Soccer Training Tips: The Truth About Flexibility

Soccer training tips

I’d like to ask you something. Not following the soccer training tips, most soccer coaches blindly design training programs for their players just to make up the numbers and simply go through the motions. Are you doing the same thing?

Set some distinct goals for the team next time when you decide to plan a training program. Establish what you wish to achieve from the training program and take the necessary steps to achieve your target.

Add to your training program such soccer drills that are new, innovative, and fun to perform so as to add variety. It will break the monotony of doing the same drills day in and day out. You’ll see a noticeable improvement in your team’s performance once they start enjoying the training sessions.

Make your players understand the value of respecting and listening to you, their coach, no matter what their age or level at which they play. Respecting each other feelings promotes a friendly atmosphere for both the kids as well as the coach.

Soccer Training

Soccer players can greatly benefit from having a high level of flexibility. It’s been categorized into 3 parts.

Dynamic flexibility: This is known as the capacity of a player to perform quick movements within the full range motion in the joint, for instance; twisting from side to side.

Static active flexibility: It is the ability to stretch a difficult muscle using only the tension within that very muscle. For example; hold one leg as high as possible in front of you. The hamstrings are stretched while the quadriceps and hip flexors hold your leg up.

Static passive: Ability to use your body weight or some outside force to hold a stretch is termed as static passive flexibility. For example; you can hold your leg out in front of you and then rest it on a chair.

Now let’s go to the next in line of soccer training tips. This calls for a need to examine and ensure that the clothes worn by kids to the field are apt for the weather.

Training for soccer should be complemented by a fitness program that is designed to identify and improve upon the weak areas. When designing this training program, keep the following factors in mind.

Age of the player: With age, there is a decrease in the flexibility of soft tissues in the body that is directly related to the reduced range of movement, no matter what the gender. However, decrease in flexibility can be significantly slowed down if we keep active.

Gender: Girls exhibit a greater range of movement, independent of their age.

Motion: It is natural for kids with an active lifestyle to showcase better soccer skills and a greater range of movement that the ones not so active on field.

Injury: Injuries also hamper the range of motion in a joint.

Pain: Flexibility decreases as pain increases, resulting in muscle spasms. However, strength training does not hamper flexibility unless you don’t do the exercises correctly and not in full range of motion.

Genetics: The amount of flexibility that a player possesses also depends upon his genetics.

What’s stopping you from incorporating these soccer training tips into your training program and make it more effective and productive? Subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community that has tons of articles, newsletters, and related videos to improve your coaching skills.

 

Andre Botelho is a recognized authority in youth soccer coaching and has already helped thousands of youth coaches to dramatically improve their coaching skills. Learn  how to explode your players’ skills and make training fun by downloading your free ebook at: Soccer Drills For Kids.

 

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