Soccer is a rapidly growing sport in America, so here are some gym exercises to help soccer players boost their performance on the field!
We’re now in the middle of soccer season for both high school and club leagues, so it’s crucial for soccer players to stay fit in between games this time of year.
Although soccer is a sport that largely relies upon intense fitness and agility training, there are some gym exercises that can go a long way to boost performance on the field for players of all levels. There’s no denying just how physically demanding soccer is, and although every player needs technical skills to thrive, there are a lot of things that a soccer player can do off the field to help take their game to a new level.
Below are some popular gym exercises that are known to boost soccer performance!
HIIT Training & Stationary Bikes
HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training, and it focuses on conditioning an individual’s anaerobic system. Every soccer player knows just how important it is to turn the jets on and sprint as fast as possible for about 10-15 yards, because these short sprints are often what make or break a player’s ability to chase the ball down or blow past an opposing defender.
There are all sorts of HIIT exercises that soccer players can include in their daily workout routines, and these can be done on a track, field, treadmill, or even a stationary bike. Stationary bikes are a good training option for soccer players, partly because it reduces impact on joints. However, the trick with HIIT training on stationary bikes is to do several rounds of sprints, which entail pedaling as fast as possible for 30 seconds or more in between recovery phases.
What’s great about HIIT training is that it essentially mimics how the body reacts during a soccer match, because you’ll have brief breaks in between intense moments—just like you would during a game!
Barbell Front Squats
Squats are one of the most important weightlifting exercises at any gym, and this is mainly due to the multitude of muscles that are used in this type of training. For soccer players, barbell front squats are particularly beneficial.
This is partly because this type of squat specifically emphasizes your quad muscles, which are very important for striking a soccer ball with power and precision. Barbell front squats also help athletes to engage their core to an impeccable degree, which is crucial for all forms of fitness and athletics.
Planks
There’s a reason why soccer players tend to have great abs, and this is because core strength is a huge part of maintaining fitness, agility, and overall speed on the field. Planks are one of the simplest and best ways to condition your core muscles through bodyweight exercises, and this exercise is absolutely essential when it comes to coordinating and stabilizing all of your muscles.
Having great core strength can do wonders for a soccer player’s stamina and balance, and these exercises can truly be the difference when needing to make sudden turns and agile maneuvers to get around defenders—while simultaneously controlling the ball with your next pass in mind!
Treadmill Jogging
Because HIIT training is so popular these days, steady rate cardio training has somewhat fallen out of fashion. However, when you consider just how much running is needed during just one soccer game, it becomes clear in terms of how fit soccer players simply must be.
One of the best things a soccer player can do at the gym is simply get on the treadmill and run for upwards of 30-60 minutes (with little to no breaks). Your steady rate cardio is going to be critical for conditioning your aerobic systems, and going above and beyond with your aerobic training can often be the difference when the going gets tough during tight games.
As much as HIIT sprint intervals are crucial for soccer players, they can’t quite get the job done when it comes to training for the steady grind that comes with every game. By combining the other workouts in this list with a significant amount of treadmill time, soccer players can get the full dosage of exercise that they absolutely need from each gym session!
Barbell Deadlifts
Deadlifts are a great exercise for any soccer player who wants to increase their overall power on the field. Barbell deadlifts focus on what’s known as the entire posterior chain, which includes your lower back, glutes, hamstrings, rear delts, and trapezius muscles.
Soccer players—and all athletes—use these muscles during just about every second of movement, so strengthening them can support an athlete when they’re in the middle of intense exertion.
The Rising Legends Experts Are Here To Help Soccer Teams Improve Their Fitness Training!
One of the best things that a soccer coach can do is encourage athletes to include gym exercises as a part of their daily workouts and practice sessions. By just going to the gym and including the above workouts just 2-3 times per week, a soccer player can see dramatic improvements during games.
We look forward to hearing from you and seeing how we can support your soccer team with professionally-guided fitness training!