Stretching Muscles

Stretching Muscles for Soccer There are two types of muscle stretching that soccer players can do. The most important muscle stretching to use before a soccer game or practice is ballistic muscle stretching, which is to simply work all joints through their full range of motion. This type of muscle stretching can reduce muscle stiffness injury. The second type of muscle stretching is called static muscle stretching, which is to slowly stretch out a muscle and hold it in that position for a short amount of time. Static muscle stretching should be used regularly to promote muscle flexibility. This type of muscle stretching during warm up has little benefit before a game or practice, but does tend to help relieve muscle pain. With both types of muscle stretching, neither should be used on muscles that have not been warmed up first. Cold muscles can be injured if stretched. Stretching Muscles: Abdomen To stretch the stomach muscles, lay face down on the ground and straighten the arms straight up, arching the upper body inward (opposite of a cat stretch). Stretching Muscles: Back The trunk-sided bend will stretch the back muscles. With one arm behind the back and the other arm over and around the head, slowly stretch to the right, then the left. Stretching Muscles: Buttocks Pull each knee up and in toward the center chest, while sitting down. Stretching Muscles: Calves Stretch the calves by placing one foot behind the body and the other foot forward with the knee bent. Simply lean the body’s weight slowly forward. Calves are the muscles on the back of the lower leg, and are used heavily in a soccer game to run, change direction, and stabilization. The calf muscles should be exercised regularly to build game strength. Stretching Muscles: Groin Stretch legs slowly apart and reach down toward the ground; or sit down on the ground and pull both heels in toward the groin Stretching Muscles: Hip Flexors The inner, upper thigh muscles can be stretched by placing one leg up in front, with the foot on the ground, and dropping the other leg behind, on the knee and toe. Stretching Muscles: Hamstring The big muscle on the back of the thigh can be stretched by pulling the leg forward and up as high as possible. This can be achieved by sitting down with one leg (with the other leg bent) stretched straight forward and grabbing the toe. Stretching Muscles: Obliques These are the forgotten muscles on the side of the trunk. Rotate the trunk by remaining stationary and turning each direction as far as comfortably possible. Another way to stretch the oblique muscles is to lay on the back with legs in the air, and slowly lower them to the left and then to the right. Stretching Muscles: Quadriceps Pull the foot up to the buttock, while either standing or laying on one’s side, to stretch the big muscle on front of the thigh.

Air tricks

Flying High: Air Tricks, Simple yet Effective

Have you ever wondered how some people seem to have a way with soccer balls, as in they can get them to do almost whatever they want? Whether it�s on the field or off, this ability has spawned a growing sport known as Freestyle Soccer. Here, soccer tricks are the main focus rather than scoring goals. While the game of soccer is tough to play in its own respect, mastering a soccer trick is no easy task. However, when it is done, you get something that astounds even the least interested spectator. Soccer tricks are really a sight to behold.

There are two kinds of soccer tricks: Air tricks and stall tricks. For now, let�s focus on air tricks, which include some of the easier tricks, as well as some of the more complex tricks. Air tricks are easily definable by their name. These tricks involve someone hitting the ball with one part of their body and sending it flying into the air. Sounds easy, right? It�s actually really hard and takes lots of practice before you can get good at it. Of course, natural talent helps out, but in the case of soccer tricks, practice really does make perfect.

Let�s get into some of these air tricks. Any part of the body can be used in an air trick, whether it is the hand, the foot, the head, the neck, or any other part of the body that would make for a creative and stylish soccer trick. Arguably the simplest air trick in the book is the juggle. Here, a soccer ball is hit up into the air by each foot, one after the other. So, all you have to do is hit the ball with one foot into the air (about knee-height) and then hit it with the other foot the same way. This action goes back and forth for as long as you�d like the trick to go on. The juggle has gone on to spawn other popular tricks, such as the backheel, insole, and outsole juggles. These tricks take the same principle and simply use another part of the foot to hit the ball with.

The pancake is another trick that has also spawned various foot-area spin-offs. This trick is very similar to juggling, though only one kick is involved. To start off, the soccer ball is hit into the air (higher than in the juggle, to head-height of possible). Next, the foot is positioned on the ground, heel touching it and toes extended upwards. The soccer ball should fall on the foot and get knocked back up into the air after it causes the toe to hit the ground. This process continues back and forth.

So there you have them, some of the most common, yet impressive air tricks in the book. Of course, new tricks are coming up all the time as freestylers continue to work with the soccer ball and figure out new ways to send it flying into the air. It�s truly an impressive feat.

Warm-up

The true soccer athlete will prepare the body before a game with a good warm-up. A warm-up should begin about 30 minutes before competition, with muscle massage in cold weather, then light jogging to slowly increase cardiovascular activity. It is not a bad idea to then begin ballistic stretching of muscles in your warm-up, and then move to skill practice with the soccer ball; then to soccer drills with the entire dream. A soccer warm-up is important to physically and mentally become “match ready.”

