In-Season Strength Training for the High School Soccer Athlete

In-Season Strength

Training for the

High School

Soccer Athlete

By Rose Baker

Why strength train?

 Injury Prevention

• Through proper training and

techniques it can significantly reduce

the incidence and severity of common

injuries and the weaknesses and

imbalances that affect them.

 Performance enhancement

• A structured and progressive program

builds strength and power (the

foundations for speed) and enables

better recovery and resiliency.

Why Strength Train?

 Soccer players need aerobic fitness

AND strength, speed, and power.

 Soccer is a contact sport. Athletes

must be able to take hits and hold

off opponents.

 Soccer players need great single leg

strength and balance for

performance AND injury prevention.

Building the Program

SPORT SPECIFIC DEMANDS- EXERCISE SELECTION

PERIODIZATION AND PROGRESSION

TRAINING SESSION SCHEDULE

FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT

FACTORS THAT AFFECT HOW A PROGRAM IS DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED

TRAINING “AGE”

Sport Specific Demands

 Movements utilized during sport

• Sprinting, running, change of direction, jumping, kicking,

dribbling, shooting, defending, heading, holding off

opponents, tackling.

• Goalkeeping- catching, throwing, punching, diving.

 Muscles to be trained

• Posterior chain-hamstrings/glutes/low back/calves)

• Anterior hip/thigh- Quadriceps, Hip flexors/rotators

• Core- Abdominals and Low back

• Upper body- Chest, Shoulders, Back

MOVEMENTS---MUSCLES---INJURIES

Sports Specific Demands

 COMMON INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH PARTICIPATION

• ACL tears

• Other knee ligament/cartilage injuries

 MCL, meniscus

• Ankle and foot sprains

• Muscle pulls and tears

 Hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors, groin

• Lower leg syndromes

 “Shin splints”, compartment syndrome

Sport Specific Demands

What the movements/muscles/injuries tell us:

1) Must focus on lower body strength and power (HAMSTRINGS)

• Olympic/Explosive lifts, Posterior chain exercises, Squats

2) Must train for strength, mobility, AND stability in the lower body

• Full range of motion, unilateral exercises, 1-leg squats

3) Must include upper body strength

• Pushing and Pulling

4) Must connect strong limbs with a strong core

• Total body movements, Core training, Abdominal exercises

5) Should include some balance and stability work for injury

prevention and muscle coordination.

• Unstable surfaces, single leg work, stabilizer muscle

strengthening, etc.

Periodization and Progression-

In-season Considerations

• Keys to In-Season Programming

 Use volumes and intensities that will elicit

desired training effect without excessive

soreness/muscle depletion that would affect

match performance. Find a balance.

 Time is scarce and valuable. So “Major on

the majors, minor on the minors”

• Also utilize supersets and complexes to accelerate

your workouts and intensify the workrate.

 Make a season-long progression, try to

follow it, but be willing to adapt.

Periodization and Progression

 Volume (Total reps) & Intensity (weight)

Exercise Pre-

season

Early-mid

Season

Mid-Late

Season

Post

season

Olympic/

Explosive

15-20 reps

65-75% 1rm

12-15 reps

65-75% 1rm

10-12 reps

60-70% 1rm

6-8 reps

60-70% 1rm

Major

Lower Body

20-30 reps

60-70% 1rm

15-25 reps

60-70% 1rm

15-25 reps

60-70%

10-12 reps

60-70%

Upper body

25-30 reps

50-75% 1rm

25-30 reps

50-75% 1rm

25-30 reps

50-70% 1rm

15-20 reps

50-70% 1rm

Accessory

(Upper and

Lower)

12-30 reps

Moderate

Intensity

12-30 reps

Moderate

Intensity

10-20 reps

Moderate

Intensity

0-20 reps

Mod-Low

Intensity

Pre-hab

(injury

prevent)

20-40 reps

Light

20-40 reps

Light

10-20 reps

Light

10-20 reps

Light

Periodization and Progression

 “Majors”…the foundation

• Clean variation- Hang, Power, Pulls

• Squat variation- Back, Front, Split

• Posterior chain- Deadlift, Good AM,

Glute-Ham raise, Stab. Ball curls, etc

 Train the hamstrings from both ends on a

weekly basis: straight leg (deadlifts) and

bent knee (curls)

• Upper Body Push- Any chest press

• Upper Body Pull- Any row or chin

• Core- Isometric, Weighted, Endurance, Etc.

Periodization and Progression

 “Minors”…the finishing details

 Accessory Lower Body

• Unilateral, 1-leg, calf work, hip isolation work

 Accessory Upper Body- Goalkeepers only

• Secondary Pushes/Pulls

• Additional arm/shoulder work

 Balance and Pre-Habilitation Exercises

• Bosu/Airex drills, joint stabilization exercises

Training Schedule

 How many days will you strength train?

• 1= Full body workout

 40-60 minutes

• 2= Split upper and lower, or Majors and

Minors, or 2 smaller full-body workouts

 20-30 minutes each

• 3= Not necessary, but ok in pre-season

 1 Full, then other 2 split

 20-30 minutes each

Training Schedule

When you have less time than you need…

• Implement Workout Accelerators (time savers)

 Use your Core/Abs as part of your warm up or put them

between other exercises during “rest” periods.

 Superset/Complex exercises

• Upper with Lower, Push with Pull, Accessory with Pre-hab or

Balance

• If that’s still not enough, stick with the “Majors”

 Train the most important exercises and still get results

Training Facilities and Equipment

- ALTERNATIVES WHEN A WEIGHTROOM IS NOT AVAILABLE

EXERCISE IDEAL

EQUIPMENT

FIRST

ALTERNATIVE

LAST RESORT

OLYMPIC

Barbells (BB) or

Dumbbells (DB)

Medicine Ball

(Tosses)

Plyometrics

(weighted box

jump)

SQUAT

VARIATION

BB’s or DB’s Medicine ball/

Stretch Bands

Body weight

(Single leg squats)

UPPER BODY

(push and pull)

BB’s or DB’s Stretch Bands Body weight/

partner resistance

Posterior Chain

BB’s,DB’s,Glute-

Ham machine

Stability ball/

Stretch bands/ Med

Balls

Body weight/

Partner resistance

Pre-Hab and

Balance

Bosu ball, Airex

pad, dyna disc,

stability ball, bands

Body wt,

Pillow/cushion,

partner drill

Core routines

Med/Stab balls nice

but no equip neces.

NA NA

Training “Age”

 Freshmen

• Progress to DB and BB work only once

techniques and mechanics are properly

mastered.

 “Body weight before adding weight”

 May substitute a PVC pipe/Med ball for a bar

on squat and olympic exercises to train

technique/body mechanics.

 Use body wt/band exercises for upper body

until strong enough to handle DBs/BBs

Training Age

 Sophomores

• If they have a full year of regular

training completed, most are ready for

BB/DB work on most exercises.

• Continue to train technique and range of

motion before getting aggressive with

weight.

• Avoid maximal lifts. Use repetition max

(5-12) tests to estimate a 1RM.

Training Age

 Juniors/Seniors

• Most should have a solid foundation of

mechanics and technique by their 3

year.

• Can begin to train heavier weights as

long as technique is not sacrificed.

• Safety is still the priority.

Review

 Write a soccer-specific program that

will fit YOUR team’s needs/abilities.

Based on:

• Athlete training experience

• Facility/Equipment availability

• A structured progression

• Your season’s schedule

 The best program is the one that

gets done. Make one that works for

you and your team.