Weight training for soccer players

4
Soccer
November 13, 2014

A+ A-
EMAILPRINT

You can make yourself feel big and important in your team in an effective
and relatively quick way. Working out in the gym is the best complement to
your regular training and, without a doubt, will help you increase your
performance and physical fitness.

Achieving optimal fitness, high performance on the playing field and, at the same
time, achieving the physical power necessary to make very demanding and highly
complex technical plays is possible. In fact, it's much simpler than you can
imagine . Football is considered the King of Sport in a huge number of countries
and is present on all continents: where there is a ball, there is football. Therefore, it
is not surprising that there is an enormous bibliography of studies associated with
the relationship between training and performance in football.

Whether you play in a national or regional league, or in lower category leagues, or

simply play soccer with friends in university or neighborhood leagues: weight
training is going to help you a lot. There is a false belief that football and the gym
are incompatible, that professional players do not follow hard weight training
programs and that football is a substitute for leg training.

That is, instead of taking advantage of the enormous benefit of training with
weights to increase performance and form in soccer, or increasing the muscle
gains achieved in the gym thanks to complementing it with a sport; Instead, a large
number of people end up choosing one or the other. I go further, even when a
footballer decides to complement his training with work in the gym, he does not
know how to train there to improve his performance.
 If you are here it is because you want to know what benefits it can offer you and
how you should train in the gym. In the next paragraphs you will be able to find the
information necessary to achieve this, scientific studies on the matter and a training
plan that you can follow starting tomorrow , to improve your performance in a
much faster way. Show your teammates what you're worth, impress your coach
and feel great within the team .

This article focuses on strength and power training in the gym, however, for optimal
results they must be complemented with technical and tactical work, individualities
have never been good in football and you need to learn how to take advantage of
your strength and skill. to improve your role on the field of play. Now, let's get to it.

Furthermore, at Entrenamiento.com we have already published a training plan for

soccer players , a real success that has helped many like you, male and female
players, of all levels. The information offered there is complementary to what you
will find below, do not hesitate to read both publications since they do not overlap.
Why train in the gym as a soccer player?
Soccer, contrary to what you may initially believe, is a mainly anaerobic sport. A
match is mainly composed of short and fast plays and actions, so it is extremely
important to be able to continuously perform explosive actions with a small
recovery time. It is estimated that an elite player performs approximately between
1.67 and 2.22 such actions per minute.

Strength training in the gym has very similar characteristics, hence the great
benefit it can offer you when it comes to improving your performance in football.
Here you have some data that corroborates the importance of anaerobic effort in
football.

 During a soccer match, elite players (the studies were carried out on players from the English
Premier League) performed between 150 and 200 short and intense actions that lasted
between 1.9 and 2.8 seconds each (1), in 49% of them were the distance traveled was less
than 10 meters and 96% of them, the distance traveled was less than 30 meters (2.3). In
addition, entries, turns and jumps are also high-intensity activities.
 High muscle strength is required to perform jumps, shots, tackles, turns, backstrokes and
changes of speed (2,4,5).
You already know that it can benefit you, however, I am sure you want to know
how much and how…

How to train in the gym to improve your

performance
He who knows how to train has won the world. You will be able to improve your
body and your game in a relatively short space of time. It is obvious that 2-hour
sessions in the gym 4 days a week are not going to help you anything except
getting injured and losing physical performance. However, you want the opposite:
to take your performance on the field to a much higher level.

Once you start training, just any training plan you find online is useless. Your main
goal is not to gain muscle or lose fat. These main objectives want to be achieved
by people who seek an aesthetic improvement with their training. Does it mean that
you won't improve your body, aesthetically speaking? No way, you will improve it,
without a doubt. However, your main objective is very different: you seek to
improve your performance.

Different objective, different way of training . Sounds logical, right? Well,

unfortunately, the normal thing is to end up training like any other regular at the
gym and, forgive me for the expression, that is wasting time. Neither you nor I like
to waste time. Allow me to teach you how to train to achieve your goal: be and feel
important on your team, regardless of the league.

