Modern soccer is
getting more and
more physical and strength has become a crucial factor when
evaluating a
player's qualities. Of course, it's not a rule that
a good player must
necessarily be a strong one and a few examples that come to mind from
today's
soccer include Kaka, Robinho and Lionel Messi.
Sometimes soccer strength is so
well shadowed by a player's other qualities that we
don't really picture them
as spending too much time in the gym. But if you look at players such
as
Ronaldinho, Zinedine Zidane or David Beckham, you'll notice
they all have a solid
constitution and make heavy use of their bodies when
dribbling or
protecting the ball.
Shot/Header Power
– Most of the power in a shot or a header comes
from the lower back and abs. Working these areas out, as well as your
legs in
soccer strength training will soon show off in your shots and headers
(but
don't forget you also need a good striking technique to go
with the strength in
order to achieve shot/header power).
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Shielding
– The bigger you are, the harder it will be for
your
enemy to work his way around you and take or push the ball away from
you.
Strong legs can keep you vertical in a shielding situation and having a
solid
upper body can also help pushing the opponent away, making room for a
pass or a
shot.
Balance
– Having strong legs is the key to having a good
balance on
the pitch. Balance is useful when shielding a ball, when dribbling,
when
jumping for a header & when trying to avoid a tackle, so
it's a pretty
important ability to have.
Jumping
– Knowing how to head the ball right is great, but
in most cases
the hardest part is getting to it first and that's done by
jumping for it. Your
soccer jumping skill can be improved through soccer strength training
by
increasing your leg strength to jump higher and your upper body
strength to
manage to position yourself in the air perfectly to hit the ball.
Soccer
Strength – What you should work out
Soccer fitness is
obviously much
needed by any soccer player, regardless of his position on the pitch,
but
strength affects each position in a different way and a player must put
extra
effort in working out the exact body areas that are required for him.
For
example:
Goalkeepers
– A goalie doesn't require that much
strength as he
requires agility, so if working out at the gym hinders your agility you
should
only focus on the essential areas: your legs for jumping and diving,
your lower
back and abs for kicking and your shoulders and biceps for shot
stopping. The
upper body can also be worked out entirely, in order to give you a
better shock
absorption when you dive to the ground, avoiding injuries. Much like a
wrestler, a goalkeeper uses his strength to avoid getting
injured when
slammed
on the ground.
Defenders
– Good balance and jumping skills are essential
for a
good defender and since both of these skills are affected by your leg
strength,
it's that area you should focus on at the gym. A good upper
body helps you
shield the ball better and will also make you harder to dribble and
better at
shoulder-to-shoulder situations.
Midfielders
– A midfielder's main strength
doesn't lay in his
physical constitution, although this will help a great deal. If you
look at
some of the best dribbling midfielders out there such as Ronaldinho or
Zidane,
you'll notice how they use their upper body to perform the
dribbles and gain an
advantage on their opponents. However, your lower back, abs, quadriceps
and
femoral biceps should also be worked intensely, especially if
you're often
found in the position to shoot at goal. Defensive midfielders should
work out
just like a defender would, since they'll rarely dribble or
shoot at goal.
Attackers
– A goalmouth striker can use his physical fitness
to
overcome his opponents and score even when he is outnumbered. Knowing
how to
use your upper body strength to shield the ball before receiving it in
the box
is crucial, but you'll also need to have that strength in the
first place, so
working out your upper body is important. Given the fact that
you'll need
balance in order to put the ball down and score, or to jump and head it
in the
back of the net, leg strength is also crucial, making the attacker the
hardest
working player in the gym.
