The Animal Within. Player Education

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• The animal within. Player Education© 

By Sergio Garcia, Director of Australian Football Players.  

• The animal within. Player Education© hopes to assist young players build and succeed in all aspects of their game. This e-book is intended as a guide only. Many styles of coaching and training are utilized in this book. Some are taken from professional player’s preferences, others from lessons taught by the Football Federation of Australia, some from professional fitness experts and some from personal experience. Few players (and coaches) outside of the professional game fully appreciate the impact that proper conditioning can have on performance. There is quite rightly a heavy emphasis on technique and skill development at every level of the game, but skill can only be applied within the limits of player’s physical capacity. We’ve all seen those players who lack good technique yet still prove to be deadly effective. Often their speed and power is enough to outshine opponents and team mates who posse’s significantly greater talent. There is no substitute for correct technique. But the greater a player’s soccer-specific fitness, the higher the level they can apply what skill they do have.In small-size sections, this e-book covers the most important elements of fitness in the game of soccer. Starting with endurance training, it progresses through strength, power and speed training as well as testing soccer fitness and proper nutrition.Enjoy the e-book and if you have any questions please use the contact form . 

• Part 1 – Soccer Endurance Training Elite soccer player’s posse’s excellent endurance. Typical values for VO2max (the technical term for an individual’s aerobic power) range between 55 and 70ml/kg/min. To give these figures some context, young, inactive individuals will typical have a VO2max of 40-50ml/kg/min. How important is soccer endurance training?Studies have shown that the greater a player’s aerobic capacity, the more ground they cover during a typical game. Additionally, improved endurance also increases the number of sprints completed in a game. In one study, by improving the VO2max of youth soccer players by 11% over an 8 week period, a 20% increase in total distance covered during competitive match play was seen, along with a 23% increase in involvement with the ball and a 100% increase in the number of sprints performed by each player!Soccer endurance training falls into one of 2 categories: AEROBIC endurance conditioning & ANAEROBIC endurance conditioning Aerobic Endurance TrainingAerobic endurance training improves the body’s ability to deliver and use oxygen. It will allow players to sustain an overall higher rate of work during the ninety minutes. They will also recover more quickly after repeated sprints and high intensity periods of play. Sample Aerobic Endurance Drill
  This drill is based on fartlek training, which is more specific to soccer and less monotonous than running laps of a soccer pitch: Warm up with a steady jog for 10 minutes Run hard for 3 minutes, jog slowly for 1 minute Repeat 6-8 times Cool down at a steady pace for 10 minutes ANaerobic Endurance TrainingAnaerobic endurance training will help players to recover more quickly from successive bursts of high intensity exercise. It is not uncommon for a player to have to sprint 20-30yards in order to defend an attack only, to turn and sprint in the opposite direction when counter-attacking. Soccer can be classed as high-intensity, intermittent exercise. Successive sprints or high intensity work bouts, with little rest in between, quickly leads to an accumulation of lactic acid. When the muscles and blood become acidic, their function is severely hampered. The player must slow down to recover and the last thing they want in this scenario is to receive the ball!With anaerobic endurance training, the ability to tolerate lactic acid is increased. In other words, it takes longer for lactic acid to accumulate in the blood and muscles and when it does, it can be cleared more rapidly allowing recovery to be that much quicker.Sample ANaerobic Endurance DrillSet out 5 cones 10 meters/yard apart. Starting on cone 1, jog to cone 4 then immediately sprint to cone 5. Turn and jog to cone 3 and then sprint to cone 1. Turn and jog to cone 2 and sprint to cone 5. Finally, turn immediately and sprint to cone 1. Rest for 60 seconds and repeat 3-5 times. This is one set. Complete 2-3 sets. Soccer Endurance Training for Junior PlayersPlayers that have not yet reached, or who are in the early stages of puberty should only complete aerobic endurance training. Intense, anaerobic drills are too demanding on young players, who have a limited capacity to produce and tolerate lactic acid.In very young players (i.e. 6 – 10) endurance “drills” should be avoided altogether. Instead the conditioning effect should come from endurance-based games that can easily be incorporated into a coaching session. Soccer Endurance Training For Youth PlayersAs young soccer players mature, they are naturally able to cope with more demanding training. Aerobic versus anaerobic conditioning should still be emphasized, however some more demanding interval training drills can be added into a players program.Interval training simply refers to breaking a low intensity drill up into several shorter intervals. Because a rest period is allowed between each interval, the overall intensity can increase. When you think about it, this is a lot like the nature of a soccer game.Soccer Endurance Training For Mature PlayersWhen players mature physically (usually between ages 16 – 21), their soccer endurance plan should be tailored to meet the precise demands of the game. Players should be completing much more interval training than steady-paced continuous training. They should also incorporate lots of anaerobic endurance drills to help them tolerate the build up of lactic acid.At this level, endurance training should also be periodized. That simply means that over the course of a season there will be specific periods where aerobic endurance conditioning is emphasized, specific periods when anaerobic endurance conditioning is emphasized and periods of structured rest and recovery.