In an interesting study (6) 18 soccer players were divided into 2 different groups
that trained in the following way. On the one hand, the strength training group
(which we will note with the initials LR, Low Repetitions, or few repetitions in
Spanish) trained doing 4 sets of 5 repetitions at 90% of 1RM intensity, with 3-
minute rests between sets. . On the other hand, the hypertrophy training group
(which we will note as HR, High Repetitions, or many repetitions in Spanish)
trained doing 4 sets of 12 repetitions at 70% of 1RM intensity, with 1.5 minute rests
between sets.

X% of 1RM means the percentage of weight, or intensity, with which an exercise is

performed based on your maximum repetition or personal record. For example, for
a person with a 90kg squat maximum rep, 90% would mean 81kg.

The improvements from both training sessions were recorded in two different
tables. These were the results:
As you can see, both the training with many and few repetitions considerably
increased the leg volume (LLV), the maximum repetition in squat or strength (1RM)
and the ratio between both, that is, the result of dividing the strength gained
between increased volume (1RM/LLV). However, it is training with low
repetitions (LR) that offered the best results .

Why is the 1RM/LLV ratio important? In football, and in any game in general, any
weight gain must be accompanied by an improvement, whether in speed, power or
strength. Gaining weight without a noticeable increase in any of the above
attributes can seriously impair performance in most sports. Therefore, a high
1RM/LLV ratio assures us that all the weight gained brings with it a very significant
increase in strength.

However, these parameters do not well represent how a footballer's sporting

performance improves. Don't worry, the following parameters were also measured
in the study:
Again, both training sessions led to an increase in all parameters. But what do they
mean? All of them are expressed as percentage improvements with respect to the
initial situation of the footballers; “10 m and 40 m” mean sprint for 10 meters and
sprint for 40 meters, respectively. “ZIG-ZAG” represents a 10 x 10 m zig-zag test
with changes in running direction of 45º. For its part, “JUMP” is a jumping test, “T
Test” is an agility test (you can see its execution in this video) , and finally,
ILLINOIS is another agility test, (you can see its execution in this video ).
Without a doubt, training in the gym with few repetitions and high intensity is
optimal for soccer . You can see obvious improvements not only in strength, but
also in vertical jump, running speed and agility. Again, training with few repetitions
was the one that offered the best results.
Training plan for soccer players
You are willing to become great on your team, to be a better player and you know
how you can benefit. Congratulations, because you have already achieved more
than most soccer players. Now I am going to offer you 2 different training plans
with which to increase your performance and improve your form.
 To learn how to achieve peak fitness through your training, as well as choose the
ideal intensity with which you should train to achieve it, learn about the best soccer
training plan , almost obligatory reading if you want to improve even more as a
soccer player by increasing of your performance through work in the gym.

If you want a plan with which you can start now, and begin to plant the seed of
what will be your success, right now I will share with you a complete training plan
for 5 weeks, which can be used cyclically to continually increase your strength,
speed and agility. It is advisable to be familiar with training in the gym, know the
correct technique for each of the exercises and know what your maximums are in
squats, deadlifts and power cleans (or power cleans).

Have you never performed and do you know the power clean technique? Visit the
introductory article to the power clean that we have published and ask your gym
instructor, your trainer or your physical trainer if they can teach it to you. It is
possible to learn it by yourself but it is necessary to correct the technique. Check in
your area if there are gyms specialized in Crossfit or the nearest Weightlifting
federation, they will undoubtedly be able to help you learn the movement.
This training plan arises from the modification of several training plans of
professional teams, likewise, they are basic tables that can be modified depending
on the needs or weaknesses of the footballer. I got some of these training plans
through http://www.sportsscience.co/ , feel free to visit it for more information on
scientific training articles.

The format is as follows: Exercise, No. of series x No. of repetitions (and, in main
exercises), Intensity in % of 1RM.