Agility drills

Agility Drills: Left vs Right Have soccer players stand at the middle line(of three lines marked out by cones if need be) for this agility drill. Have players sprint to the left line and touch it with their left hand; then sprint to the right line and touch it with their right hand. Make sure players are touching the lines with the correct hand. Outside lines are spaced about 10 yards apart. Have players repeat this agility drill 5-10 times depending on their conditioning. Players end at the center line. Another variation of this agility drill is to only have two lines (a starting line and a touching line) and have them end on the same line as they started, but through the drill, players still touch the lines with the corresponding hand. Agility Drills: Ladder Drill: Set cones out to represent a line from the starting line every five yards. Have players sprint out to each line and touch it, come back and proceed to the next further line, touch it and come back, etc. Repeat drill 5-10 times depending on conditioning. Another variation of this agility drill is to have soccer players shuffle sideways to each line and sprint back to the starting line. Coaches may also like to have soccer players run backwards to each line, then sprint back. Agility Drills: Soccer Ladder With soccer ladder drills, soccer players should try and keep back straight and square with the hips. As agility increases, so should the speed at which they can perform each drill. Repeat each agility drill 5-10 times depending on conditioning. Agility Drills L1: Using a soccer rope ladder, have players run through the ladder touching each foot in each square. Players should pump the arms and keep knees high. Agility Drills L2: Using a soccer ladder, have players go through the ladder sideways, touching each foot in each square. Have them go through leading with the left foot, then return leading with the right foot. Agility Drills L3: Using a soccer ladder, have players go through the ladder sideways, but having each foot touch twice in each square. Have them go through, leading with the left foot, then return leading with the right foot. Agility Drills L4: Using a soccer ladder (and having the players standing at the beginning, but to the left of it), have players move their right foot into the first square, then bring the left foot into the square, next to the right foot. Then bring the right foot and plant it outside of the right side of the ladder. Repeat this sequence, beginning with left foot into the second square, and so forth.

Strength and conditioning

Soccer Conditioning Speed Drill 1
Place cone 2 and cone 3 three yards away from cone 1. Cone 4
should be about 10 yards from cone 1. From cone 1 sprint to cone 2,
go around it, and run backwards to cone 1. Then sprint to cone 3 and
go around it, then run backwards to cone 1. Sprint to cone 4. Repeat
conditioning drill seven more times, jogging back to the beginning.
Then do drill five more times full speed with a slow jog back. Repeat.








Soccer Conditioning Speed Drill 2
Running the length of a foot skills ladder, have each soccer player run
as fast as possible, two-footing between each rung. Players then side
step to the right three times and sprint to the cone. Repeat the
conditioning drill seven times, jogging back to the beginning. Repeat
drill five more times, but with just straight runs in place of the ladder
exercise, with a slow jog back to the beginning each time. Repeat.







Soccer Conditioning Speed Drill 3
Cones should be placed ten yards apart. Starting at cone 1, have
soccer players sprint to cone 2, going around it, and bursting past
cone 3. Repeat conditioning speed drill seven times, jogging back to
beginning. Repeat drill five more times, but with just straight 20 yard
runs, with a slow jog back to the beginning each time. Repeat.








Soccer Conditioning Speed Drill 4
Cones 1-4 should be placed about four yards apart. Cone 5 should
be 10 yards from cone 3. Have soccer players run backwards from
cone 1 to cone 2, then turn and sprint to cone 3, and side step to and
around cone 4, and back to cone 3, then sprinting to cone 5. Repeat
conditioning speed drill seven times, jogging back to beginning.
Repeat drill five more times, but with just straight 20 yard runs, with a
slow jog back to the beginning each time. Repeat.







Soccer Conditioning Speed Drill 5
Place cones 2-5 three yards apart. Cones 1 and 6 should be 5 yards
away from the other cones. Have soccer players sprint from cone 1 to
cone 3, then side-step left to cone 4, then run backwards to cone 5,
then side-step right to cone 2, and sprint to cone 6. Players should be
facing forward through the entire speed drill. Instruct players to remain
close to the cones, moving quickly. Repeat the conditioning drill
seven times, jogging back to the beginning. Repeat drill five more
times, but running forward the entire time, with a slow jog back.
Repeat.





Soccer Conditioning Speed Drill 6
Set up three cones, 20 yards apart. Instruct soccer players to jog the
first 20 yards, then sprint the next 20 yards. Repeat conditioning drill
seven more times, jogging back to the beginning. Then do drill five
more times with a slow jog back. Repeat.

Soccer drills : Passing

Passing Soccer Drills: Basic Passing
Divide the soccer team into pairs, with each pair having a soccer ball. Players should practice making good
passes and work to trap the ball properly. This passing drill can be altered to also practice one-touch
passing, without trapping the soccer ball first. Have player switch to the opposite trapping and passing leg
to develop skills in both feet.

Passing Soccer Drills: Circle Passing
Players can practice passing in this drill by forming a circle and passing the ball across it to another player.
Use two players in the middle of the circle to try and intercept passes made by the players who form the
circle. This is sort of like “monkey in the middle.” When a player has a pass intercepted, that player goes
into the middle in place of the person who intercepted the ball.


