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Preseason Prep: Laying the Foundations for Soccer Season Success
Summer is wrapping up, and the fall sports season is about to begin! The countdown until soccer kick-off is sure to bring excitement for fans, but for athletes, preseason can be a physically demanding time. A crucial part of the soccer season, preseason training helps you build stamina, improve technical skills, and increase conditioning, all while reducing the risk of injury. Slowly building your physical fitness gives your muscles and joints adequate time to adjust to the demands of an aggressive sport like soccer, preventing future injuries, aches, and pains. Despite the hard work that’s involved, a consistent fitness regimen and soccer-specific exercises will prepare you for a successful, fun, and injury-free preseason!
Building Endurance
Soccer players run up to seven miles in a single game, making the sport one of the most physically demanding activities. Including cardiovascular workouts in your preseason preparations will increase your endurance, enabling you to run faster and longer, protecting you from fatigue-induced musculoskeletal injuries. Cycling, jogging, and swimming are all great choices to incorporate into your training regime twice a week to prepare yourself for the fast-approaching season.
Maintaining Muscle
Strength training is another key way to level up your gameplay. Using free weights or performing bodyweight exercises will build muscle, increasing your endurance and the power of your kicks, allowing your muscles to work harder for longer. During workouts, focus on push and pull movements like squat jumps, lunges, leg presses, and deadlifts, which are vital for fast take off in soccer.
Don’t forget to work your upper body, too! Movements like shoulder presses and dumbbell presses will contribute to propulsion forward while running, while developing a strong core will improve endurance and agility, contributing to balance, preventing injuries from trips or falls. Finish each workout session with a series of core exercises such as planks, dead bugs, and Russian twists for total-body muscle building.
Training Safe
Intense workouts will only take you so far. Before each session, warm up and stretch. Light jogging and mobility exercises reduce the risk of injury by giving your muscles adequate time to prepare for physical activity. Dynamic stretching prior to practice will increase range of motion, while static stretching afterward will loosen tight muscles.
Tapering the intensity of your workouts prior to the preseason can help you stay refreshed and rested. Begin the week with high intensity workouts, gradually transitioning to a focus on recovery at the end of the week. Before the season starts, take a few days to practice technical ball work. While it’s important to stay in shape before the preseason, there’s a long road ahead! Allowing yourself valuable recovery time will keep you safe and scoring this season.
While prevention is the best medicine, even the most prepared athletes still experience injuries. Fortunately, the Sports Medicine Hotline at Orthopedic ONE is a free resource that can connect you with a certified athletic trainer. Whether it’s a non-emergency injury or a simple question, Orthopedic ONE is here to support your soccer season.
Sources:
The Distance Run per Game in Various Sports, Runners World
Orthopedic ONE's Sports Medicine Hotline
Orthopedic ONE's Sports Medicine Hotline is a free resource staffed 7 days a week by certified athletic trainers to support athletes and their families. Simply leave us a message or send an email and a member of our team will reach out to help you navigate the next steps following an injury, including scheduling an urgent appointment with an Orthopedic ONE physician at a location near you.
(614) 827-8210 | SportsMed@OrthopedicONE.com
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