Week 1
Monday

 Power clean, 5 x 4, 80% of 1RM.

 Dumbbell lunges , 3 x 10.
 Incline bench dumbbell flyes , 3 x 10.
 Pull-ups with supine grip , 3 x MAX.
 Lateral raises, 3 x 10.
 Planks, 2 x 45 seconds.
 Hyperextensions , 3 x 10.
 Wednesday

 Squat with jump, 4 x 5.

 Romanian deadlift or deadlift, 5 x 4, 80% of 1RM.
 Dumbbell bench press, 3 x 12.
 Barbell row, 3 x 12.
 Unilateral dumbbell military press , 3 x 10.
 Abs, 3 x 10.
Friday
 Squats, 5 x 4, 80% of 1RM.
 Nordic femoral curl , 3 x 10. If this is your first time doing this exercise, start with 2 or 3
repetitions for each set. It is a very demanding exercise.
 Dumbbell row, 3 x 12.
 Incline press, 3 x 12.
 Inclined elevations or birds, 3 x 12.
 Weighted sit-ups , 3 x 8.
Week 2
Monday

 Power clean, 5 x 4, 85% of 1RM.

 Dumbbell lunges , 3 x 10.
 Incline bench dumbbell flyes , 3 x 10.
 Pull-ups with supine grip , 3 x MAX.
 Lateral raises, 3 x 10.
 Planks, 2 x 45 seconds.
 Hyperextensions , 3 x 10.
Wednesday

 Squat with jump, 4 x 5.

 Romanian deadlift or deadlift, 5 x 4, 85% of 1RM.
 Dumbbell bench press, 3 x 12.
 Barbell row, 3 x 12.
 Unilateral dumbbell military press , 3 x 10.
 Abs, 3 x 10.
Friday

 Squats, 5 x 4, 85% of 1RM.

 Nordic femoral curl , 3 x 10. If this is your first time doing this exercise, start with 2 or 3
repetitions for each set. It is a very demanding exercise.
 Dumbbell row, 3 x 12.
 Incline press, 3 x 12.
 Inclined elevations or birds, 3 x 12.
 Weighted sit-ups , 3 x 8.
Week 3
Monday

 Power clean, 5 x 4, 90% of 1RM.

 Dumbbell lunges , 3 x 10.
 Incline bench dumbbell flyes , 3 x 10.
 Pull-ups with supine grip , 3 x MAX.
 Lateral raises, 3 x 10.
 Planks, 2 x 45 seconds.
 Hyperextensions , 3 x 10.
Wednesday

 Squat with jump, 4 x 5.

 Romanian deadlift or deadlift, 5 x 4, 90% of 1RM.
 Dumbbell bench press, 3 x 12.
 Barbell row, 3 x 12.
 Unilateral dumbbell military press , 3 x 10.
 Abs, 3 x 10.
Friday

 Squats, 5 x 4, 90% of 1RM.

 Nordic femoral curl , 3 x 10. If this is your first time doing this exercise, start with 2 or 3
repetitions for each set. It is a very demanding exercise.
 Dumbbell row, 3 x 12.
 Incline press, 3 x 12.
 Inclined elevations or birds, 3 x 12.
 Weighted sit-ups , 3 x 8.
Week 4
Monday

 Power clean, 5 x 4, 95% of 1RM.

 Dumbbell lunges , 3 x 10.
 Incline bench dumbbell flyes , 3 x 10.
 Pull-ups with supine grip , 3 x MAX.
 Lateral raises, 3 x 10.
 Planks, 2 x 45 seconds.
 Hyperextensions , 3 x 10.
Wednesday

 Squat with jump, 4 x 5.

 Romanian deadlift or deadlift, 5 x 4, 95% of 1RM.
 Dumbbell bench press, 3 x 12.
 Barbell row, 3 x 12.
 Unilateral dumbbell military press , 3 x 10.
 Abs, 3 x 10.
Friday

 Squats, 5 x 4, 95% of 1RM.

