that is that if there were such a title, soccer players would be competing for it.

Running on average 7-12km per game, elite level professionals cover a great distance over a 90 minute game.  Not only are players required to run that distance, but at the same time considerations have to be made for changes of direction, speed, jumping, striking the ball and monitoring both their team mates and opposition players.  It is fair to say that running at a steady pace for 5 miles, while great for general conditioning, will not have the desired effect when looking to play at peak condition.  Historically laps of the field have been used for getting players into shape, but answer me this...how many times have you watched a game and seen a player run the perimeter of the field for the duration?

With that in mind, what soccer specific conditioning attributes do players need to focus on?

Agility

Agility is the ability to change one's body position efficiently.  If you have ever seen Lionel Messi in full flow with the twisting and turning with the ball, you will have seen a player whose agility is as good as anyone's. In this video, Cristano Ronaldo has his speed tested against that of professional sprinter, both in a straight line and through a zig zag.  Though the sprinter has the beating of Ronaldo in a straight line, when it came to constant changes of direction, Ronaldo was clearly the faster man.

Agility is not only limited to attacking players, agility is also key for defenders.  When being attacked by a flying winger 1 v 1, the ability to move backwards and change direction with the player in control of the ball is vital.  It is advised players utilize ladders, hurdles and poles to improve this ability, as well as attempting to move through them both forwards and backwards to help with any transitions from attack to defense or vice versa that take place in the game.

Endurance

Endurance is a key element to most athletic endeavors.  With players expected to perform and stay focused for 90 minutes, sometimes 120, this is especially true in soccer.  However, as previously mentioned, players will not be running at a steady pace for the entire time.  The speed they move at can be anything from a full out sprint to a steady walk and players must be prepared for this.

N'Golo Kante, a summer signing for Chelsea, made 28 high intensity sprints in his first game for the club, ranging between 10-30 meters each time.  Combined with the rest of the distance covered, making these sprints throughout the 90 minutes takes a lot of focus.  With this in mind, it is advised that players use High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) when building endurance - longer distance running mixed with 10-20 second sprints.

Power

Power is the combination of strength and speed (2 other elements we won't discuss here).  The ability to strike a ball, hold of an opponent, out jump someone for a header and accelerate away from on opponent or towards the ball are reliant on an individuals power at a given moment the game.  Former professional player and current QPR head coach Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was once recorded as hitting a free kick at 230km per hour, despite very little back lift in his leg.  As you can see from the video, the keeper had no chance!

Players can develop power through explosive activities such as jump squats, clap push ups and plyometric activities.

Flexibility

Changing direction at high speed, leaping for a header, striking a ball with full power all run the risk of a player suffering a muscular injury.  Hamstrings, quads and groins are all potential parts of the body that are exposed to a pull or a tear in a game of soccer.  For female players, due to the way their bodies form, are also at a great risk of experiencing an ACL related injury.  Dynamic stretching and movements are recommended when players warm up, as well as static stretching and slower paced movements when cooling down after games and practices.

It should be noted that, despite flexibility being at its highest level up to the age of 11, younger travel soccer players should begin to gain an understanding of these movements so that the expectancy does not come as a shock to them when it is more required.

Premier UK runs soccer specific conditioning classes during teh spring and fall seasons.  Speak to your PUK coach for more information.