Besides skills, speed endurance is important in soccer because the sport is fast-paced and physically demanding. It will also be hard for you to develop soccer skills if you don’t have a high speed resistance. Below are guides on how to train for soccer speed endurance:
- Perform dynamic warm-up prior to training. This is the best method to prepare your body. The dynamic warm-up must incorporate speed and movement with the other players. Also note that jogging lightly before performing 10 to 15 minutes of motionless stretching is harmful to your speed and strength. It can also cause you injuries. Instead, try the dynamic warm-up after jogging to raise your body temperature and get your blood flowing better through the muscles. The better blood flow will give you more oxygen. The dynamic warm-up is a series of movements from skipping, twisting, quick starts, cutting and so on. These exercises will give you more endurance.
- Perform continuous and slow jogging for aerobic endurance. It is fine to execute jogging in the first five to 10 minutes of the workout. However, note that it won’t increase your aerobic abilities. Instead, devote time in interval training/running because it’s the best way to increase your aerobic abilities as a soccer player. You must alternate short sets of sprinting and intense running with walking or jogging so your muscles won’t experience much stress. Internal training simulates the game of rugby itself. Play with a ball as you run to simulate soccer. Doing this will give you a better mindset to increase your enthusiasm while training.
- Practice speed work and sprinting in performing different drills. Perform as many exercises and drills as much as you can. Use relays and races with other players to make yourself and your teammates more competitive. Use the ball in executing these drills. Have a range of 10 to 30 yards to simulate a soccer field.
- Monitor fatigue. You need to have fast recovery period especially if form and speed are the concerns. If endurance and speed are the concerns, then lessen your recovery period between sprints and have more number of repetitions. You have a high endurance if you can perform more sprints if you’re already fatigue. Use obstacles like poles, cones, and hurdles and use them in multi-directions.
- Perform proper order of drills in your training session. An improper order of exercises may lessen the training’s effectiveness, increase injury risks, and it will interfere with skills acquisition. Begin the training with proper dynamic warm-up before progressing to coordination and agility sessions.
- Practice taking proper hydration. The way you drink and what you drink before and after a game can affect your resistance. Ensure that you are in full tank before a match. There must be 15 to 20 minutes intervals in replenishing during training for a continued hydration. Keeping yourself hydrated will lessen muscle ache, and it will prepare your body for the next training day. You can get the benefits of these habits as the season gets tougher and longer.
You must also have six to eight weeks of exercise program to build your aerobic ability. Don’t forget to consult a physician before training for endurance. You must also have a sound nutrition because what you eat before and after the game can affect your endurance as a soccer player. Don’t forget to add an appropriate cool-down in your training regimen.
