Sports Specific Strength Training for Soccer players, Sprinters, and Agility Athletes Improves Speed, Change of direction, Velocity, and Field Dominance.
By:
Dr. Mark Rathjen PT, DPT, CSCS
Dr. Claire Lakatos-Rathjen PT, DPT, CSCS, SCS
CORE Physical Therapy and Sports Performance, PC.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?
The field of sports performance is a dynamically changing field. As new research emerges every year, the same tried and true methods of increasing speed, agility and change of direction are highly improved by Strength and Power Training with a more modern Twist.
NOTE: Make sure your “Personal Trainer” is Qualified and Experienced. They should be fully educated with a 4 year degree AND real world experience. Irresponsible and inexperienced coaching leads to HUNDREDS of Injury Rehabilitation cases in our clinic EVERY year.
IF YOU ARE NOT LIFTING WEIGHTS and POWER TRAINING, YOU ARE NOT LIVING UP TO YOUR FULL POTENTIAL!
Strength/Power Training Has been shown to Increase…
-Speed
-Quickness
-Agility
-Acceleration
-Change of Direction
-Balance/Proprioception
Do YOU Want More Proof? Keep reading!
The following studies involve soccer players, a sport that has repeated short bouts of sprinting, change of direction, and agility.
Sports Med Open. 2015; 1: 17.
Strength training in soccer with a specific focus on highly trained players
Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research:
João R Silva,
George P Nassis, and Antonio Rebelo
…”Our analysis suggests that professional players need to significantly increase their strength to obtain slight improvements in certain running-based actions (sprint and change of direction speed). Strength training induces greater performance improvements in jump actions than in running-based activities, and these achievements varied according to the motor task [e.g., greater improvements in acceleration (10 m) than in maximal speed (40 m) running movements and in non-squat jump (SJ) than in SSC-based actions (countermovement jump)]. …Our analysis suggests that neuromuscular training improves both physiological and physical measures associated with the high-level performance of soccer players.”
Effects of strength training on squat and sprint performance in soccer players.
Styles, William J.; Matthews, Martyn J.; Comfort, Paul
“Researchers have demonstrated that increases in strength result in increases in athletic performance, although the development of strength is still neglected in some sports….””
Changes in maximal squat strength appear to be reflected in improvements in short sprint performance highlighting the importance of developing maximal strength to improve short sprint performance. Moreover this demonstrates that these improvements can be achieved during the competitive season in professional soccer players.”
Conclusion
Overall, the importance of resistance training, plyometrics, and power training are well establish and have been used for decades. Unfortunately at the high school level, strength training is highly under utilized, and therefore athletes are NOT living up the their full potential.
It is important to remember strength training is VERY SAFE when administered by a certified strength coach, programmed and progressed through the seasons. Online and weekend certifications are becoming the industry standard, but will increase the risk and reduce the effectiveness of the programs.
Make sure you utilize a quality strength coach with REAL WORLD education AND experience in the field when teaching, coaching and programming. Otherwise, you may need to visit your trusted Doctor of Physical Therapy for rehabilitation.
CORE can help YOU with Instruction and Sports Performance Programming.