•  Part 2 – Strength Training For Soccer Soccer players require strength in both the lower and upper body. Nearly every movement in the game from kicking, to tackling, to twisting and turning, sprinting and heading, requires a good foundation of strength and power.However, strength training for sport is very different from simply lifting weights and trying to lift more and more each session. The bodybuilding mentality still predominates in soccer strength training routines but it’s important to remember that for most players, simply adding muscle size and bulk, or even pure strength, is not what they require to play soccer successfully.There are essentially FOUR distinct types of strength training for soccer. Each one has its place and don’t worry… they are not all completed at the same time! In fact, in older players, the most effective strength training plan is designed so that one form of strength training builds on another over the course of a season. Let’s look at each in a little more detail…Basic Strength Training for SoccerBasic strength training is designed to build a solid and balanced foundation. It prepares the joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons for more intense work later on in the training plan. It is designed to strengthen underused stabilizer muscles and to balance the right and left side of the body. Soccer, like any sport, tends to place uneven demands on various muscles leaving some overdeveloped and some neglected. Overly strong quadriceps is a classic example, placing the hamstrings under an uneven amount of stress.Maximal Strength Training for SoccerOnce a solid base has been built, and muscle balance is restored, more intense training can be completed in order to develop a player’s maximum strength.Maximal strength and muscle size or bulk is NOT the same thing. Bodybuilders train for muscle size – known as hypertrophy training. A bodybuilder may look very strong, and they are, but their strength is not proportionate to their huge size. In order to train for maximal strength, very heavy weights are used for a small number of repetitions. This limits the amount of muscle bulk that is developed but adapts the neuromuscular system so the greatest amount of force can be applied.The main goal here is to develop as much strength as possible so that it can be converted into a high level of explosive power and muscular endurance.Explosive Power Training for SoccerPower is the ability of the neuromuscular system to produce the greatest amount of force in the least amount of time. A soccer player can be very strong but unable to apply that strength rapidly, so their explosive power is limited.One way to develop power is through a form of training called ply metrics. A muscle that is stretched before it contracts will contract more forcefully and rapidly (like an elastic band). This is essentially what plyometric exercises do – they stretch muscles rapidly and then immediately demand a powerful contraction. It’s easier to imagine with a practical example:Imagine the jumping movement to win a header…The very first phase of this movement has to be a downward thrust. If you try jumping off the ground without first bending your knees, you can’t even leave the ground. As you “dip” down just before a standing jump you are stretching muscle groups like the quadriceps and hip extensors. These are the muscles that will contract very forcefully a split second later to produce the jump.The shorter and more rapid this downward movement or pre-stretching action is, the more forcefully those muscle groups can contract… and the higher you will jump!There are many types of ply metric exercises. Lower body ply metric exercises have also been called jump training and one of the simplest drills is very similar to the game hopscotch. Here’s a good soccer-specific drill below:Muscular Endurance Training for SoccerTraining for muscular endurance incorporates lighter weights and more repetitions. One of the best formats is circuit training where several exercise stations are performed consecutively. Many of the exercises can be performed with little or no equipment such as push-ups, step ups, burpees, squat thrusts, walking lunges, bench dips, crunches and so on.Ideally, exercises should stress the same muscles in a similar way as a competitive soccer game would. For example, using high box step ups rather than lying leg presses for the leg muscles, is more specific to soccer.Here’s another example… squat jumps are a classic circuit training exercise that build strength in the lower body. Having a partner throw a ball in the air to head is one way to make the drill more soccer specific. Another adaptation is to have a partner play a ball along the deck for you to pass back on every landing.Now let’s move on to strength conditioning for the various age groups… Soccer Strength Training for Junior PlayersThere is no reason why pre-pubescent players (as young as age 8) cannot take part in resistance training activities.In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine (ASCM) suggests that if children are ready for organized sport, they are ready for some form of strength training. There are some scare stories regarding strength training in children, such as stunted growth and deformed limbs. However, when completed correctly, under proper supervision, a junior resistance training plan can actually help to prevent injuries that can occur in contact games like soccer.Here are some important strength training guidelines for young soccer players: Players who are not physically mature should NEVER lift heavy weights. They should NOT attempt to see how much weight they can lift. Young players should be supervised at all times with at least one competent instructor for every 10 players. Players must be given chance to master correct technique with no resistance before resistance is gradually added. Exercises that use bodyweight and light medicine balls are more suitable than free weights and machines. Most resistance machines are not designed for the length of children’s limbs and should be avoided. Soccer Strength Training For Youth PlayersAs players reach puberty they naturally grow in strength (particularly males). However, bones are still growing and the end plates are still susceptible to damage.Even players who seem to have matured early should NOT lift heavy weights (i.e. a weight that cannot be lifted at least 10 times). The progression from bodyweight exercises to free weights and machines should be gradual and based on a player’s own development. Because players grow rapidly during puberty, it’s important that a soccer strength training program helps to balance muscle groups. Bones usually grow faster than muscles develop, which can often lead to overuse injuries such Osgood Schlatter disease. A combination of strength and flexibility exercises can help to reduce the incidence and severity of these.Soccer Strength for Mature PlayersOnce players have matured fully, soccer strength training can become much more structured and soccer-specific.During the off or closed season, players should follow a general or basic strength plan. This will help to rebalance the body after a tough season.During the later stages of the off-season and the early stages of pre-season, players should switch to a maximal strength program. This can be converted into power and strength endurance during the latter stages of the pre-season, ready for the first competitive game.

