Train like a soccer star

Get back in the game

Has World Cup withdrawal got you itching to get out on the soccer field? Sixteen-year-old Jessie Fleming, Canada's  U-17 captain and member of the women's national team, has some tips and exercises for those who haven't played in years. First off, says Fleming: “Always have a ball around your feet. Kick it around in the backyard with your friends and family and just keep practicing.”

Get running

Because a soccer match is two 45-minute periods with running and frequent bursts of sprinting, it’s important to train both your aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. Work on your speed with sprints to give you a competitive edge. But remember that endurance is vital—after all, your accuracy and aim will suffer when you’re gasping for breath.

Target your legs

Squats use the ankles, knees, hips, and lower back so it exercises joint flexibility as well as your core muscles and balance. Improving strength in your legs not only helps you get powerful kicks, but also helps prevent injuries. According to Tina Theune, former head coach of the German women’s national team, women injure their knees more often than men and improving your coordination, strength, and flexibility can help prevent injuries.

Focus on the core

Core-strengthening exercises, such as planks, work your abs, lower back, and trunk. In soccer, this helps give you an advantage with sudden twists, turns, stops, and starts.

Stretch

You've been told a thousand times, but here goes again: Stretch before and after taking the field. It will give you a full range of motion while playing, and decrease your risk of injury. It can also help with flexibility and agility. 

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