Developing Flexibility as a Soccer Player If soccer players are not flexible, they can cause damage to themselves by overextending their muscles. Overextension can happen at any time during practice or during a game. All soccer players should learn how to stretch properly, and do so daily. The responsibility to learn safe stretching exercises lies with the players and with their coaches. Stretching should take the first 15 minutes of practice, and coaches and players should remember to implement some cool-down stretching exercises after the game. There are some very simple stretches, and there are also some very complicated stretches. You should never perform a stretch unless you know how to do it, as proper stretching can also cause problems and injuries. Remember to stretch well and stretch often to ensure muscle flexibility. Speed Training for Soccer Even if you are an incredibly strong or agile player, there is little you can do for your team on the soccer field if you have not developed your speed. There are lots of things you can do to increase your speed (and your agility at the same time). Practice timing runs down a field, and add maneuvering obstacles like cones, arches, ladders, and hurdles. Make sure to work on speed with the soccer ball and without it. As your speed increases, begin to add resistance tools to your speed training workout. This will help build strength in all the core muscles, especially the leg muscles. Another method of training involves using a mirror belt, which lets you work on change of direction as you improve your speed and strength. Developing strength with speed is valuable because soccer is as much an endurance game as it is a game of speed. Fundamental Soccer Clothing Shinguards and cleats are the most fundamental pieces of equipment for soccer players. When shopping for shinguards, make sure they have a good fit, feel sturdy, and have some flexibility. Well-made shinguards can also protect you from injuring your ankles. 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. You may also consider getting a pair of soccer gloves and a pair of knee pads, especially if you play the goalie position. 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. Improving Your Agility There are many drills you can use to improve your agility when it comes to soccer. Start with working on moving around obstacles with the ball. You can purchase objects such as cones, coaching sticks, and arches in order to set up obstacle courses for yourself. Use several different patterns when you set up these objects. Make sure as you practice that you are not only working on efficiency with time, but also efficiency in terms of space, as you maneuver around these obstacles. You can also practice with hurdles; first moving without the soccer ball, then with it. Equally important to handling a ball in your possession is developing the skill to quickly, accurately acquire possession. You should practice techniques for trapping a ball, both in a goalie position and as a field player. You can purchase a reaction ball, which moves in an unpredictable pattern, to increase your agility skills. You can also use a netted or pendulum ball.
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