•  Part 3 – Soccer Speed Training You may hear many coaches say that modern day soccer is all about speed. Today’s players are faster than ever and the game is played at high tempo from start to finish. But what exactly makes a quick player?In a sport like soccer it’s not simply the ability to run fast…Players rarely, if ever get the chance to reach maximum speed in a game. Far more important is acceleration and speed off the mark. A player may be quick over 30-40 yards but lack the skill and dexterity to run quickly while in possession of the ball. And then there’s speed endurance…Soccer is a high intensity intermittent game. Players must make several strong runs or sprints back-to-back with minimal rest. Their ability to maintain sharpness and power is a measure of their speed endurance.How about quickness of feet? Speed of thought and reaction time? And don’t forget the ability to decelerate and change direction rapidly. All of these attributes combine to make what we would call a quick player. And the good news is that from this list of physical attributes most can be improved through proper training. Don’t let anyone tell you being quick are solely down to the luck of the genetic draw!So how does a player (or a team) become quick? It takes a combined training approach. And the first type of soccer speed training that will make a significant difference is something we’ve already covered…Strength & Power TrainingWhat determines running speed? It’s not just the ability to move your legs rapidly. While this is important, the greater the force you can apply with each ground contact, the quicker you can propel yourself. Of course, it doesn’t matter how much force you can apply if you can’t apply it rapidly. So the ability to run fast is really a combination of strength and speed… also known as explosive power!A phase of maximal strength training will increase the amount of force that a player can apply. That’s the first half of the equation taken care of. A subsequent phase of ply metric training conditions the body to apply that force very rapidly… the result is power development and a faster player!But remember, there are other elements to speed aside from the ability to run quickly…Speed, Agility & Quickness TrainingSpeed or sprint training will further help to improve you speed off the mark, acceleration and power.Agility training allows you to change direction without the loss of balance, strength, and speed or body control.Quickness training will help to improve your foot speed and co-ordination.In reality there is a lot of overlap between these three types of training. From a practical point of view they can all be combined into one session using just a handful of drills.Sample Sprint Training Drill – Hollow Sprints
  Sprint for 30 meters/yards, jog for 30 meters/yards, sprint for 30meters/yards, and jog for 30meters/yards. Walk slowly back to the start and repeat. Sample Agility Training Drill – Follow the LeaderMark out an area about 10 meters/yards by 10 meters/yards. In pairs, one player runs randomly within the marked area. The other player must follow maintaining no more the 2 meters/yards distance. The leader should be changing direction and pace constantly. Two sets of pairs can be added to the area so players must be conscious of what’s around them also.Sample Quickness Training Drill – Ladder RunsAgility ladders are excellent for improving foot speed, co-ordination and overall quickness. They can cost anywhere from $30 for shorter ladders to over $100 for more elaborate designs. An alternative is to either make your own with some white parcel string and a few soccer net pegs (make sure the pegs are pushed flush into the ground). There are lots of variations you can use and you can easily make up your own foot combinations. You can see an example to the right.Soccer Speed Training For Junior PlayersIntense strength and power training is not suitable for young soccer players. Neither is intense sprint training. But that doesn’t mean a junior player can’t improve their speed on the pitch…The best way to help a young player become quick is to make use of drills that will improve their ability to co-ordinate their limbs and move them more rapidly. There are a number of drills that will help to do this and they can easily be incorporated into an obstacle course or game situation that will make them both fun and rewarding.Soccer Speed Training For Youth PlayersAs players mature all-out speed and sprint drills can be added to their soccer speed program. It’s impossible to tell how fast or slow a player will be until after puberty. So if a player is very slow as a child that doesn’t necessarily mean they will slow in adulthood.In younger players it’s also important to develop speed and co-ordination in the upper body. While this may not seem specific to soccer, it will help with sprinting ability and allows players develop overall athleticism. It’s also a good idea at this stage to teach players correct running and sprinting mechanics which will hopefully become habit when they reach full maturity.Soccer Speed Training For Mature PlayersAs mentioned earlier, physically mature players should be following a strength and power training program. This in itself will enhance their speed and agility. Additionally, speed and agility sessions should be added to the overall coaching program towards the end of the pre-season. Speed can easily be maintained with just one session a week during the in-season. 

