To be successful in soccer, you have to be strong, fast, and safe. A well-designed weight training program can help you achieve all those goals.
Performance specialists at the Center for Sports Performance and Research recommend strength training 2 to 3 times per week. The team suggests specific exercises, weight levels, and safety tips to help you become a stronger, more resilient soccer player.
Soccer involves a lot of unexpected, unanticipated movements. Many players need to jump and land frequently, especially goalies and midfielders. Players’ bodies must absorb many forces. As a game progresses, fatigue sets in.
To handle all of this, your muscles must work effectively in all directions at a moment’s notice. Players who don’t have enough strength tend to throw their whole bodies at the ball to compensate for the lack of muscular force.
All these factors make soccer one of the most high-risk sports for injury. And that risk — particularly for overuse injuries — is even greater in female athletes due to generally lower muscles mass, hormonal factors, and other reasons. Building strength helps reduce the risk of injury and also improves form to make you a better player.
The Center for Sports Performance and Research team recommends that every player work toward achieving at least one rep at these minimum weight levels on specific exercises. They work muscles that are particularly important to soccer strength and performance.
The team recommends that players start with lighter weights and work their way up. The first goal is to achieve one rep (a single execution of an exercise). Then work your way up to 3 to 5 reps (multiple reps are called a set). Take a break between sets, and work toward completing 3 sets.