Soccer is probably the most followed and practiced sport in the world, therefore, it is necessary to have basic knowledge about how to prepare ourselves physically to be able to enjoy this sport to the fullest.
As in any discipline, football, both amateur and professional, requires a period of rest in which to give our body a little respite after a season of high activity.
Normally, a short vacation is made in which practically no type of activity is carried out for about two weeks, something also necessary to disconnect and recharge the batteries while relaxing with family, friends or lost on a beach isolated from the world.
After those holidays comes what we know as the preseason , a stage in which we must make a moderate training plan to avoid losing physical condition, since if we do not do anything until the beginning of the season it will be more difficult to reach the physical level necessary to face it successfully.
But, just as it is not positive not to do any type of activity in the preseason, it is not good either an excess of activity, because it would bring us problems to finish the season in good condition.
Two basic approaches in preseason
The preseason phase should last between four and six weeks to give the body the rest and recovery it requires.
Keep in mind that the legs suffer greatly during the high season, highlighting the tendons and joints , so now is the time to give them a break and get used to a more intense period.
We must focus activity, fundamentally, on two blocks , aerobic exercise and resistance , always in a moderate way.
1. Moderate aerobic training for soccer players
We will do a prudent aerobic exercise, such as running at a pace in which our heart rate is around 60 or 70% , avoiding running on asphalt surfaces to take care of our joints as much as possible.
We will carry out this type of activity three days a week for about 20 or 40 minutes , being able to take advantage of and do other types of sports that require an aerobic effort, such as tennis, cycling, rowing or swimming. You can also help yourself with other types of exercises, such as plyometrics. They have proven to have a spectacular activity to improve performance and performance on the pitch and, without a doubt, you should start practicing them.
2. Endurance training for soccer players
Resistance training with loads will also be smooth, focusing mainly on the following aspects:
- Core stability exercises.
- Work of strength of quadriceps and hams by performing squats with our own body weight with a slow execution.
- Use of stability platforms to work on balance.
- Hip extensions.
These sessions should not last more than 45 minutes , taking them two days a week. You can see our guide on soccer training for players, where you will find a complete training program for soccer in the gym.
Soccer training plan example
Taking into account the indicated guidelines, we are going to see a sample of what a preseason training plan for soccer players would be.
We would train three days a week with the following distribution :
- Monday: 40 minutes of resistance and stability exercises + 20 minutes of swimming.
- Tuesday: rest.
- Wednesday: 40 minutes of aerobic sport (tennis, bicycle, rowing …).
- Thursday: Rest.
- Friday: 40 minutes of resistance and stability exercises + 20 minutes of swimming.
- Saturday: Rest.
- Sunday: Rest.
We must not forget to stretch after the sessions.
Conclution
The primary objective of a preseason training focused on footballers should be to provide the muscles with moderate activity so that the start of the season is not so drastic, thereby avoiding great possibilities of suffering injuries and muscle problems during the period. peak of the competition.
References
- Off Season Soccer Training. For SportFitnessAdvisor [Reviewed October 2015].
