Soccer is one of the most demanding sports in the world. The game lasts 90 minutes with just about 15 minutes rest at half time.  So it is really a lot of hard work for the athletes. Furthermore, considering the size of the playing field, it is normal for a professional soccer player to run more than 10 kilometers in a single match. If an athlete is not adequately prepared for the game, he or she may not be able to sustain the energy required of him or her in the game. It is therefore very important that an athlete undergoes strength training if they want to maximize their potential on the playing field.

What is strength training? Strength training is the set of activities or physical exercises performed to increase the strength of the muscles for it to withstand pressure. For soccer players, studies show that the legs of the soccer player should be give close attention when designing strength-training routines. It should be noted that soccer players run and kick most of the time during the game.  It is crucial to give emphasis on the lower part of the body when conducting strength training. Of course, this does not mean that the other parts of the body should not also be included in the strength training routine. To understand better which parts of the body need greater attention among soccer athletes and what the activities are that are required for these groups of muscles to be strengthened, let us first look into the types of muscles which are most often used in the game of soccer.

Running and kicking have more impact on the lower parts of the body of an athlete. The Gluteals, which are the group of muscles which included the gluteus maximus or that big round muscle covering your butt, and the quadriceps, the muscles located at the front of your thighs, should be strengthened to help you withstand intense running around. This group of muscles can be strengthened by performing squats and by using a leg press machine. The quadriceps can also attain maximum strength and endurance by performing lunges and using leg extension machine. Now for those muscles located at the back of your thigh, which are called the hamstrings, you will need to do many lunges and use a leg curl machine. The calf muscles, which are located on the back or the lower leg, play a vital role when you are running or kicking. These muscles are composed are composed of the gastrocnemius which give your calf a rounded shape and the soleus which is a flat muscle which can be found under the gastrocnemius. In order to strengthen these muscles and give you more strength and endurance during the game, you should perform standing calf raises. It is also important that when doing strength training workouts, the resistance or the pace of the exercise be increased gradually to accommodate the human body during the adjustment period.

There are other forms of exercises that a trainer may give to the athlete to strengthen specific parts of the body. When making a strength-training program, experts suggest that one should start with the bigger muscle groups before working out the more specific areas through isolated movements. Starting the with bigger muscle group would allow the athlete to perform the more demanding resistance training routine while they are still fresh and not so tired after doing other sets of physical exercises. For instance, if you want to strengthen your legs muscles, it would be a good idea to do the lunges first before performing those other more demanding sets of exercises. An athlete would more likely lose his or her balance if he or she would do lunges after he or she had gone through the more tiring activities using the exercise machines, which are centered on specific muscle groups.

When doing strength training, it is also very important to give emphasis on speed and agility. However, fast and jerky movements should be avoided, as this will often cause more damage than good on the muscles. When one makes jerky movements during exercise or strength training, the muscles that he or she is excising which be unduly stressed. Make sure therefore that you maintain fluidity of movement when you do your strength training workouts.

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