Soccer Conditioning Drills

Soccer conditioning drills play one of the major roles in every players game.

It doesn't matter how talented, or quick the player is. Not being fit causes loss of breath, and oxygen making its way to the brain, leading to making mistakes with the most simple skills in the game.

One of the most important parts, for any soccer players game, is the ability to withstand constant running, and changes of speed and direction to fill empty space on the field. This is impossible to do without being in great shape, which can be achieved only with conditioning drills for soccer.

Conditioning soccer training is a crucial part of the game today, because of all the research and technology that has allowed us to learn new and better ways to get into top shape.

Doing soccer conditioning drills is very discomforting, and sometimes feels like torture part of the game, but it brings results on the field when it matters the most.

Conditioning for soccer will literally bring the players down on their knees, at times hating the training sessions, but later thanking the Coaches when they get out on the field, and play this game fit.

Players will need to be encouraged, and pushed at times, because the time spent running in training will also pass, and the players will be rewarded with fit and able body later.

Soccer conditioning training is disliked by many players, especially at a young age, because all they wanna do is play the game, and scrimmage. 

Conditioning for soccer has delayed gratification, and even though training may be hard, and disliked by many players, this type of soccer training becomes very rewarding later in the game, when the players aren't easily tired, and are able to go the full game at the same pace they started.

Game is 90 min long, and the game is often decided in the final 20 min of the game. Team with better soccer conditioning is usually the one that comes out a winner.

No player has ever drowned in sweat, so pushing the players, and encouraging them to push themselves is the best way to apply soccer conditioning training.

Our bodies are complex, and just getting over that I CAN'T mentality, is the key to seeing what our body is really capable.

Most important part of soccer conditioning training is the final run, or that final sprint, due to our body creating resistance points, and the more we push, the further these resistance points move.

Just think of it as a temporary discomfort with delayed gratification. It will pay off greatly later in the games.

Soccer Conditioning Drills
1 to 5, 5 to 1

CONDITIONING FOR SOCCER SET UP

• Set up 5 cones in a straight line, with 10 - 15 m/yd of space in between each cone.

SOCCER CONDITIONING INSTRUCTIONS

• Start with sprinting from 1st to the 2nd cone, turn around the cone, and sprint back to the starting cone, 1st cone.
• Sprint to the 3rd cone, turn around the cone, and sprint back to the 1st cone.
• Continue with the 4th cone, and back to the starting cone.
• Finish with the 5th cone, running back to the beginning cone to complete a repetition.

• Sprint forward, and back pedal to the starting cone.
• Sprint with the ball at your feet.
  
• Touch the cone.
• GET CREATIVE AND PUSH YOURSELF… LAST CONE IS MOST IMPORTANT SO GIVE IT YOUR ALL ON THE LAST CONE RUN.
  

This is a known exercise for many sports, used by many clubs. A simple way to get 200 m/yd of sprinting done, without realizing how much space you've covered.

Suicide runs can also be done on a soccer field. It is a very hard soccer conditioning drill where the players use the lines on the soccer field as marks to come back to the beginning. 

Starting point is the goal line on one side, and players run to the first line and back, followed by 2nd line, and 3rd, until you are running all the way to the opposite goal line, and back to the beginning goal line, to finish 1 repetition.

Soccer Conditioning Drills
Torture Run Around the Field

Use the soccer field for this conditioning soccer drill.

CONDITIONING FOR SOCCER INSTRUCTIONS:

• Players will start at one corner flag, and use the goal line, and the sideline, for alternating between sprinting and jogging around the field.
• Players will start sprinting across the goal line, followed with jogging half way through the sideline.
• After jogging half of the side line, player will sprint the other half of the side line, and go back to jogging the opposite goal line.
• Finish with another sprint across the opposite sideline half, and jogging the other half to the FINISH LINE.
• Repeat 3 - 4 times.
  

SOCCER COACHING TIPS

• Encourage players to go at full speed on the sprinting part.
  
• Players shouldn't cut corners, but go all the way around the corners.
  
• Pair up players to add competition factor.
  

Soccer Conditioning Drills
Three Triangles

This soccer drill may seem complicated, however, once it is set up and performed a few times, players will learn the running patterns.

SOCCER CONDITIONING DRILL SET UP

• Place 2 cones in a straight line 10 - 15 m/yd apart. Place the 3rd cone in the center.
• Take another 2 cones and place them 10 - 15 m/yd to the right, creating 2 triangles with the cones.
• Two cones to the right are the starting, and finishing points. First cone is the START, and second cone is the FINISH.

SOCCER CONDITIONING DRILLS INSTRUCTIONS

• Player will start running from the STARTING cone on the right, back to and around Cone 2, sprinting forward to and around Cone 3, and coming back to STARTING Cone 1, to complete the first triangle.
• Keep going until all 3 triangles are completed.
• Repeat 3 - 4 times.

Soccer Conditioning Drills
Pure Torture

CONDITIONING FOR SOCCER SET UP

• Players will use the lines on the soccer field for this soccer conditioning drill.

CONDITIONING SOCCER DRILLS INSTRUCTIONS

• Players will start at one goal line, and finish at the same goal line.
• Sprint from goal line, touching the goalkeeper box line, and running back to goal line.
• Continue with sprinting forward to the edge of the penalty box, touch the line, and sprint back to goal line.
• Keep going to the half field line, and back to goal line, opposite edge of the box and back, opposite goalkeeper box line and back. 
• Finish with a sprint to the opposite goal line, and back to the starting goal line.

Conditioning for Soccer
Rectangle Variation Sprints

SOCCER CONDITIONING DRILLS SET UP

• Place 6 cones to create a rectangle with 10 - 15 m/yd of space between cones.

SOCCER CONDITIONING DRILLS INSTRUCTIONS

• Start with 10 pushups at the first cone, followed with a sprint to the 2nd cone.
  
• At 2nd cone do 10 sit ups, and sprint to the 3th cone.
  
• At 3rd cone do 10 knee jumps, and sprint across to the 4th cone.
  
• Repeat 10 pushups, and sprint to cone 5.
• At 5th cone repeat 10 sit ups, and sprint to cone 6.
• Finish with another 10 knee jumps, and a sprint to the FINISH line.
  

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