| In any type of strength training for soccer players, | | | | These guys and girls do a lot of posing and do not |
| building a solid foundation from the ground up is | | | | have to stop, start and change direction. |
| imperative. Exercises that have a player sitting on a | | | | Here are three exercises to build leg strength to run |
| seat and extending their leg or lying on their stomach | | | | faster and kick harder: |
| and curling their hamstrings are with out both functional | | | | 1) Any form of the single leg squat. This exercise may |
| and preventative value. | | | | be done several different ways. You may squat with |
| Unfortunately there are still misinformed coaches giving | | | | the air borne leg either in front or behind you. |
| the wrong information about soccer fitness and building | | | | 2) Moving kicking action with resistance. Stand with |
| leg strength. In particular the leg extension exercise is | | | | feet shoulder width apart. Place a band above or |
| given to improve kicking strength. | | | | below the knee of the kicking leg. Make sure the band |
| Here are three reasons why leg extensions and | | | | is anchored behind you. Now take one step forward |
| hamstring curls are poor choices for building leg | | | | with the plant leg then follow through with the in a |
| strength. | | | | kicking motion with the other leg. This exercise |
| 1) The game of soccer is mostly played on one leg | | | | stresses both the kicking leg for resistance and the |
| while either foot is in contact with the ground. Neither | | | | plant leg for single leg strength and balance. |
| the leg extension or hamstring exercise provides this | | | | This type of exercise closely relates to the kicking |
| opportunity. When in a game does a soccer player lie | | | | action in a soccer game. |
| on the ground and bring his/ her buttocks to the ground | | | | 3) Stability Ball Curl. Lie on your back and place your |
| or sit on the turf and straighten his /her leg? These | | | | heels on the stability ball. Raise your hip in the air then |
| exercises isolate either the quadriceps muscle group | | | | curl the ball towards you and away from you. Keep |
| or the hamstring muscle group and places unwanted | | | | your buttocks tight. This combines the stomach core |
| tension at the hip. | | | | muscles and the buttocks muscles along with your |
| 2) Sitting or lying on either of these machines minimizes | | | | hamstring muscles. |
| avoids the integration of the deep abdominal core | | | | Keep in mind a couple of things about these exercises; |
| muscles as well as the buttock muscles. As you know | | | | A) They include the both the abdominal and buttock |
| a strong "core" and strong buttocks leads to strength | | | | muscles. |
| and power in the lower body. | | | | B) The actions closely relate to the movements in a |
| 3) The ligaments that support the knee either get | | | | soccer game. |
| stressed inappropriately (too much stress on the ACL) | | | | C) They protect the knee joint. |
| or not at all. Remember these exercises were | | | | So there you have it. Be well informed before you |
| designed for body builders to isolate these muscles. | | | | start building leg strength for your soccer fitness. |