Football (soccer) speed training, please help

A

andyrobo3

0
Hi, Andy, 17

Basically I have 8 weeks of summer holidays from college and really want to improve my speed, i love watching Ronaldo, Lennon and Messi running.
Please can you suggest exercises to increase my speed (as many as you can think of- i have alot of time); i don't have any gym equipment but i have a big garden and 8 weeks free, please - i have wanted this for so long
Thanks

P.S if you can give more detail like whether i need to improve on calf/hamstrings or whether i do different exercises to increase agility and reactions, please anything.
Thanks
 
The most obvious thing you can do to improve your speed is to run, but that's far too generalistic. Speed itself has different factors, such as (but not limited to):

- Acceleration/decceleration
- Agility
- Maximum speed
- Speed endurance (or, being able to maintain maximum speed)
- Reaction time

Here's a couple links I found about a year ago with some speed drills and programs that may help you (mostly because I'm feeling far too slack right now to write up a speed training program relevant to soccer, and my area of expertise is far more reliable when it comes to strength as oppose to conditioning, anyway):

AthletesAcceleration.com | Running Drills for Acceleration

Speed, Quickness & Agility Training

Speed Training... Sample Programs & Drills

Now, for the strengthening part of the equation, ideally you would have access to some heavy weights to increase maximal force output, which can then be transferred to speed (provided good running technique/skill is there). Without equipment, some specific exercises you can do are:

- Bulgarian Split Squats, placing no weight on the backfoot, which will help with one-sided hip-drive as necessary in running.
- Traveling Lunges, which will help with pelvic stability during each stride.
- Glute Ham Raise, which will help with strengthening the posterior chain, which again is important for running.
- One-legged Calf Raise, which, as a runner, you should be able to do 20 reps of on each side without placing weight on your hands for balance (you may touch a wall or post with a hand for stability, but don't put your weight on your hand).

If you could get access to Olympic barbells and weights, I would recommend fullsquats, deadlifts and power cleans on top of this.
 
As Goldfish said basically!

Heavy, explosive weight lifting, combined with sprinting drills/techniques.

Plus a high protein diet and sufficient kcals at the least.....
 
Goldfish said:
The most obvious thing you can do to improve your speed is to run, but that's far too generalistic. Speed itself has different factors, such as (but not limited to):

- Acceleration/decceleration
- Agility
- Maximum speed
- Speed endurance (or, being able to maintain maximum speed)
- Reaction time

Here's a couple links I found about a year ago with some speed drills and programs that may help you (mostly because I'm feeling far too slack right now to write up a speed training program relevant to soccer, and my area of expertise is far more reliable when it comes to strength as oppose to conditioning, anyway):

AthletesAcceleration.com | Running Drills for Acceleration

Speed, Quickness & Agility Training

Speed Training... Sample Programs & Drills

Now, for the strengthening part of the equation, ideally you would have access to some heavy weights to increase maximal force output, which can then be transferred to speed (provided good running technique/skill is there). Without equipment, some specific exercises you can do are:

- Bulgarian Split Squats, placing no weight on the backfoot, which will help with one-sided hip-drive as necessary in running.
- Traveling Lunges, which will help with pelvic stability during each stride.
- Glute Ham Raise, which will help with strengthening the posterior chain, which again is important for running.
- One-legged Calf Raise, which, as a runner, you should be able to do 20 reps of on each side without placing weight on your hands for balance (you may touch a wall or post with a hand for stability, but don't put your weight on your hand).

If you could get access to Olympic barbells and weights, I would recommend fullsquats, deadlifts and power cleans on top of this.
Click to expand...

Wow dude thats amazing, thanks for the post, appreciate it loads thanks
 
Great advise from the previous post.

What I'm gathering is that you are inquiring about speed. But are you looking to improve speed as in agility or speed as in point to point catch up or break away speed? Or both?

Each require different require types of focus.

Before you begin to pile on the weight in a gym; I would make sure you are getting everything you currently can out of what you have right now, then transitioning to strenght and then on to explosive power. You can have all the explosive power in the world but if your body can't efficiently harness it you'll just be carrying mass that isn't helping you pwn in your sport of choice. In this case FOOTY!

I would definitely agree with the need for explosive power to get you over the top but alone it's not enough.

So where do you start. I don't know your skill or fitness level. But I would suggest since this may be the first time you're taking your training to a high level. I'd suggest breaking your 8 weeks into three mesocycles (periodized sections). Your strength training should progress from low resistance to high resistance (weight) and from high volume to low volume (reps). This one of the most common and effective ways for increasing strength to power.

If you want to know more, shoot me a message and let me know, I'd be glad to give you the full scoop. But this could get really long for a forum post.

remember,

think good. eat right. work hard.

BC
 
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What I know from a gym buddy is that basketball and soccer athletes do some jogging in the swimming pool. The weights of the water while jogging can increase stamina and strength.
 
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