I’ve a friend who is 19. 6’3" and roughly 215 lbs. He has an interest in trying out for a professional soccer team sometime in the next few years. He has the technical proficiency the issue appears to be conditioning. I never played soccer but because of my lifting background he’s putting me in charge of his weight training. I’m looking for input.
3-4 days a week he will be playing or doing agility drills outside. One day a week he will be doing sprints/running with sleds/wieghts.
He is completely new to weightlifting and I am trying to figure out what to stick him with.
I was thinking something like RDLs and then adding body weight exercises for upper body. Soccer doesn’t seem to have a huge emphasis on upper body strength. Essentially I want to increase strength without losing any agility or touch on the ball. I’m open to suggestions.
Also, if he wants to make the big bucks and maybe play in Europe at some point, he needs to play football more often than 3-4 times a week if possible.
I agree he should be playing soccer more than 3-4 times a week. I first started lifting as a way to get better at soccer and I had great success with TBT.
After playing football for many years the best advice i can give is to get your friend to practice his speed and agility drills (especially short bursts of speed) and spend as much time as possible with the ball at his feet. The top class players do not seem to spend much time in the gym lifting weights. he will need to be as quick and agile as he can (with the football at his feet).
Anyway, just so that this thread is not redundant, I am assuming that you will advise him to go ahead and lift weights.
If so, it does depend entirely on the position-- a central defender can probably use some upper body mass, and in general a soccer player will need to have good strength for their bodyweight unless they have exceptional technique, and even then it will be useful for injury prevension.
A winger type player for example needs to be explosive and light, etc etc.
I was hoping for some actual suggestions for the weightroom-and praying this wouldn’t turn into a football vs. throwball contest.
My current plan is to have him lift one day a week-i like the TBT idea so i’ll probably give him something like deadlifts and then focus on bodyweight exercises like pullups, dips, and lunges. Still open to more concrete suggestions.
Well, if you know them, or can find someone else to teach him, olympic lifts would be helpful in developing strength and power, which may help with quickness on the field. Other things like box jumps would also be useful i’d say, anything strength-speed related should be beneficial. Just my 2cents
[quote]DSchell wrote:
I was hoping for some actual suggestions for the weightroom-and praying this wouldn’t turn into a football vs. throwball contest.
My current plan is to have him lift one day a week-i like the TBT idea so i’ll probably give him something like deadlifts and then focus on bodyweight exercises like pullups, dips, and lunges. Still open to more concrete suggestions.[/quote]
First, tell us the position he plays. Upon that we’ll make further suggestions. You can’t expect a midfield player to require the same weight training as a striker.
Secondly, once a week isn’t enough for ANY position. Three times a week in the off-season. If he’s really going to play professionally he’ll need to make the commitment to recovery. However, a focus on dynamic strength should be the primary focus for him. Dynamic in the sense of Defranco’s terminology. I recommend two times a week, make the focus on dynamic lifting in the weight room, and once a week take the opportunity to use max- effort lifting techniques. Preferably in the squat or deadlift. And REALLY emphasize unilateral work with him.
Lastly, make sure that he’s drilling his skill set home. While weight- training is important, the skills are first and foremost. However, his general preparation will determine the overall quality of his skill set. A physically weak player can only achieve a determined amount of skill, before he reaches a ceiling. A stronger, better prepared athlete can achieve a higher skill set.