| Are you a player looking to better your performance | | | | This is an excellent exercise to help prevent ACL |
| or impress a university coach? Are you looking for a | | | | injuries and ankle sprains. |
| way to stand out on the football pitch so you can | | | | 3. Rear Foot Elevated Single Leg Squat This exercise |
| receive a scholarship? | | | | is sometimes known as the "Bulgarian split squat." |
| Face it, today many soccer teams are built on | | | | This is another single leg exercise. This exercise is |
| strength, power and speed. If it comes down to you | | | | performed by having one foot elevated behind the |
| and the next player with both of you having the | | | | body on a bench or stool with the knee bent and hip |
| same soccer skills regardless if you are male or | | | | slightly extended. The other foot is moved forward. |
| female the coach will choose the better athlete. It | | | | Now you lower both legs until the front thigh is just |
| makes sense. Why would a coach want a slow | | | | past 90 degrees. Then straighten both the legs. That |
| ineffective player? | | | | is considered to one rep. This exercise may be done |
| So here are my top five exercises that should in any | | | | by holding weight in both hands, or barbell held |
| soccer strength training program. | | | | between your shoulder blades as though you were |
| 1. The Dead Lift: The focus of this exercise should be | | | | completing a back squat. |
| the driving of the legs into the ground on the lift part | | | | You may wish to start by just using your own body |
| of the exercise. I recommend that you use a "dead | | | | weight. |
| lift trap" bar. This minimizes any potential chance of | | | | 4. Single Leg Jumps/ Hops This exercise is exactly as |
| low back injury by taking some of the forward lean | | | | it sounds. Measure out a distance of about ten |
| away and emphasizes the use of the glute and quad | | | | metres. Start with your right leg and jump the full |
| muscles. | | | | distance. Jump back with the left leg. Rest for about |
| This exercise is excellent to give you base strength | | | | minute and repeat the process two to four more |
| in the lower body. It also causes your body to remain | | | | times. |
| upright with out slouching. This prevents rounding of | | | | This exercise to builds balance, speed and power and |
| the shoulders that may lead to other shoulder, neck | | | | will help you in landing from headers. |
| and head issues later on. | | | | 5. Double Leg Jumps/Hops As with the single leg |
| Beginners can start with out any weights. | | | | hops it is exactly as it sounds. Again you can |
| 2. Single Leg Squat: This exercise combines, strength, | | | | measure out about 10 metres. Hop the entire |
| balance and power all in one. First you have to | | | | distance then rest for a minute and repeat two to |
| develop strength to complete this exercise with full | | | | four more times. |
| range. Next by adding weight to your squat you | | | | For both the single and double leg hops you may |
| naturally increase strength. By increasing sped to the | | | | want to progress to continuous jumps over hurdles. |
| exercise you improve power and if you increase your | | | | The choice is yours. |
| reps you improve your endurance and balance. | | | | Good luck with your soccer season. |