How to Get in Shape for Soccer Fast and Effectively
Knowing how to get in shape for soccer fast is important for players who want to maximize their performance on the field in a short period of time. The beautiful game is one of the most physically and mentally demanding sports in the world that requires a high level of physical and mental endurance.
Getting into “soccer shape” is different from getting into shape for other sports because the athleticism required for soccer is much different. That is why at the highest level you have players of all shapes, sizes, and characteristics that are successful especially when compared with other sports such as basketball or American football where physical attributes like height or body mass often play a bigger role.
As a soccer player, amateur or professional, you have to be able to last 90 minutes on the field at a high level without letting your level of play go down at any point during the match. If you are a youth player you may not have to last 90 minutes yet, but you still have to be able to last the entire length of your game.
That is what it means to be in shape for soccer; to be able to perform consistently and at a high level for the entire game. In this blog, I will be going over tips and provide you with information about how to get in shape for soccer season fast.
How do you Really get in Shape for Soccer?
To answer this question we first have to determine what the game of soccer is. Soccer is a game of 90 minutes in which two teams try to score the most goals and everything a team does is based on this concept, either block shots at goal from the opposing team or go and score goals against them.
During those 90 minutes there are also a lot of unpredictable events, new scenarios that have never happened before, a lot of decision making and changes of directions, and ultimately both teams are trying to create order from all of the disorder of the game. Soccer is not a linear event in which you know what is going to happen next and it is the most unpredictable sport in the world in which anything can happen at any moment.
For this reason, the best way to get better at soccer and get in soccer shape is by training smart, working hard, and working with nature.
Play the Game A Lot
To train how you play means to train in a way that best resembles a real soccer game. As mentioned before a real soccer game is very unpredictable and one of the best ways to deal with the unpredictability of the game is by being able to get in the zone, or in a flow state.
A flow state is a state of consciousness where focus and creativity are increased, players are able to focus on the present moment, and this flow state is necessary, not optional, if you want to achieve peak performance on the soccer field.
If you want to get in soccer shape fast, these are some of the things you should be doing.
- Participate in team trainings or competitive leagues weekly
- At least 2-3 times a week
- On days off from team training play other variations of the game such as
- Small sided games
- Pickup games
- Futsal
- Beach Soccer
- Soccer Tennis
- Soccer Ping Pong
- Spend time playing other sports
- Also spend a lot of time playing barefoot soccer
The most important thing to remember is that the best way to get in shape for the game is to play the game a lot. Simple as that.
If you think doing a lot of sprints, interval training, agility exercises, and long runs is going to be the best way to get in soccer shape, you are forgetting that soccer requires a lot of decision making and quick reaction time, which requires mental stamina as well, not just physical.
This means that to get into soccer shape, you do have to be physically fit to run a lot, but also mentally fit enough to make the right decisions for the entire length of the game.
Follow a Proper Athletic Training Program
One way to help you get in soccer shape faster and to improve your performance on the field is by following a proper athletic training program. As mentioned before, the athleticism for soccer is different from any other sport, which is why it is important to follow a training program that will directly help your performance on the field.
The right soccer training program should have one main goal, to make you a better soccer player. That may sound really obvious, but there are many training programs out there that focus too much on things that don’t really have an impact on how well you can control and manipulate the soccer ball, such as how big your numbers in the gym are.
As a soccer player, your goal when it comes to athleticism should be to trust your instincts more, become a more fascia-driven player, improve spiral biomechanics and breathing mechanics, as well as develop a strong tolerance for stress which comes from having a strong Autonomic Nervous System.
To improve your athletic performance it is important to incorporate fascia training into your routine as well as full out sprints or interval training, which involves hard sprints followed by a light jog or walk for active recovery.
Maximize your Recovery
For soccer players who want to get in shape fast, the next thing to do after they’ve been training hard on their athleticism and soccer-specific skills, is to prioritize recovery. Recovery is just as important as all your training sessions, if not more, and players need at least one full rest day per week.
It is not possible to go 100% everyday and if you are it may lead to overtraining. So if you want to improve your recovery, use these natural recovery techniques to help your body heal faster. Improving your recovery goes hand-in-hand with improving all aspects of your life that impact performance which is what I will cover next.
Improve all Aspects of Life that Impact Performance on the Field and Recovery off it
Everything you do from the minute you wake up until the minute you go to bed affects your performance on game day one way or another, whether that is mentally or physically. All of the following topics mentioned have a huge impact on your mitochondrial function and circadian rhythm, which are two of the most fundamental parts of health and peak performance.
Summary
To summarize, knowing how to get in shape for soccer is one of the most important parts of becoming a better soccer player. In this blog, I covered everything you need to know about how to get in shape for soccer, including how to improve your skills and decrease the risk of injury by improving various aspects of your life that affect performance and recovery.
So now that you know how to get in soccer shape, grab a soccer ball, grab your cleats, or play barefoot, and start training!
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I begin improving my soccer skills right now?
To begin improving your soccer skills right now, check out our post on the best soccer training drills. If you are looking to accelerate your progress, contact us or sign an interest form for our private training program.
Is lifting weights good strength training for soccer players?
Contrary to popular belief lifting weights is not as beneficial for soccer players as most people are led to believe. If you lift weight chances are you will get stronger, and will look better, but that does not necessarily mean you will become a better soccer player.
For the most part it only means you are getting better and stronger at those lifts, which are never done in a soccer game. In a soccer game you are never really moving any external force, you are only moving your bodyweight and the soccer ball, which is not very heavy, but occasionally you will have to hold off the opponents.
With that being said, if you are already athletic and have the key athletic traits either subconsciously or consciously, which are having strong feet, a relaxed nervous system, good breathing patterns, and being fascia-driven, then lifting weights might not be as harmful. However, if you don’t have any of the things I mentioned previously, and if you are not athletic already, lifting weights can do more harm than good.
How do you prepare for a soccer match?
To prepare for a soccer match you have to improve your soccer skills and physical fitness, which can be done by reading this guide. Also, analyzing your games, both individual performances and as a team, by recording your games with a camera, is a great way to find out what you have been doing well in-game and what you need to improve on.
How far do soccer players run during a soccer game?
Soccer players run anywhere from 5-8 miles during a game but that will depend on various factors such as playing level, age group, positions, formation, and the tactics chosen by the soccer coach.