 Nordic femoral curl , 3 x 10. If this is your first time doing this exercise, start with 2 or 3
repetitions for each set. It is a very demanding exercise.
 Dumbbell row, 3 x 12.
 Incline press, 3 x 12.
 Inclined elevations or birds, 3 x 12.
 Weighted sit-ups , 3 x 8.
Week 5
Taking new highs in Power clean, Deadlift and Squat. On different days, increase
the weight by 2 to 2.5 kg in each set you try to exceed the previous maximum. The
rest of the week: rest.
How can I continue from the 5th week?

You can carry out the training plan for 5 more weeks, with the new 1RM that you
will have achieved in the 5th week. It can be repeated more times but, especially
due to the possible monotony, the selection of exercises could be changed.

How do I select the weight for the rest of the exercises?

 For exercises where you have to do 10 repetitions, start with a weight that you can
do 12 repetitions with. Similarly, for exercises where you have to do 12 repetitions,
start with a weight that you can do 15 repetitions with.

How do I increase the weight in the rest of the exercises?

Each time you complete all sets with all repetitions of an exercise, increase the
weight. If you do not complete them, repeat the exercise with the same weight the
following week until you manage to complete it.

In particular cases:

 In the jump squat, perform it with a barbell in the squat position. You can add weight but never
exceed 20% of the 1RM in the squat.
 In Nordic femoral curls, you do not have to increase the weight, but rather reduce the speed at
which the repetitions are performed. This will only be done if you have managed to perform 10
quick repetitions.
 In pull-ups, you can add weight to increase the intensity.
 On planks, increases the duration by 5 seconds after completing them in one session.
How much can I improve?
This program, together with correct technical and tactical training, will increase
your performance on the field of play from the second or third week, but it will be
after 2 months when you will notice a significant jump in your performance. You will
be more important to the team and you will feel better on the field with your
teammates.

Training plan for soccer players

50
Soccer
January 24, 2013

A+ A-
EMAILPRINT
 Training in the gym for a footballer is necessary to obtain high performance
on the field. We analyze how to achieve peaks of form.

Training in the gym for a soccer player is necessary if he wants to obtain high
performance on the playing field. However, not any type of routine is optimal to
achieve this goal. It should be a training plan that helps you achieve peak fitness at
key moments of the season.

A soccer player's training in the gym should be focused on gaining strength,

therefore, power in the muscles most requested in his physical work. It will be
technical training that will allow the footballer to mainly improve other physical
aspects such as speed and coordination; and non-physical aspects such as
teamwork and game vision.
At Entrenamiento.com we have already analyzed the enormous benefits that
squats offer to soccer players:
1. Strengthening the glutes and hamstrings are vitally important when it comes to improving
shooting and passing power.
2. Increase in running speed and jump height thanks to squat training (U Wisloff, C Castagna, J
Helgerud, R Jones and J Hoff (2004)).
3. Motor improvements in dribbling that different variations of the squat can offer.

But... how can a footballer, with his technical training, add physical training in the
gym?

Principles of strength training for soccer players

Strength training, in any sport, has the main objectives of improving the
athlete's performance and reducing the risk of injury . For this reason, strength
training must be woven around an existing technical training plan, to avoid
interference between them and get the most out of increased performance.

Therefore, the basic principles are the following:

