Strength Training for Soccer Players

Steve Murray CSCSHead Strength and Conditioning Coach

Macalester College

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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