Finally get faster and more agile on the pitch

A GUEST CONTRIBUTION FROM OUR EXPERT LASSE AHL ABOUT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILLS IN SOCCER

According to statistics, soccer players complete around 700 changes of direction per game.

However, it is not always just strength that decides whether to win the following duel, sprint duel or shot on goal, but often also the right technique.

In our first part about speed training in soccer, we showed you why it makes sense for soccer players to integrate additional speed training into soccer week.

In this blog post, we will therefore show you training specifically to improve direction changes in soccer so that you can move even faster and more agilely on the pitch in the future.

Part 3 of the series Speed Training in Football can be found in the article “Getting faster in soccer with a perfect start”.

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MORE PERFORMANCE — FEWER INJURIES DUE TO TRAINING CHANGES OF DIRECTION

Two of the benefits of specific jumping and sprinting training for soccer players are, on the one hand, possible injury prophylaxis by getting used to higher speeds. On the other hand, improving jumping and sprinting techniques can improve the general Increase performance (capacity increase).

The same applies to the formation of a solid foundation through the general physical readiness It should not be forgotten here.

The development of”Game speed“As already mentioned, parameters are subject to a wide variety of conditions, environmental influences and, in addition, individual requirements.

CHANGE OF DIRECTION FOR MORE AGILITY ON THE PITCH

In this second part, the topic should be addressed accordingly “Change of Direction” (change of direction) go.

Since it is now back on the pitch for most players and changes of direction are a not insignificant part of the game, it may be worthwhile to train them separately.

Changes of direction (COD) are part of what is sometimes referred to as agility would describe.

“Agility is the perception-cognitive ability to react to a stimulus (i.e., defender or bounce of a ball) in addition to the physical ability to change direction in response to this stimulus.” (Sophia Nimphuis)

This definition of agility probably best describes our own understanding of it, which, as it were, does not mean that for other trainers itinside or expertsinside can't mean anything else.

SLOWING DOWN AND ACCELERATING AS IMPORTANT ELEMENTS FOR CHANGING DIRECTION IN SOCCER

To round off the definition, we would still add one more point here:

In any case, a change of direction always includes a decelerate (deceleration) followed by a quickening (acceleration) of the body.

As a result, the center of mass (center of mass) must be shifted, possibly several times in a few seconds (rate of force development).

Responding to an external stimulus (cognitive-perceptual & physical) and actually shifting the body's center of gravity train agility.

Changes of direction or change of direction drills can therefore be a capacity-increasing element as part of the overall topic complex of “agility”.

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CHANGE OF DIRECTION AS PART OF AGILITY

It should then be said that focused training on changes of direction is not synonymous with “agility training.”

It is rather another puzzle piece that is easy to embed into your own training, as it often requires nothing more than a piece of grass and a few markings (shoes, bag, T-shirts, stones, branches, etc.).

“COD should be described and presented as what it is — capacity training. What the squat can be for jumping performance, COD can be for agility. The best cognition won't help you if you don't have the movement competency/capacity to reach your goal quickly” (Mathias Wiese).

CLEAR STRUCTURE REQUIRED IN DIRECTION CHANGE TRAINING

Direction change exercises are also subject to certain load parameters and training principles.

Speed training for soccer players should therefore take into account load (via intensity, volume & frequency planning) and progression management.

FROM SIMPLE TO DIFFICULT AND FROM BASIC TO SPECIFIC

First, it is important to have movement skills in completed action requirements (Closed Drills) to develop. It is primarily important to get the structures used to the possible new load.

Accordingly, you increase from simple to difficult and from basic to specific.

IMMEDIATE CORRECTION OF TECHNICAL EXERCISE IMPLEMENTATION AS AN IMPORTANT MEANS OF SPEED TRAINING IN SOCCER

With a certain simplicity of tasks at the beginning, trainers canin and athletein ensure that the technical implementation of the exercise works as well as possible.

However, the “technical framework for action” should be reviewed with every change of direction (direction of movement).

As is often the case, it is almost impossible to classify a complete “right & wrong”, which doesn't mean that it doesn't matter at all how an exercise should be performed.

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WHY TRAINING TO CHANGE DIRECTION IN SOCCER ALSO PROTECTS AGAINST INJURIES

Since we primarily address our exercises/blog entries to ambitious amateur athletes (which doesn't mean that a professional could not also benefit from them), in addition to the Improving performance which Injury prophylaxis hugely important.

So-called”Non-contact injection events“should therefore be minimized.

Under less controllable conditions (competition game or training game), an abrupt change of direction in particular can lead to the biomechanical risk factor for ACL injuries being created in the first place:

The knee-valgus moment.

This does not mean that athletes are now necessarily injured. Anyone who says something like that either has a crystal ball at home or likes to make baseless claims.

However, a connection between the knee valgus moment (KVM) and an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament cannot be denied.

And if we can minimize a risk through simple means, then we should do so.

After all, a KVM cannot be completely prevented and higher capacity levels may result in adjustments to compensate for these moments.

Training to change direction in soccer can therefore also have injury-preventive benefits, especially after the corona break.

SPECIFICITY IN SOCCER IS CURRENTLY IN VOGUE

Based on the biomechanical research situation, we can therefore derive variables that can help us to successfully and progressively plan exercises for changing direction in soccer in order to achieve the above mentioned points.

What trainer within and athleteIn now able to “play”, are the movement speeds and distances of the task, the direction change angles and the preparation times for the task.

The alignment position of the trunk (including the hips and the carrying of the arms) should also be trained.

Preparation time for the task is of particular importance in this context, because the more unplanned the change of direction in soccer, the higher the KVM.

Specificity in soccer is in vogue more than ever. That is not always bad per se, but far too often the basics are abandoned in order to carry out even more specific exercises earlier.

Capacity-increasing measures such as basal strength training, basic endurance training and the practice of changing direction are often misunderstood because they have sometimes been carried out in the wrong context in the past.

TRAINING FOR CHANGING DIRECTION IN SOCCER FOR MORE GAME SPEED ON THE PITCH — MORE EXERCISES IN THE B42 SOCCER TRAINING APP

No warm-up, no party!

Sprint units in particular require a meaningful and coordinated warm-up program.

WARM-UP:

That's why we've put together a complete warm-up for you here:

10 times Single Leg Hip Extension (per page)

20 seconds Groin Stretch (per page)

2 rounds Star lung (per page)

20 seconds Single Leg Calf Stretch (per page)

10 times Lateral Walk (per page)

5 times Leg Cradle (per page)

2 by 10 meters Pinocchio Run

10 times Lateral March (per page)

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