| This article is intended to be a brief and non-technical | | | | running and you are happy then that's fantastic, but lots |
| introduction to the matter of soccer fitness so I'll be | | | | of people put it off more than they should. The |
| giving you information as to why it's so crucial and how | | | | distance you run and the time you do it in depends on |
| you can improve your speed and stamina. If you want | | | | your age and ability, but I would suggest going jogging |
| even more detail, then you can find whole books which | | | | at least three times a week. This will simply help keep |
| are specifically about fitness and running - these will | | | | you healthy. If you keep doing this and pushing yourself |
| help with soccer just as with any other sport. | | | | by running further each week or running the same |
| For now though, imagine a top soccer pro who's at the | | | | distance in a quicker time, then your stamina and |
| peak of their career... they are skillful, fast and | | | | general fitness will steadily improve. |
| powerful. They can beat defenders in the blink of an | | | | Now you may ask: how do I actually start getting |
| eye and they can get around the pitch with ease. Their | | | | faster? Well, sprinting is also necessary. As you know, |
| work rate is tremendous and they always put in 100% | | | | in addition to the general fitness that jogging brings, |
| effort. (A perfect example of this type of player in | | | | soccer players have to be very quick over short |
| reality is Wayne Rooney.) But what happens if that | | | | distances. So lots of sprinting practice and dedication is |
| player gets out of shape and their fitness levels drop? | | | | basically all that's needed. Get some cones and find a |
| You'll still see flashes of technical brilliance, but they will | | | | field near you. Run between the cones over and over |
| certainly lack that spark they had before. I believe this | | | | again. Try varying the distances from 10m to 25m (or |
| works at any level: if you want to play at your best | | | | other) and try to improve your time on each occasion. |
| then your fitness needs to be good. I don't mean this to | | | | The more you do this, the better you will get and soon |
| sound scary; I'm just saying that your fitness needs to | | | | you'll be the first to every ball in your soccer games! |
| match your ability. | | | | Well now that we covered all the basics I'll just leave |
| So how do you get that level of fitness? I think the | | | | you with a final piece of advice: fitness just like |
| main obstacle is psychological: if you can motivate | | | | anything else is down to determination and practice. If |
| yourself to get fit and have the mental determination | | | | you do get your fitness right, then I think your soccer |
| to progress then you will succeed with fitness as with | | | | performance could really benefit. I hope this article has |
| anything else. But it's also about habit- you need to get | | | | been of some interest and I look forward to your next |
| into the habit of going running. If you already do go | | | | visit to the website! |