To many people, soccer is seen as the greatest game in the world. People get so caught up the in the games, that not many of them stop to think about what the players must go through in order to put on the spectacles you see regularly.
Top soccer players must have stamina, agility, and speed to stand a chance against their opponents. This is well known; however, what many people don’t focus on is the power that is needed. Without a focus on strength workouts, you may end up playing the role of a bench warmer as opposed to a goal scorer.
There needs to be a balance in all things, and your workouts for your soccer playing are no different. Striking this balance allows you to be the best all-rounder you can be. Strength sits at the heart of this process.
While conditioning is a very important aspect of training, there is no conditioning without strength. Power production, endurance, speed, agility, movement, etc., are all underpinned by strength. This applies no matter the position you play.
Both upper body and lower body strength are tantamount to success on the football field, but unfortunately, many players erroneously overlook these areas.
Strength workouts are necessary to maintain a powerful body. Additionally, they provide a boost to your stamina, speed, and agility. Below is a look at some of the best workouts you can use to put an extra dose of power in your game.
Trap Bar Deadlifts
To do this exercise, you must first align yourself in the center of a trap bar. From there, ensure your knees are shoulder-width apart. Drive your hips back to lower your upper body as you bend your knees. Grab the bar’s handles. Keep your head pointed forward and ensure your chest remains up. Push upward using your heels and stand with the weight. Drive your hips forward as you stand. Repeat this process for three sets of 10 reps.
The trap bar allows you to do deadlifts without placing to much stress on your lower back. Its position and level of comfort mean that you can do the exercise with a higher weight load than you would traditional deadlifts. This lack of strain reduces the possibility of back injuries as you look to build your lower body and back strength.
Barbell Back Squats
Begin by placing your feet shoulder-width apart with the squat bar rested on your shoulders. Ensure you keep your head and your chest up throughout the movement. Bend your knees and lower your body as you drive your hips back. You should stop as soon as the hips drop below your knee level then you should return to the starting position. Repeat this for three sets of 10 reps.
Dumbbell Lateral Lunges
Begin with a wide stance that is about shoulder-width apart. Grab a dumbbell for each arm that is between five and 15 pounds. Start by lunging to the ground on one side. Once you’ve gone through the range of motion, push yourself back to the starting position off your legs.
Lunges are great for improving leg mobility, strength, and flexibility. Apart from the legs, this exercise has benefits for your lower back, obliques.
Dumbbell Step-ups
You need a sturdy box or bench for this one. Hold a pair of dumbbells in your hands. The dumbbells should be aligned at your sides. With your thigh parallel to the floor, step onto the bench with one leg. Ensure the dumbbells remain by your side as you go through the range of motion. Your trailing leg should only just be off the bench. Return to the starting position and perform 1-15 reps.
This is a strength exercise that focuses on numerous areas. These include your thighs, quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Soccer players need to ensure that they have strong hamstrings. When your hamstrings are strong, you have more power in your legs on the field.
Bench Press
The bench press is one of the most popular compound exercises of them all. Lie down under the bar and align your eyes with it. While ensuring that your wrists remain straight, grab the bar with both your hands. Rotate your shoulders backward and keep your core tight. Lift the bar to unrack it and ensure it is lifted above your shoulders. While maintaining the same vertical orientation of your forearms, lower the bar until it touches your chest. Press the bar straight up and allow your elbows to lock at the top of the movement.
As soccer is played with the feet, many players make the mistake of ignoring upper body exercises. A strong upper body is important, especially for those players who must pass through defenders. The bench press is important for triceps, chest, and push strength.
One-Arm Dumbbell Rows
Get a dumbbell you intend to use and place it on the floor by a flat bench. Put your left leg on the end of the bench. Leann forward and support yourself using your left arm, which should be placed at the bench’s front. Pick up the dumbbell off the floor in your right hand. With your upper body parallel to the floor, pull the dumbbell upward, and squeeze your back muscles as you do. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement then return to the starting position. Perform two steps of 10-15 reps.
This workout targets your lats, mid-back muscles, biceps, and traps.
Kettlebell Swings
Begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. A kettlebell should be on the floor between them. With your back flat, bend your knees to get into a squat position. Hold the kettlebell with both hands. Think of your arms as chains holding the kettlebell. In other words, they are just there for support and should not be the focus of the workout. Extend your hips explosively by flexing your glutes to swing the kettlebell to eye level. Remember your legs should power the swing and not your arms. Repeat for 10-15 reps.
This exercise works your hips, core, shoulders, and glutes. It also helps to build the explosiveness soccer players need on the field.
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