[ Soccer ]
Soccer is a game of speed, strength, ball control and agility. It requires outstanding mental toughness. Outlasting an opponent in the ninetieth minute can become less of a mental battle if a player is in the best possible shape. The AR Norwood soccer program uses patented Athletic Republic protocols that generate measurable results in an athlete’s speed, strength, power, agility and game skills. In fact, many of the world’s top professional and elite athletes have benefited from these programs.
Now you can train like a pro. Our Acceleration program will increase your strength, speed and agility – all critical for being at the top of your game. This program is ideal for the serious athlete intent on gaining an edge in every aspect of the game.
Below is a detailed overview of our soccer-based programs:
Objectives
- Improve running biomechanics
- Increase explosive power
- Increase stride length/stride frequency
- Increase maximum sprint speed
- Increase anaerobic tolerance
- Improve ball handling and foot skills
- Develop better first touch
- Enhance posture/body positioning
- Improve overall strength to reduce the risk of joint and tendon injuries
Components of Soccer Training
- Dynamic Warm-up/Cool-down
- Speed Training
- Strength Training
- Cardiovascular/Endurance Training
- Plyometric Training
- Flexibility, Dynamic Balance and Agility Training
- Core Stabilization Training
- Skills Development
Dynamic Warm-up/Cool-down
- Dynamic warm-up consists of activities to increase heart rate, blood flow, muscle temperature, and breathing rate. Warming up allows muscles to stretch more easily and joints to move more easily, thereby preventing pulling muscles, most commonly hamstring and quadriceps. Our warm-up also focuses on agility, speed development and flexibility.
- Cooling down ensures athletes relax their muscles and reduce next-day soreness.
Speed Training
- Players run on Athletic Republic Generation II Super Treadmills. These treadmills can reach speeds of 28 miles an hour and an incline grade of 40 degrees.
- Players are taught proper running mechanics at high speeds. Stride efficiency and power make a faster, quicker runner.
- Players also learn visually by seeing themselves in a mirror and by using Dartfish video motion analysis—something they cannot get on the field.
Strength Training
- Soccer is a fast-paced game of finesse where the strongest players will come out ahead. Stronger players are faster and not as easily knocked off the ball. A sound weight-training program promotes stability and reduces the risk of injury.
- Soccer players utilize resistance bands, free-weights, medicine balls, and physio balls to strengthen muscles, joints and connective tissues.
- The exercises are biomechanically specific to soccer skills including muscle movements used in shooting, passing, jumping for headers, etc.
Cardiovascular/Endurance Training
- Typically, the body takes anywhere from five to seven minutes to reach a comfortable cardiovascular output after a rise in heart rate. Because a soccer game lasts 90 minutes, with high-intensity, full-field sprints, the body works in both the anaerobic and aerobic modes throughout the game.
- Cardiovascular and endurance training at AR Norwood includes short interval/high intensity sprinting sequences on our Athletic Republic Generation II Super Treadmills. By using the same energy systems and tactical movements utilized in a regulation soccer game, athletes become fitter and faster.
Plyometric Training
- Plyometric training is a very effective form of power training ideally suited to soccer. Soccer players perform specific plyometric drills for increased motor performance (coordination), explosive power, vertical jump height, lateral power and rotation, and landing strength.
- Plyometric training combines elements of both speed and strength in single movement patterns that include the Athletic Republic PlyoPress, cord technology, longitudinal and vertical jumps, box jumps, and medicine ball drills for upper body and middle body torso power.
Flexibility
- Soccer-specific flexibility exercises include static stretching, isometric stretching, and active isolated stretching (AIS). Improved flexibility helps to prevent injuries by assuring the muscles and tendons work together properly. It also makes the muscles more elastic for increased lower body explosiveness.
Dynamic Balance
- Balance is one of the most fundamental components of soccer, since staying on top of the ball is the only way to beat an opponent. Soccer players perform a series of balance-specific exercises to strengthen their stabilizing muscles and allow for better muscular synergy and joint control.
- Training routines include unstable and stable lifts, dynamic balance movements with the Bosu ball and a variety of off-balance training aids.
Agility
- Agility is the ability to change speed and direction while maintaining effective control of your body. In order to improve agility, athletes learn a variety of agility drills, including advanced ground-based agility patterns and use of a speed agility ladder.
- Ground-based agility patterns are conducted on our indoor Field Turf, track, and wood court.
Core Stabilization Training
- Core stabilization is essential for proper posture, balance and stabilization. Functional exercises focus on spinal stabilization and increased proprioception (the ability to read and respond to changing conditions) during sports activities. Core muscles support every twisting, turning, jumping, and lateral movement; additionally, they are essential in posture, balance, and stabilization.
- Core training consists of dynamic, multi-joint exercises that use free weights, medicine balls and circuit training.
Skill Development
- Skills Development workouts include various drills that focus on side volleys, shooting, off-balance accuracy, first touch balance, shooting technique and power, obstacle dribbling, ball control, and goalkeeper skills.
- Impress your coach this upcoming season with improved first touch ability, better overall command on the ball, and greater field awareness so you can control the tempo of the game.