Passing Soccer Drills: Pressure passing
Arrange the soccer players into a big circle, such as the center circle of the soccer field, and place one
player in the middle. Using two balls, players forming the circle take turns passing to the man in the middle,
who must trap and make a good pass to a player on the circle (who must also trap and make a good pass to
the center player). As soon as the player in the center makes the pass to an outside player, another ball is
passed to him which he must trap and pass back to another outside player, and so on. This passing drill
should be played fast and really teaches the importance of quick and accurate passing. The player in the
center of the circle should keep their head up and be looking at the target. Switch the player in the middle
after a minute or two. This drill also may be used to work on one-touch passing.

Passing Soccer Drills: Triangle / Square Pass
Arrange soccer players into a three player triangle or four player square. Each group of players work to
trap and pass around the triangle or square. After a few minutes, have the soccer players switch directions
and use the opposite leg to trap and pass. This passing drill should help develop good passing with both
legs and trapping skills with both legs. A defender may be added to try and intercept the passes.

Passing Soccer Drills: Running Square Pass
Set up a 10 yard x 10 yard square using a cone at each of the four corners. Select four players to run
around the outside of the square (one player on each side) and give the ball to one of the players. Players
try and make good passes across the square and to a player on the move on another side, while everyone
is jogging. After a while, add a defender in the middle to try and steal the ball. Rotate the defender.

Passing Soccer Drills: Triangles
Arrange three soccer players into a triangle (about ten yards apart from each other). Player one passes
the soccer ball to player two and immediately runs between player two and three (forming a new triangle),
while player two is passing to player three. Player two then runs between players three and one to form a
new triangle, while player three is passing to player one, and so forth. This is a great passing drill that is
quick, and develops good passing, while learning to create open space and avoiding having the ball kicked
away, as each pass must dodge the running player. Peripheral vision is also increased through this
passing drill.

Passing Drills: Three ball Keep-a-Way
Divide soccer players into two teams of equal numbers and play with just three soccer balls. The goal of this
passing soccer drill is for each team to try and possess as many balls as possible when play ends on the
coach’s whistle. This passing drill should develop strong passing and teach the concept of finding open
space, while players learn how to make good decisions in dribbling and passing. The team with possession
of two or more balls wins each match.

soccer drills

Shooting Soccer Drills: Go For Goal
Soccer players form two lines on each side of the coach who is standing about twenty yards from the goal.
The coach kicks the ball toward the goal (about half the distance) while each player takes a turn (alternating
from each line) racing to the ball and shooting. This drill may be played with or without a goalie, and is
designed to teach a good first touch on the ball and proper soccer shooting technique. Sometimes,
coaches may elect to have a player from each line compete against one another to win the ball and shoot.

Shooting Soccer Drills: Hit the Cone
Set up cones in a line four feet apart and line up two players facing one another on each opposing side of
each cone. So for each cone, there should be two players facing each other with the cone in between
them 20-25 yards away. Players take turns shooting at the cone in between them. If the cone is missed,
their partner should try and trap the ball and take his or her shot at the cone. Have players do this shooting
drill in one minute intervals to see who can knock down the most cones in that time period.

Shooting Soccer Drills: Pass & Shoot
Set up two cones as a goal or use a regular soccer goal and have players form two equal lines about thirty
yards in front of the goal. Choose a goalkeeper to defend the goal. Have one line of players take turns
passing the ball out in front of the goal (about half way), while a player from the second line runs out, traps
the ball and shoots. After each pair goes, they then return to the back of the opposite line. The goalie rolls
the ball back to the passing line. You can use more than one ball to keep the lines flowing.

Shooting Soccer Drills: Shoot Against The Goalie
In this shooting drill, teams of two have a ball and four cones. The cones are to be set up ten yards apart
as a goal at each end of the drill area. Each player takes turns being the goalie and shooting. Players may
shoot a stationary ball, or work on dribbling up and shooting. Also, the goalie can roll the ball to the shooter
to practice one-touch shots.

Shooting Soccer Drills: Quick Shot
In this shooting drill, have several teams of three soccer players take turns playing goalie, offense and
defense. A goal is made up of simply two cones with the goalie in front, a defender in front of the goalie and
the offensive player trying to score. Players take turns shooting and defending the goal. If the goalie stops
the shot, he simply rolls it out to the offensive player and play resumes again. Switch the players often.

Shooting Soccer Drills: Pass & Shoot
Mark out a 30 yard x 30 yard square with cones and goals (or two cones) ate each end. Two equal teams
compete in trying to complete four passes before being allowed to shoot at their opponent’s goal. If they
lose possession, the passing count begins again.

Shooting Soccer Drills: Cones & Shoot
Two lines of players take turns dribbling the soccer ball through two thirty-yard lines of cones, and then
shooting at the goal at the end. Players try and dribble quickly through the cones and score before the next
player begins dribbling through the cones.

Shooting Soccer Drills: Cone Kick Down
This soccer drill is played just like a soccer game, but instead of shooting at goals the soccer players on
each team shoot at five cones set up in place of the goals at each goal line. Played with no goalies, the first
team to knock down all five cones wins the game.