Improve Soccer Sprint Speed Training
February 21, 2012 by admin
Filed under Speed Workouts
Article by John Quodomine
Many people, including myself, have wondered how they could increase their top sprinting speed when playing a sport. Well, the most basic answer to “How do I run faster?” is to run fast, over and over. Of course there’s a bit more to it than that and there are variations that help too, but that’s the most basic Idea. One such exercise that fairly simulates gameplay can be done on a track. This exercise will help to improve both speed and conditioning. The basics are simply to sprint the straight-aways and jog slowly around the turns. Just keep in mind for all soccer training to WARM UP and STRETCH before performing any training exercises. Another simple sprinting exercise can be performed on the field. Begin at one endline and sprint to the nearest 18yd line, then jog back to the endline. If you consider yourself a beginner then rest for a total of 45sec. Repeat this 2-3 more times. Then sprint all the way to the 50yd line and jog back. Rest for 75seconds and repeat 2-3 more times. Finally, sprint to the other 18yd line and jog to start, taking 105sec of rest before repeating 2-3 more times. That ends the drill. Remember that the “jog back” is included in the “rest time.”
To supplement your field sprint speed training for soccer, there are also exercises you can do in the gym to build explosive power and improve your sprinting speed. One of my favorite exercises for this is the jump and lunge. This is a great leg exercise that I perform on a regular basis to improve general strength and speed. Another good type of exercise for speed is static holds. There are a number of various ways to perform them with some focusing on several muscles while others isolate specific muscle groups. One such method is to perform a wall squat. A wall squat is done by leaning your back flat against a wall and the moving into a squat position and holding that position for a set period of time. The time held depends on how experienced you are. If you are just a beginner then just try doing it for 30seconds and then moving up from there. Perform 3-4 total sets per session. Just remember that your thighs should be parallel to the floor when you are in the correct position.
The most important thing to keep in mind is to WARM UP and STRETCH to prevent injury. Check out Elite Soccer Power for some tips on injury prevention. Also, Total Soccer Fitness offers some good information for improving soccer sprinting speed.
I have been playing soccer my entire life and have been in serious training for the last 5years or so. I love to play and have found a bunch of great information that has helped me to become a better, faster, and stronger player.
