| Do you as a coach feel the importance of | | | | When talking acceleration vs. top speed, it's important |
| acceleration in the game of soccer, but due to | | | | to know that acceleration is about creating an angle, |
| information-overload out there, you don't know who | | | | that forward lean. So below you'll find some different |
| to listen to or what methods to follow? | | | | variations of starts to use with your players, and |
| I don't blame you. According to research, most of | | | | these starts will create that forward lean with your |
| the youth soccer coaches out there today are | | | | players. |
| voluntarily coaching a team, meaning in a lot of cases | | | | Here are the different starting positions: |
| you are probably a parent to one of the kids in the | | | | Staggered |
| team. So with this being said, you have a regular job | | | | One foot in front, and the other back. The position |
| on the side, and you simply don't have time to spend | | | | they are in when ready to run. Standing Track & |
| hours reading and researching in order to find new | | | | Field start basically. |
| methods. | | | | Falling Start |
| All you need to do is what athletes back in the days | | | | Have the players stand tall and keep a straight line |
| focused primarily (and almost exclusively) on, and it | | | | through their body. Then tell them to keep that line |
| is...SPRINTING. | | | | and fall forward, and just as they feel it's getting |
| You don't need to use resistance bands, parachutes | | | | scary and they feel like falling to the ground, that's |
| or any other fancy stuff, you simply just need to line | | | | when they'll explode and run out for 10-30 meters. |
| the athletes up next to each other, and then upon | | | | Pushup Position |
| your command, sprint to point B. | | | | Have the players lay in a starting pushup stance (at |
| When talking about speed and how to improve it, | | | | the top of the motion, straight arms and a straight |
| there are certain laws of physics that comes to mind. | | | | body). Upon your signal, they'll explode out of there |
| The probably most important one is to teach the | | | | as quickly as possible. Important here is that they |
| players how to apply more force to the ground. This | | | | shouldn't stand straight up and then run. From the |
| may sound extremely difficult, and it can be, but just | | | | starting position, they should try come forward as |
| follow the drills here below and I promise you that | | | | quick as possible, and when doing that, they'll create |
| you'll get the players to apply more force to the | | | | that forward lean that's so important for teaching a |
| ground in their start, which will result in improved | | | | player to apply more force and improving their |
| acceleration, and most important of all, these drills are | | | | acceleration. |
| fun. | | | | As a last note, speed training is always done right |
| As a matter of fact, you may even have done these | | | | after a proper warm-up consisting of mobility and |
| before without even thinking about the benefits. | | | | flexibility, some activation exercises together with |
| When discussing acceleration for soccer players, I | | | | some running and skipping drills. |
| tend to set up a distance of 15-30 meters. A few | | | | With that being said, speed training is always |
| years back, a long term study performed on English | | | | performed at the beginning of a practice, and make |
| Premier League players showed that the most | | | | sure that your players have recovered between the |
| covered distance in a soccer game is between 10-30 | | | | starts. Soccer speed training is done in a resting |
| meters, and therefore, your ability to pick it up as | | | | state. If you perform a lot of reps with low rest in |
| fast as possible, decelerate and change a direction, | | | | between, it's conditioning and will not give maximum |
| and then accelerate again is probably the most | | | | speed results, it's that simple. |
| important aspects of soccer speed (in this lesson, | | | | A good rule of thumb is for every 10 meters the |
| where are only going to focus on acceleration, and | | | | players run, they'll rest 45-60 seconds before |
| will leave deceleration and change of direction for | | | | repeating. So if they run 30 meters, they should rest |
| another day). | | | | 135-180 seconds before next rep. Don't ignore this, |
| To sum it up, you shouldn't have the players sprint | | | | it's a very important rule to follow! |
| for 50-60 meters, at least not now. Anywhere | | | | Use these tips and you'll see great improvements |
| between 10-30 meters is great (go with 10-15 | | | | with your players soccer speed! |
| meters in the beginning). | | | | Good luck! |