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7 Killer Soccer DrillsCredit to www.bodybuilding.com The Killer Seven Drills
The game of soccer is very much a game of balance. Being able to elude defenders, jump over tackles and just control your own body can be at times a very difficult challenge. By creating a strong center of gravity and building one's stomach muscles, they instantly increase their sense of balance and control over movements. Creating a strong core section will also benefit your shot. With strong abdominal muscles your shot will be much harder and travel with a greater velocity. Here are a couple of sit up drills to help you create and maintain a solid mid section.
To make some more exciting you can have a one partner on his/her back while another holds their feet down with their knees. The partner holding the other down can toss a soccer ball to the athlete doing the sit ups and he/she can head it during each upward motion. Only use this drill for athletes over 10 years of age though. Get two cones 10 - 15 yards (depending on age of athletes) apart from each other. Separate your team into five different groups and have the first player in each group form a line perpendicular to the first cone. Each player should be arms width apart. So you should basically have 5 separate lines, the first player in each ready to do the drill. ![]() The object of this drill is to make the athletes sprint from their present position, the first cone, to the second cone as quickly as possible. The twist to this drill, and the reason it builds quickness and recovery time is because the athletes must start in awkward positions. For example, the first group of five athletes should start on their bellies. When they here you say "GO", the jump to their feet and sprint the 10-15 yards. As they are running, the next five pop on their bellies and listen for the "GO" command. After getting through all of the groups, you start over. Do the same routine, on the bellies, for the next round as they sprint back to the original cone. When they complete that task, start round Three. Make them jump in place pulling their knees to their chest. You yell the command whenever you're ready and they must stop their jumping and start their full out sprint. Do this twice for everyone. Next you can have them do high knees in place, while they wait for the command. You can get creative and make them do anything you want before the sprint, as long as it is active.
Starting from the end measure outwardly 5 yards and place a cone. From that point measure another 5 yards (10 yd line) and place a cone. From that point walk another 5 yards (15 yds.) and place a cone. Continue this action until you have put all 5 cones down and the farthest cone is now 25 yards from the end line. Now line your entire team up along the end line. The cones should be set up from the middle of the goalmouth so that everyone can see them. On your command the athletes sprint to the first cone, turn and run back to the end line. They then turn at the end line and sprint for cone #2. They turn at cone #2, head back to the end line and then sprint for cone #3. They repeat this until they have sprinted to and from each cone, in successive order. Depending upon age and fitness level of your team, decide how many repetitions should be done. For young athletes 3-5 sets is probably appropriate and for older athletes, anywhere from 6 - 10 reps(never more than 10).
Take four cones and make a square. Depending on how many players you have you may want to use an entire half of the soccer field. Place your entire team of players into the square and then pick one player to be the "Carriers." This player now must try and tag their teammates and help the epidemic spread. Once the "Carrier" tags somebody, that tagged player must link hands with the "Carrier" that tagged him/her. Now these two players, attached at the hands, must work together to try and capture another player and build on their chain of disease. When they tag a third player, that player must also join in on the chain of disease and now the three of them must work together, running around the square trying to spread the Epidemic.
Just keep your eye out and make sure their having fun, but also make sure they are getting the fitness that the drill is designed for. Also, if you have a big group of players, 20 or so, you may want to start the game with 2 "Carriers." By doing this their will be two separate lines at the end, having to work together to capture the last "disease free" athlete. Separate your team into two groups. When using the entire soccer field, place the groups at opposite corner flags. Both groups start the exercise at exactly the same time. Both groups begin to jog along their respective end lines. When the players complete that line, they sprint the next one (the sideline). After completing the sideline sprint, the athletes jog the end line. When they conclude the line, they start phase 2. They must now sprint two lines (sideline + end line, and when they finish that they jog one line (sideline). In the third phase the athletes must consecutively sprint three lines (end line +sideline + end line). When finished with phase 3, the athletes get a chance to catch their breath and are allowed to jog an entire lap (all 4 lines). Now repeat the drill from the top, starting at a three line sprint, and then one line jog. Have them work their way down. Next, would be a two line sprint, one line jog. And finally a one line sprint, one line jog. Remember to have them cool down with a nice walk/skip/stretch.
For real young athletes, (10 or so) you should make a grid 30 yds x 30 yds, with cones and have them run around that. This drill not only builds one's fitness level but should build team camaraderie. It is very important that the groups stay together as they sprint. This means the players who are the most fit, should be helping the less fit athletes get through the drill, pushing them and encouraging them as they run side by side. The "Nightmare" drill is very similar to the "doggies" except that the distance is much more intense and the difficulty level is tripled. For this drill you must line your entire team up on one end line. At the blow of a whistle your athletes must complete the following run at the highest level of sprint possible. They must sprint to the edge of the 6 yard box and back, then to the 18 yd box and back, then to midfield and back, then to the other 18 yd. box and back, then to the other 6 yd. box and back and then all the way to the other end line and back. This drill is extremely intense and should be used with caution. Athletes around the age of 14 may only need to do this one time, with no repeats at all. Varsity level athletes should do the entire routine twice with a nice long rest in between sets. Collegiate and professional athletes may do 3-4 sets of this drill and must try and complete each set under 65 seconds.
Everyone on your team should find a partner. Once everyone has a partner and a ball between the two of them, they should create one long line (you can use the end line, midfield line or sideline to help). One player stands along the line with the ball and the other player jumps out two yards ahead of their partner. Now the two partners should be face to face approximately 2 yards apart. Your team should now be in two parallel lines across the field. The partner without the ball should open his/her legs just wide enough for a ball to be passed through. The other partner, with the ball, should pass the ball through his/her partners legs. The open-legged partner should turn and chase down the passed ball. When they get to it they should use either their inside, outside or soul of the foot to turn the ball. Once turned they take one dribble and then pass it back to their partner.
As the coach, you can watch your athletes and decide how long they can and should go for. Superior athletes, varsity level, college and professional may do up to ten reps each of this drill. You can vary the passing and chasing to tossing the ball over their shoulders and having them chase it down that way. Younger athletes really shouldn't exceed 5 reps each and would probably benefit from 3 to 4. With these seven conditioning drills you should be ready for your next game fully prepared to outlast your competition. Good Luck! Coach Clay
Submitted by DMorgan on Fri, 08/10/2007 - 7:38pm. | Related Articles |
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