Specific exercise – how to become soccer fit!

A high level of endurance, strength and stamina is required to be a successful soccer player. Players must have the ability to dribble, pass, get into the open space when their team is in possession, players must have the ability to quickly recover and chase the opponent when possession is lost and their team is in defending position.

KEEP IN MIND:

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE, LEVEL OF FITNESS, TECHNICAL ELEMENTS OF THE GAME AND TACTICAL REQUIREMENTS

Most of the time the methods to develop physical capacities are with isolated exercises without using the ball.

• Can it be trained in environment where players are challenged to perform in maximum effort in an exercise that simulate game situation?
• Or where technical and tactical components of the game are proposed to be performed in full speed, over the period of time or distance?

One is definite; it can be done with expertly prepared training session, keeping in mind:

1. objective of the particular training session,
2. level of fitness you want to reach according to witch part of the season is,
3. technical elements of the game you want to develop and
4. tactical requirements you want to implement working on attacking or defending play.

Bellow exercise is example and encouragement for the coaches with the vision that training, practicing and developing all aspects of the game creating practices where usage of the ball is priority.

Players are organized in partners and positioned on one side of the goalpost like on the diagram bellow. Area used in this exercise is half of the full size soccer pitch. Goalkeeper is places at goal.

SO, HOW TO BECOME SOCCER FIT?

The action starts with player A passing the ball to player C. Players A and B perform coordinative movements through the ladders and go to the position of C and D to receive the ball from player in line behind them. Players C and D upon receiving the ball exchange short passes through the markers placed 1m away from each other. After player D gives his last pass to player C he opens up towards the yellow marker performing give and go movement opening in space. Player C passes the ball to him and does the same towards the next yellow marker. When they exchange several passes with constantly mowing into the space player C receives the ball directing towards the goal and player D makes an overlap run to receive through pass. Player C continues his movement towards the goal to receive cross from player D and finish with a shot at goal. When action is finished players go to the starting position and change places so that in the next action they change roles.

COACHING POINTS

Let partners go frequently, right after they receive the ball after the first pass. It allows enough time and space for groups not to distract each other. Encourage players to complete the whole exercise in the maximum speed and effort. Since the exercise is done in speed, maximum focus and correct technique us required at all times. Create angles and body positioning between players to perform smooth and fluent combination play. Allow players to have free but to use minimum number of touches of the ball during the exercise to spark speed of pay.

While performing this kind of exercise, players are challenged in various aspects of the game. Coaching focus can be applied to the needs of your team at the time you are proposing it. Pure fitness during preseason period or at the beginning of the week in season period. Practicing technical abilities of your players at the moderate intensity. And very useful when developing players vision and timing of the runs and passes.

When you get use to the drill and more familiar with this practice the set up can be progressed, introducing various angels for passing and of course opposition in midfield part and in the defending third to protect build up play in midfield and defend the goal.

Exercises with various objectives are more beneficial and allow coach to be creative and learn and discover his own potential and potential of his players.