 Strength training sessions will be 2 a week during the competition. In pre-season, it will rise to
3 or even 4.
 The training volume will be reduced, with the aim of not negatively interfering with technical
training.
 The intensity will increase, looking for peaks of form in the most important moments of the
season.
 The intensity will be maintained and the volume will decrease to prolong these peaks for as
long as possible.
 The training will focus on improving the power of the legs and torso, which is why multi-joint
exercises will be used.
 Training should include exercises to reduce the risk of injury.
Basic routine for strength training
Weights and progression
 The initial weight chosen when starting the training plan will follow the following criteria:
o For soccer players with experience in strength exercises: Start at 60% of the RM (if performing
3 x 5 squats, start at 60% of the 5RM).
o For soccer players with little experience in strength exercises: Start 30-40 kg below the RM.
o For inexperienced soccer players: Start only with the bar.
 The progression will be carried out as follows:
o If a training session is completed successfully (all sets and repetitions of the exercise are
performed), the weight in that exercise will be increased by 2.5 to 5 kg the next day.
o If a training session is not completed successfully, 10% of the weight will be offloaded on that
exercise the next day.
Day A
 Olympic squats, 3 x 5. Explosive repetitions, always.
 Good morning, 3 x 5.
 Weighted push-ups, 3 x 5.
 Barbell row, 3 x 5.
 Trunk hyperextensions, 4 x 12.
 Machine cufflinks, 4 x 12.
 Supersets of biceps curls and triceps kickbacks or French press, 4 x 12.
 Abs, 4 x 15.
B-Day
 Bench press, 3 x 5.
 Bulgarian squats, 3 x 5.
 Deadlift, snatch grip , 1 x 5. NOTE: the grip is wider than the conventional one, increasing the
travel and putting more emphasis on the glutes and hamstrings.
 Pull-downs/Lats to the chest in high pulley or pull-ups, 3 x 12.
 Plyometric push-ups, 3 x 3.
 Shoulder work.
 Barbell jumps, 3 x 6.
 Planks, 4 x 30”.
Other interesting exercises as the footballer progresses and gains
experience in the gym
 Started and loaded with strength. Movements belonging to weightlifting that have proven to be
those that allow the greatest development of power. Excellent for soccer players.
 Dynamic snatch leg or snatch balance .
 Snatch grip deadlift + barbell row.
 Kettlebell throws.
 Squat + lateral squat.
 Hip thrust .
How to achieve fitness peaks with training
Peaks of form are competitive periods during which the athlete's performance is at
its highest level. They are achieved after a long adaptation and training period, with
an increase in training intensity. In athletes, it is considered that they are in peak
form when their sporting performance is above average , however there are
different definitions. In soccer players, peaks of form are the moments in which
they break their personal sprint records and their shooting and passing power are
superior, as is their resistance.
There are different ways to achieve this peak fitness, in fact, it is possible to
achieve it without strength training sessions. However, these peaks will be less
noticeable and will take longer to reach. Without a doubt, strength training is
the best way to allow an athlete to perform at their best during long
competitive periods .
There is no “best method to achieve peak fitness”, not all footballers respond the
same to training, mainly due to their different proportions between fast and slow
muscle fibres. The way to find out which training a footballer responds best to
is through experience: trial and error . However, no one wants to make a
mistake. For this reason, it is advisable to use general training that, depending on
the results, can be modified for each individual.
 The method I will explain below is a weight wave method. It is the most used
method in power sports (such as weightlifting and rugby), however, it will be slightly
modified to better adapt to football and its calendars.

Reaching a peak of form

The maxim of any method to achieve peak fitness is the need for progressive
training overload , it is impossible to achieve maximum performance if the period
of time is too short. First we must select by which date we want the peak form to be
reached, once selected, we must start 3 months before . It may seem like a long
time, however, we are talking about a peak form, an “outstanding” period and not
an “above average” period.
Likewise, it is impossible to plan a peak in form in advance without knowing the
footballer's personal bests in squat, deadlift and bench press. This is common in
people with little or no experience in the gym, in which case it is impossible to
determine in advance how long it will take to achieve it, since it is in
continuous progression.
First month, volume

We will follow the following scheme:

 Week 1: 3 x 6 at 60% on the 5 RM.

