By Philip Cauchi
Description: Strength training involves u high amount of muscular tension to oppose a resistance. In soccer, strength training to develop strength should be done in relation to what the players require to perform at their best on match day. Position and role specific strength development depends however on general strength.
General strength could be developed in several ways by using bodyweight, machines, free weights, resistance bands, etc. This is what is known as functional strength. Functional strength is general strength in a way that it aids the body to perform normal daily functions. We need to work on this foundation of strength to build soccer and position specific strength. The latter can be developed by using specific movements that occur on the field of play. We have to ask ourselves how the exercise that we are doing helps our players to develop soccer specific strength.
Exercises that mimic the muscular movements within soccer actions could be done using some kind of resistance. It is interesting to know that specific strength training can only be effective if combined with training on the pitch through specific game situations. Exercises that work on power and explosive movements are great as they work on the players’ rate of force development (RFD). This is very important in soccer as this is how quickly a can player produce the required amount of strength. The faster this is, the quicker is our player on the field of play. Think about a defender reaching first for the ball, or tackling at the exact moment.
With this is mind we should have separate strength training sessions, but they should not take the place of soccer training on the pitch. For best results functional and specific strength training should not take too long. We need to think of the upcoming training session where strength will be applied into duels. These are duels that expose the players to more position-specific strength within games of 1v1 to 2v2. This ensures that the quality of the soccer actions is high with continues tackles, blocking shots, shielding of the ball, quick changes of direction, accelerations, decelerations, and shooting at goal.
In this session we are providing an example of how a strength training session can be accomplished on the training field and how it can easily be integrated with the technical and tactical outcomes. Today we work in small groups and therefore focus on the sub-sub principles of play, meaning the individual outcomes. A session like this should be held seventy two hours following the previous match (MD+3).
The training session:
Team function: Opponents in possession.
Team task: Prevent scoring.
Sub-sub-principles (focus on a maximum of six):
Low centre of gravity (knees bent).
Force the attacker with the ball away from goal.
Close down the shooting angle.
Touch-tight distance and mark opponent at an angle (goal side and ball side).
Timing of tackles to win the ball.
Cover teammate at an angle.
Duration of session: 108 minutes (including separate strength session).
Number of players: 16 plus 2 goalkeepers.
The pre-session workout.
Total duration: 25 minutes.
Warm-up: Running and skipping exercises combined with various mobility movements and dynamic flexibility (duration: 10 minutes).
Functional and specific strength using resistance: Core exercises, squats, lunges, resistance sprints, and power jumps on hurdles followed with a short sprint (duration: 15 minutes).
The session.
Technical-tactical activation: 2v2+2 with counter.
Duration: 9 minutes (3 x 2 minutes with 1 minute rest in between).
Description: The black team attacks one end line and defends the opposite while the yellow defends a line and counters on two mini goals. The neutral players (reds) play with the team in possession and are also allowed to score. Scoring is achieved by dribbling through the opposite team’s goal line. Change players’ roles after every repetition.
Competitive small-sided game: 4v4.
Duration: 20 minutes.
Area of play: 30 yards by 24 yards.
Training load: 4 series of 3 minutes and 30 seconds each with 1 minute and 30 seconds of rest in between.
Description: The players are positioned according to their position on the field of play on match day. The midfield group plays 4v4 on four small goals while the defenders and attacking group plays GK+4vGK+4 on regular goals. Groups switch pitches after each series. The reason being that we also want the midfielders to defend hard and to score goals by shooting on goal.
The midfield group playing 4v4 on four goals.
The defending and forwards group playing GK+4vGK+4 on two regular goals.
Intensive defending practice: 2v2 on the ground and then defend crosses.
Total Duration: 24 minutes.
Area of practice: 20 yards by 12 yards.
Training load: 6 series of 1 minute each with 3 minutes of rest in between, thus working on a work to rest ratio of 1:3.
Description: A 2v2 takes place on both sides of the pitch where the right chain of the team plays against the left chain, while in front of the penalty area the centre forwards play against the centre backs. In the lateral 2v2 zones each team scores by dribbling through the opposite team’s end line, while in the 2v2 in front of the penalty area players score in regular goalposts. Central midfielders also play with the latter group. The 2v2 practice should take 50 seconds, and in the final 10 seconds a cross is played from the left side of the pitch and then when the attack is over another cross is played from the right side. From the cross the attackers need to score in the regular goal, while the defenders score by clearing the ball away and into any of the two areas marked for the 2v2 on the sides, thus clearing high and to the sides.
A 2v2 is played on each flank and in the middle.
After the 2v2 is over a cross is played from both sides and an aerial 2v2 takes place inside the penalty area.
Global: GK+8vGK+8 on reduced pitch.
Total Duration: 20 minutes.
Area of practice: 55 yards by 40 yards.
Training load: 2 series of 9 minutes each with 2 minutes of rest between series.
Description: A competitive game with two teams each fielding eight outfield players and a goalkeeper. The area is quite small for the number of players and this ensures that there will be more duels as well as forcing the players to scan the area of play and be more aware so to make quick and good decisions.
Cool down.
Total Duration: 10 minutes.
We end the session with a light jog which is then followed by static stretching exercises. The players should focus mostly on the muscles of the lower limbs as well as the core and back muscles.
By Philip Cauchi
