By Anthony Hazelwood
Soccer Specific Circuit Training can be a very effective method to produce sport specific training adaptations to stimulate and increase anaerobic lactic power. The objective of a soccer specific lactic power circuit session is to train the player’s anaerobic system to increase its output or rate of energy production. The following activity has a team of 18 players performing a circuit training activity. The specific fitness target is athletic development while adapting the player’s anaerobic power in a series of exercises.
To begin, four zones are created (20 x 20yds.) with five players located in each area. Each zone will have a specific exercise that needs to be performed continuously:
Station 1: Player on ball performing different continuous moves on the ball.
Station 2: 1 vs. 1 vertical ball shadowing.
Station 3: 1 vs 1 ball-cone activity.
Station 4: Ball sprints from end line to end line of grid.
Each exercise within a station will be performed continuous and for 20 seconds total. Once 20 seconds are performed, the coach will blow the whistle and players will immediately leave their soccer balls and sprint clockwise to the next station. Once arrived, they will immediately perform the next exercise.
When preparing the activity, if needed, concentration and difficulty levels may be increased by having players execute something extra unique by setting more restrictions. Every activity may be modified, and it is up to the coach to be creative. However, it is important to respect the parameters of the exercise time, the rest, the types of actions used and the weekly periodization of the activity.
Area Size: Four stations, Each 20 x 20 yds.
Total Activity Time: 4 minutes and 30 seconds.
Circuit Sets: 3.
Total time of one circuit set: 90 seconds.
Total exercises in one circuit set: Four stationed exercises.
Time of each exercise: 20 seconds.
Recovery Interval Time between sets: 90 seconds (1:1).
Intensity: High.
Objectives:
• Fitness: Train and improve Lactic power.
• Technical: Improve on and off ball technical abilities.
• Tactical: When apparent, improve on attack, defense and transitional moments.
• Mental-Emotional: Players fully engaged and concentration is high.
Setup:
• Cones on the field are used to create four stations (20 x 20 yds.).
• Four stations are created:
Station 1: Player on ball performing different continuous moves on the ball.
o Continuous Toe Taps on the ball at full speed.
o Continuous Side Taps.
o Continuous Scissors.
Station 2: One vs. One vertical ball shadowing.
o Attacking player on the ball tries to touch the ball on cone located on left or right.
o Defending player must shadow.
o To stop the point, defender must touch the cone where the player is trying to go.
Station 3: One vs. One ball-cone activity.
o Two teammates play against each other.
o Attacking player starts with the ball and tries to touch ball on cone to gain a point.
o If defender takes the ball away, then roles are switched.
Station 4: Ball sprints from end line to end line of grid.
o Players sprint with ball continuously from line to line.
• Each station is performed for 20 seconds continuously. Once completed players will sprint clockwise to the next station.
• Perform each station for 20 seconds for a total of 90 seconds.
• Rest for 90 seconds with any type of ball passing pattern and then repeat.
By Anthony Hazelwood
Coach Anthony is a USSF “A” licensed coach with an M.S. in Sports Training and Nutrition and a B.S. in Physical Education. Currently, he is an Assistant and Sports Performance coach with the Miami FC. He has previous European youth academy coaching experience as a soccer fitness and strength/conditioning assistant coach with Levante U.D. and Getafe SAD in Valencia and Madrid, Spain.
