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Soccer Strength Training

Contributor: Thomas Newman
6 minute read
Two Black women soccer players try to head the soccer ball on the field. The player on the left is wearing a red kit, while the player on the right is wearing a blue kit.

To be successful in soccer, you have to be strong, fast, and safe. A well-designed weight training program can help you achieve all those goals.

“Soccer players who possess greater strength as a result of a well-designed resistance training plan are better equipped to endure the demands of the game,” says Thomas Newman, a Mass General Brigham strength and conditioning specialist. “Strength helps them withstand the physical demands of a full match and is a foundational element of mitigating injuries across a season.”

Newman, who serves as a lead performance specialist at the Center for Sports Performance and Research, recommends strength training 2 to 3 times per week. He suggests specific exercises, weight levels, and safety tips to help you become a stronger, more resilient soccer player.

Preventing soccer injuries

Soccer involves a lot of unexpected, unanticipated movements. Many players need to jump and land frequently, especially goalies and midfielders. Players’ bodies must absorb many forces. As a game progresses, fatigue sets in.

To handle all of this, your muscles must work effectively in all directions at a moment’s notice. Players who don’t have enough strength tend to throw their whole bodies at the ball to compensate for the lack of muscular force.

All these factors make soccer one of the most high-risk sports for injury, Newman says. And that risk — particularly for overuse injuries — is even greater in female athletes due to generally lower muscles mass, hormonal factors, and other reasons. Building strength helps reduce the risk of injury and also improves form to make you a better player.

Strength exercises for soccer players

Newman recommends that every player work toward achieving at least one rep at these minimum weight levels on specific exercises. They work muscles that are particularly important to soccer strength and performance.

  • Squats: Aim to squat between 1 and 1.75 times your own body weight for at least one rep. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, aim to squat 150 to 262.5 pounds. This builds strength primarily in the gluteus medius and maximus (buttocks), quadriceps, and the hip adductors and abductors.
  • Deadlift: Deadlifts strengthen the glutes, hamstrings, core, and back. Aim to deadlift 1.5 to 2 times your body weight for at least one rep.
  • Bench press: A bench press works the muscles of the upper body, back, and core. Aim to bench press 0.5 to 1 times your body weight.

Newman recommends that players start with lighter weights and work their way up. The first goal is to achieve one rep (a single execution of an exercise). Then work your way up to 3 to 5 reps (multiple reps are called a set). Take a break between sets, and work toward completing 3 sets.

Additional soccer workout ideas

A soccer player practices an Olympic lifting technique.

Once a player achieves those minimum strength thresholds, Newman encourages them to work on the following:

  • Core stabilizer exercises: These exercises have you move your limbs without moving your back or trunk. Examples include planks and bear crawls.
  • Olympic power lifts: Olympic lifting involves moving heavy weight very quickly. It helps players combine strength and speed. These exercises mimic the movements of jumping and landing, so they build the muscles required. Newman recommends the hang clean and power clean.
  • Plyometrics: These exercises improve explosive power of the muscles. Examples include box jumps and broad jumps. Newman also recommends ladder drills with small half-inch or one-inch foot hurdles.
  • Rows: Rowing motions improve strength throughout your trunk and back. Try any variation, including pullups, dumbbell rows, barbell rows, or cable rows.
  • Single-leg stabilizers: In soccer, you often rely on one leg for passing, shooting, and sometimes landing. Single-leg variations on exercises help you prepare for that. Examples include single-leg Romanian deadlifts, split squats, single-leg hops, and single-leg box jumps.

Staying safe when weight training for soccer

Just as you want to stay safe during a game, you should protect yourself when weight training for soccer. Newman recommends:

  • Learn how to lift with proper form. Consider a couple of sessions with a trainer or other expert to learn how to safely execute each exercise you plan to do.
  • Warm up. Use a dynamic warm-up with isometric exercises (smaller movements or exercises that contract or tighten muscles without much joint movement) such as wall sits, planks, and miniband walks.
  • Start small and work your way up. Start with weight levels you know you can handle, then work your way up.
  • Layer weight training with other types of training. On days when practice is particularly challenging, do a lighter lift (or don’t lift at all). Perform agility and speed training before heavy weight training, rather than the other way around. Aerobic (cardio) conditioning training such as running or jumping rope is best after a lift.
  • Never lift alone. No matter how strong you are, you should always lift with a partner, known as a spotter. This person helps protect you in case you feel fatigued, slip, or have equipment failure.
  • Learn how to bail from a heavy lift. Always think about how you could safely get out from under heavy weight if something goes wrong. A trainer can help you understand how to bail on each type of exercise.
  • Stretch and recover. Take time to stretch after every session. And do weight sessions every other day. This will help your muscles recover so you can perform your best at the next practice or game.
Learn about Mass General Brigham’s Center for Sports Performance and Research
Thomas Newman

Contributor

Thomas Newman
Strength and Conditioning Specialist