Soccer speed drills should focus on developing fast-twitch muscles and explosive power through sprinting, interval training, and plyometrics. Ladder drills and lateral movement exercises are also important, and stretching before and after workouts is crucial to avoid injury.
Unlike training for muscle gains and resistance training, training for speed must work a different set of muscles in order to make the athlete faster. Soccer speed drills should focus on working the fast-twitch muscle fibers, which improve an athlete’s speed and agility, as opposed to the slow-twitch muscles, which improve an athlete’s stamina. Regular strength training will not make a soccer player faster, so soccer speed drills should focus on developing fast-twitch muscles and explosive power. This means that soccer sprint drills should focus on sprinting, interval training, and plyometrics rather than just weight training for mass.
Ladder drills improve both speed and agility and should be part of any soccer speed drill set. Ladder exercises can be combined with sprints to form a series of good speed exercises. Focus drills on both forward movement and lateral movement, and don’t forget to include slowing down as part of your soccer speed drills. A soccer player must be able to stop quickly and change direction suddenly, so make sure his drills meet that need.
Interval training is a good way to improve speed. This involves running at a moderate pace, then running for a short period of time, then returning to a moderate pace. This process must be repeated several times; The rest repetition allows the muscles to recover properly, and the running interval helps build fast-twitch muscles. A variety of exercises focus on interval training, and intervals can be done on a bike as well to improve overall leg development and speed performance.
Including plyometric exercises in soccer speed drills is a good idea for more advanced athletes. Plyometric exercises focus on developing explosive power, which can help a soccer player get up to speed quickly. The exercises involve a series of jumping and explosive movements while handling a medicine ball or other heavy object. Jumps are often performed in conjunction with a held position. A diagonal jump, for example, is executed by jumping forward and to the left, landing on the left foot only, holding that position momentarily, then jumping forward and to the right.
As with any other type of speed or muscle development and training, soccer speed drills should begin and end with adequate stretching. Speed exercises, particularly intervals, can be stressful on the body, and injury is always possible. Properly stretching your leg muscles before exercise and immediately after a workout can keep your muscles flexible and ready for intense movement. Stretch before a workout to avoid injury, and stretch after a workout because the muscles are flexible and floppy at this point, and most conducive to effective stretching.
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