| There are seven soccer secrets that any player can | | | | The fourth secret is lower body strength |
| do that will increase their speed and agility and help | | | | Getting stronger in their lower body will help all soccer |
| them get stronger too. These Secrets should be | | | | players get faster and increase their speed through |
| learned by all soccer coaches. Speed kills on the | | | | strength training. Lower body strength training should |
| soccer field and these seven secrets will help you | | | | include strengthening a soccer players lower back, |
| race past your opponent. | | | | glutes, hamstrings and calf muscles. |
| The first secret is linear speed. In order to put fear into | | | | The fifth secret is anaerobic fitness |
| a defense a player and a team needs to be fast. In | | | | Training soccer players to be anaerobically fit will |
| order to be fast, there are two factors that can help | | | | enhance many aspects of your teams soccer speed |
| increase speed for any player. The first factor is stride | | | | and skill performance. To train anaerobically, soccer |
| frequency. The faster a player moves his arms the | | | | players should work on many explosive 15-25 yards |
| faster his feet will move. The second factor is stride | | | | burst. In addition, these movements should include both |
| length. When running, a player should have her knee lift | | | | linear (north/south) movements and lateral (east/west) |
| almost to belly button height. | | | | movements. |
| The second secret is lateral speed. Here a player is | | | | The sixth secret is flexibility |
| working on changing direction quickly. A player should | | | | The more flexible a soccer player is the less likely that |
| be able to move in any direction and be able to do that | | | | they could get injured plus flexibility enhances speed |
| at any speed...slow or fast. Important lateral | | | | and agility. |
| movements include shuffles and side runs. | | | | The seventh secret is nutrition |
| The third secret is stopping quickly and then exploding | | | | For soccer players to run fast and be explosive, they |
| in a new direction | | | | need to be properly fueled and hydrated. Helping your |
| Many soccer players stop too upright putting a lot of | | | | players with their nutrition will pay excellent dividends |
| stress on the knee plus when they do this they are | | | | for you players. |
| not in a good position to explode into a new direction. | | | | I have found that these seven secrets of soccer |
| Stopping quickly and safely requires players to drop | | | | speed and agility help make all soccer players more |
| their hips, bend their knees and take smaller steps as | | | | athletic and thus more dangerous on the soccer field. |
| they attempt to stop. | | | | Have a great day! |