 Week 2: 4 x 6 at 60% on the 5 RM.
 Week 3: 5 x 5 at 60% on the 5 RM.
 Week 4: 5 x 5 at 65% on the 5 RM.
During this phase , technical training is the most important . The reason is
simple: there is no point in increasing the strength and power of any athlete if he or
she is not able to correctly apply the necessary motor patterns, such as dribbling,
shooting or wing sprints. Therefore, running circuits and plyometric exercises
should also be added during these training sessions to improve the footballer's
physical condition.
Second month, intensification

We return to a basic 3 x 5, although this time at 70% over the 5RM, and we
continue the following scheme:

 Week 5: 3 x 5 at 70% over 5RM.

 Week 6: 3 x 5 at 75% over 5RM.
 Week 7: 3 x 5 at 80% on the 5 RM.
 Week 8: 3 x 5 at 85% over 5RM.
Technical training continues to have greater importance, with the objective of
harnessing power: all strength gained in the gym must be progressively requested
in technical training to consolidate the increase in performance . This is
relatively easy to achieve through more complex technical exercises. A good
example would be adding resistance sprints or medicine ball throws for
goalkeepers.

Failure to increase the difficulty of technical training during this phase will derail
any effort.

Third month, reaching peak form

 At the end of the 12th week it can be considered that the footballer is at full
capacity, breaking personal records and with notable improvement on the field of
play. The work scheme will be as follows:

 Week 9: 3 x 5 at 80% over 5RM.

 Week 10: 3 x 5 at 87% over 5RM.
 Week 11: 3 x 5 at 95% over 5RM.
 Week 12: 3 x 5 at 100% on 5RM. Both this week and the previous one are already personal
records, the 5RM is the maximum weight handled at 5 repetitions in 1 single series.
Fourth month, maintaining peak form

What is the biggest mistake made once reaching peak form? Keep the same
training. During a peak of form, the footballer is subjected to a much greater effort,
since he is surely playing all the games, with a greater performance and,
furthermore, surely complete.

Maintaining the same volume of strength training can be excessive and

greatly hinder performance on the playing field. However, we want the intensity to
maintain or even increase. How can we kill two birds with one stone: prevent the
footballer from getting tired and improve his peak form even further?
 All additional gym work is eliminated, only Squats will be maintained (performed on both
training days), Deadlifts (1 of the days), Hip Thrust (the day without deadlifts), Bench Press (1
of the days) and Pull-ups (the day without bench press). Trunk and abdominal hyperextension
work will be done at the end of the training session. As you can see, they are very short but
intense sessions.
 If you know the technique, Snatches (1 of the days), Cleans (the day without snatch), Bench
Press (1 of the days) and Squats (the day without bench press) will be performed.
 Decrease the volume of work, reducing the number of repetitions from 5 to 3 (we will work 3 x
3 to start).
 We will follow the following scheme:
o We start with 3 x 3 in the exercises (except for the deadlift, which will be 1 x 3 or 2 x 3 at most)
and 5 kg more than week 12.
o Once we increase the weight by 10 kg compared to week 12, we reduce the number of
repetitions to 1.
o We continue increasing 5 kg per session, working at 3 x 1.
o Obviously, warm-up series will be done until reaching the initial weight. In addition, a nerve
activation warm-up will be carried out.
Thus we achieve a desired double effect: 1st) the footballer does not get tired in
the physical training sessions, 2nd) he will leave these sessions with optimal
sensations, “stronger and fresher” than before entering the gym. This can be
used to add technical training with plyometric exercises or running with cones after
the gym session.
How long can a shape beak be extended?
With this system, a month without problems. It can be extended further, even
reaching several months, however, the performance after the peak of form will
decrease greatly if it is prolonged excessively . The normal thing will be for a
footballer to reach several peaks of form during the year, if we look for just one,
very long one, we can say goodbye to the footballer for the rest of the season. You
will need a lot of rest after that effort .
Once we decide that the footballer must abandon peak fitness, gym work will be
eliminated for a week and only running circuits and low-intensity plyometric
exercises will be performed. Subsequently, work in the gym will begin again with a
3 x 5 at 50-60% of 5RM as recovery .
( 19 votes, average 4.74 out of 5)