• Part 4 – Soccer stretching & Warming Up  Stretching for soccer has to be the most undervalued of all the components of fitness.Not only can it help to reduce the risk of injury, good flexibility also improves athletic and technical performance. Muscles can apply force over a greater range of motion which in turn increases speed and power. Rebound movements such as kicking and jumping can become more explosive and a greater range of motion helps players reach further for the ball.There are three main types of stretching:1. Dynamic soccer stretching – often used at the beginning of a warm up. Making circles with the arms to loosen the shoulders, twisting from side to side and swing each leg as if to kick a ball is all good examples.2. Ballistic soccer stretching – bouncing or ‘jerky’ movements that use your bodyweight to increase the stretch. Bending over and bouncing to touch your toes is a classic example. Avoid ballistic stretching. There are safer and equally as effective ways to improve range of motion.3. Static soccer stretching – muscles are stretched without moving the limb or joint itself. A good example of a static stretch is the traditional quad stretch where, standing on one leg, you grab your ankle and pull your heel into your backside.From these 3 types of stretching, dynamic stretching is recommended prior to a game or training session. Dynamic stretching helps to reduce tightness which is associated with muscles tears. Avoid static stretching before a game as this may actually reduce strength and power performance and has not been shown to prevent injury.Dynamic stretching, while useful before a game is not particularly effective at increasing a player’s range of motion long term. In order to increase flexibility, static stretching is more useful and static stretches should be completed when fully warm – at the end of a training session or game is ideal.Soccer Stretching GuidelinesEach stretch should be held for 20-30 seconds and should be repeated at least twice (preferably three times). So for example, you wouldn’t perform a calf stretch, then a hamstring stretch then a quad stretch etc., and then repeat the whole routine. Instead you would perform 3 calf stretches, then 3 hamstring stretches and so on.Here are some other general, but important guidelines to bear in mind before you start your soccer stretching routine…Do NOT hold a stretch that is in anyway painful. It should feel tight and that tightness should diminish as you hold the stretch. Breathe! Avoid breathing holding as you stretch as this can raise blood pressure and leave you feeling dizzy. For optimal results try to stretch every day or at least 3-4 times a week Makes sure your body in completely warm before you start. Either do 5-10mins of light aerobic exercise or do your stretches at the end of a training session. Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds. “Shake out” the limb and joint and repeat for a total of 2 to 3 sets. Don’t expect results overnight. It can take up to 6 weeks to see measurable improvements. Be persistent – they will come. Finally, consider testing yourself prior to starting a soccer stretching program then again after 6 weeks. Soccer Stretching For Junior PlayersWhile young soccer players are naturally flexible, stretching should not be ignored. Stretches can be added as part of a cool down after a game or training session and even between drills during a coaching session. Young children should be watched carefully so that they don’t try to compete with one another to see who can stretch the furthest. Also, they should hold their stretches for a shorter period of time (5 – 10 seconds). Soccer Stretching For Youth PlayersYouth players are prone to overuse injuries and growing pains. Very often these occur because bones grow faster than muscles develop (Osgood Schlatter disease is a case in point).A good soccer stretching program is crucial to help offset these problems and youth players should try to stretch daily if possible. They should hold stretches between 10 and 20 seconds. Soccer Stretching For Mature PlayersOlder players should stretch at least 3 times per week – ideally after training sessions and a game. They can incorporate advanced forms of stretching such as PHF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) which will help to further increase range of motion. Stretches should be held for up to 30 seconds.Warming UpEvery player and coach appreciates the value of warming up. By increasing blood flow to the muscles and raising body temperature it helps to reduce muscle stiffness – which is thought to be directly related to injury such as strains.Here are the key benefits of warming up:Muscles can contract and relax more rapidly when they are warm Muscle tightness can be reduced leading to greater economy of movement At higher body temperatures, muscles are more able to take up and utilize oxygen It can prevent muscle strains that are more likely to occur in cold, rigid muscles A specific warm up can help the body to recruit motor units more rapidly for all-out activity like sprinting and jumping As mentioned above, stretching plays an important part of the warm up – but only dynamic stretches are recommended. Static stretching prior to a game or training session can hinder performance and is not as likely to reduce the risk of injury.A good warm up routine is limited only by the coach or player’s imagination. However, there are a few general guidelines that will help to make the warm up more effectiveThe routine should start light and gradually increase to near-competitive intensity at the end. Start with general activities that involve large muscle groups. Examples include light jogging (with or without a ball) or skipping followed by some dynamic stretches. It’s important you avoid sharp, explosive movements like kicking or sprinting or any activities that might cause over-stretching.Towards the end of the routine, drills that replicate the time pressures in a game will help to increase reaction time and speed of thought. It’s often a good idea to end the warm up with conditioned games in restricted spaces. The intensity should be similar to a competitive match (apart from tackling!) with players focusing on sharp, quick movements.

