Proper Soccer Player Accessories Shinguards and cleats are the most fundamental pieces of equipment for soccer players. Your shinguards should have a good, reliable fit; they should also be sturdy enough to withstand kicks, but flexible enough to move with you. The best shinguards also provide some ankle protection. Shinguard protection sleeves are not a necessary purchase, but they do help keep your shinguards in place without cutting off circulation. With cleats, look for great traction, since you will be frequently playing on wet grass and mud. Goalies may also want to have soccer gloves and knee pads. Though you may not want to wear knee pads during your games, you may want to have them during practice to protect your knees as a goalkeeper. Goaltending gloves help goalies grip the ball. Other soccer players may consider gloves to help keep their hands warm. Strength Training for Soccer When it comes to strength training, there are several exercises you can do for soccer. You do not have to reinvent the wheel; many typical strength training exercises used for any sport will help your soccer game. Weight lifting, sit-ups and push-ups, and in particular all strength exercises for your leg muscles will benefit you in soccer. Soccer also demands certain strength abilities that you can work on specifically. Stamina is critical in soccer. You can build strength for running by using tools that increase resistance, like parachutes and sleds. Also, strength is critical in many aspects of ball handling, such as throw-ins. Weighted balls are available to help you develop your strength. They should not, however, be used for kicking or heading. Endurance for the Midfielder The position of midfielder can be very physically taxing. The responsibilities of the midfielder involve helping the defenders in protecting the goal, moving the ball up the field, and assisting the forwards in setting up plays for shooting. Their role is the center of the field. The center of the field is where most of the action takes place in a soccer field. Because of the responsibilities, in terms of area and strategy, of the midfielder, the players in that position will do much more running than anyone else on the field. Having endurance as a runner is perhaps the most important quality a midfielder should possess. Though running is an important drill for all soccer players, midfielders should make it a big part of every practice. Many coaches use the field lines exercise for running: players start at one end of the field and touch the first line before returning to starting position. They then move to the second line on the field and repeat the process until they have covered the whole field. Even if it is just running, anything that can be done to make the practice more interesting will help you stay motivated to increase your endurance. The Importance of Flexibility in Soccer Flexibility is important to soccer players; without it, they are at risk for injury. Overextension can happen at any time during practice or during a game. To prevent this, players must learn correct stretching techniques and apply those techniques on a daily basis. The responsibility to learn safe stretching exercises lies with the players and with their coaches. A good stretching session should last about 15 minutes. Stretching should take place before practice, and cool-down exercises should take place afterwards. Some stretches soccer players need are pretty simple; others are quite complex. When trying a new stretch, players should always know what muscle groups they are supposed to be focusing on. The two keys to being flexible are to stretch thoroughly and stretch frequently.
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