The Importance of Strength in Soccer
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When people think of strength, they often think of big muscles and being able to lift a lot of weight. That's not necessarily the case when it comes to strength in soccer. In fact, having oversized muscles can often be a bad thing for soccer players because of its negative impacts on speed and agility.
Soccer strength is all about being able to handle everything that is thrown at you on the soccer field. Not only do you have to have strength to hold off your opponents when trapping the ball, you also have to have strength to have the stamina to stay on the field for an entire game.
It’s important to note that strength training isn’t the same in soccer as it is in a lot of other major sports. While it is good to lift weights to bulk up a bit, soccer players should mostly focus on toning their bodies while adding lean muscle. Soccer players have to focus on building strength in every muscle, so the ideal workout regimen will have very specific exercises that will hit all of those muscles.
Below are just a few of the advantages that soccer players have when they build up their strength.
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Higher Energy Levels
Stamina is extremely important in soccer, and building up your core strength can have a huge impact on your stamina. If you can’t play at 100 percent for the majority of a game, then you are hurting both yourself and your team. Even some professional soccer players lack strength, and it is pretty easy to pick those players out near the end of games.
When you build up your strength and have the energy to last an entire game, you allow yourself to focus on the job at hand rather than simply being able to make it through the game. It also allows you to chase down balls that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to.
Avoiding Injuries
Everyone knows that injuries can change careers in sports. While it is true that some injuries are unavoidable, others most certainly are. Many muscle strains that happen on a soccer field can be avoided with good strength training.
By building up your strength, you allow your body to take hits that it otherwise would not be able to handle. Since you are straining your body more when coming into contact with both the ball and other players, you need your body to be in top shape to handle those collisions.
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Quicker Recovery
A lot of soccer players don’t realize how much their bodies go through in between practices and games. If you have not put in the work to build up your strength, you could go into your next game at 80 percent or lower. Someone who has worked on their strength training will have no issues recovering from a full length game in plenty of time for the next one.
Recovery is also directly linked to injuries. If you are not in the best shape, you are much more susceptible to injury if you have to play your next game soon after your previous one. However, you greatly lower the chance of injuries if your body is prepared to recover quickly.
Confidence
One of the added bonuses of building up your strength is that you will be a much more composed and confident soccer player. Since you will have the energy to play at your best for long spells, you will see yourself improving at a much faster pace.
Soccer is as much mental as it is physical, and strength training improves your confidence while at the same time improving your all-around physical health. This and all of the reasons mentioned above is why you can’t overlook the importance of strength in soccer.
Make sure to take our Soccer Quiz to see if you, your player or child has what it takes!