• Part 5 – Soccer Nutrition In soccer, or any sport for that matter, proper nutrition is always undervalued.Players and coaches alike assume that diet only becomes a factor at the highest level of the game — that extra edge where the tiniest advantage can mean the difference between winning and losing.Not so!Nutrition makes a significant difference — at all levels and ages!Eating and drinking incorrectly before a game for example, can cause a sudden rise in insulin, followed by a sharp drop in blood sugar. The result is lethargy and jelly-like legs. Another example…Eat too close to kick off and it can leave feeling sick and nauseous. Why? When food is in your stomach, it becomes your body’s highest priority…Blood is directed to the digestive system in order to process the meal quickly before the food has chance to spoil and ferment. When you exercise heavily, blood is shunted away from major organs (and the digestive system) in order to supply working muscles with their increased demand for oxygen. A feeling nausea is the body’s way of limiting exercise so that blood can be directed once again to the digestive system. Ignore it, or push too hard and the only option left are to physically expel the food from your system!Ideally then, you should eat a suitable meal 3 hours before kick off. More than 3 hours and you could go into the game feeling famished and weak from low blood sugar. Any sooner and you run the risk of feeling sick.Following a game is a different story however. You want to eat as soon as possible to replenish carbohydrate stores. Having snacks to hand is a useful strategy rather than waiting until you get home for a big meal. You have a “window” — a period of time after exercise when it’s best to replenish your energy stores. Beyond this window it becomes much more difficult to replace carbohydrate stores and can take up to 2-3 days. No good if you are playing or training a day or two later.What about drinking and optimal hydrationThere are several different types of sports drinks: Hypotonic  – Isotonic  – Hypertonic  – For now, isotonic drinks are best before a game (but not to close to kick off) and hypertonic drinks are best after a game. Hypotonic drinks are useful during hot weather conditions when the most important factor is dehydration.Of course eating before and after a game is only one aspect of nutrition. What you eat on a day-to-day, meal-to-meal basis is equally as important.If you play soccer competitively you may be training and playing 3-4 times a week or more. This increases your demand for energy and possibly some vitamins and minerals, so it’s important you eat more to meet these increased demands. But eating anything and everything is not a wise move…Soccer players tend to be quite lean because the sport is so physically demanding. Sometimes players and coaches believe that this allows them to eat all manner of junk food without consequence.While weight gain may not become a problem, your overall health and performance will be adversely affected. Too often, health and fitness is judged by weight. But the old adage “you are what you eat” is as true for soccer players as it is for everyone else. With proper nutrition every system, organ and cell can function more effectively. The net result is greater athletic potential.Sports supplements are becoming more and more popular amongst soccer players. They promise the world and often deliver very little. Manufacturers have been quick to expand from the bodybuilding market, paying well-known sports stars millions to endorse their products. But celebrity endorsement does nothing to prove their effectiveness.A few supplements do have a measurable, proven effect and can enhance performance. However, substances like anabolic steroids (which is a drug not a supplement), while effective are also dangerous and illegal.Coaches and players should be aware of what supplements are safe and effective and which aren’t. Beware of researching the internet however. You’ll quickly discover one-sided, subjective reviews designed only to part you from your hard-earned money. Correct nutrition and proper fitness training can have such a dramatic effect on performance that NO supplement can come close to matching its effect!

We hope you have enjoyed this e-book produced by AustralianFootballPlayers.com.au, remember you need to Be Seen, to Be DiscoveredTM.  

*This is to be used as a guide only. Please consult your Doctor before performing any of these exercises.