Develop Lower Body Strength and Stability with this Exercise
All soccer athletes can benefit from improving their lower body strength and stability. This will improve performance as well as help prevent common injuries, such as ankle sprains and hamstring strains. One very challenging yet very effective exercise for lower body development is the single leg Pistol Squat.
I myself have never been able to perform this exercise with full range unassisted, so I have taken it upon myself to train for it over the next few months, and share with you the series of exercise progressions that I use to be able to perform it. This would not only represent a big strength accomplishment for me, but it will provide you with some useful training tutorials to follow. Part of my motivation to be able to perform exercises such as this has developed out of a shift in my approach to my own physical training routine, from primarily focusing on maximum strength toward concentrating more on full body conditioning, stability, and mobility.
If you’re goal is to incorporate strength movements to help you become more athletic, it will benefit you incorporate challenging body-weight exercises such as weighted dips, pullups, varied pushups, pistols, handstand pushups, etc. These movements are not only effective, but will also make your joints feel great!
So why should you consider taking on the Pistol Squat as one of your training goals? Well, the benefits of Pistols include greater strength and stability of the hips and knees, better balance, improved flexibility, a great thigh workout, and bragging rights, of course! Also, it just looks really cool. Are you sold? Great, let’s check out the first series of progressions.
Now, if you have any knee issues, or if you are a true novice lifter (less than 3 months strength training experience), I recommend you include the following basic exercises in your training plan (as well as squats and deadlifts, of course) to get your glutes firing, and to work on the isolateral strength balance between both legs:
Single leg hip bridges:
This is a simple hip extension movement that will help you activate your glutes and get you used to using your hips for exercise, rather than just for sitting on.
Step ups:
A very basic single leg exercise to help develop better balance, train your stronger and weaker leg independently, and build glute and thigh strength. Progressively increase the height of the step used and increase the weight held as you become stronger. Use slow, strict form and avoid ‘bouncing’ up by pushing off the bottom leg.
“Bulgarian” Split Squats:
A slightly more challenging single leg variation which places greater stress on the leg in front and involves strong glute extension.
Once you feel strong in the above exercises and have a solid training foundation, you can progress to the first pistol progression, single leg sitting squats, as demonstrated in the video below:
I will be posting the next Pistol progression soon, but I still need some more work getting a bit deeper on these single leg sitting squats. If performing ‘pistols’ is one of your goals as well, keep working on this initial progression until next time, and let’s get there together!
Stay fit, train smart, play hard!
Josh
A Strong Core Improves Performance
Because all movement originates from the core, it’s important for soccer athletes to develop a strong midsection to improve performance with other compound exercises and athletic movements. First of all it’s important to recognize that your “core” is more than just your abs. It includes all of the muscles in your torso that support the spine and midsection, including:
- Rectus Abdominis. – The abdominal muscle group referred to as your “six-pack”.
- Internal and External Obliques. – These run in opposite directions to each other and are on the abdomen and sides.
- Transverse Abdominis (TVA). - This is the deepest layer of abdominal muscles that wrap around the waist, located underneath the obliques.
- Multifidus & Erector Spinae. – The lower back muscles that support and rotate the spine.
- Gluteus Medius, Minimus, & Maximus. – These are the butt muscles or “glutes”.
The names of these muscles aren’t really important, but it’s good to have an idea of what muscles we’ll be working on, and where they are on your body. The main function of your core muscles is to control movement of your entire torso, as well as providing stability and resisting movement. The exercises shown in the videos below will target each of these main muscle groups.
When you first start training your core, strength should be developed progressively by learning how to engage the core musculature with static contractions. This is accomplished by using Core Activation exercises as in the video below, which I’ve posted before:
Once a decent base of core strength has been developed, and you have learned how to “brace” from your midsection, then a variety of core exercises can be added to your strength training program. Here are a few of the core exercises we typically include in our workouts:
One of my favorite core training accessories is the Power Wheel. You can perform a number of challenging exercises using the ‘Wheel’, and a university study actually rated it as the best core trainer in the world, based on how well it works all of your supporting midsection muscles. Check it out at Strongest Core.com
After building sufficient core strength using some of the exercises demonstrated above, and once you can perform them easily without any lower back discomfort, then core strength and stability can be effectively maintained simply by incorporating compound exercises into your program, such as the squat, deadlift, single arm standing press, and through the use of body-weight only training (as shown in the video below). It is still practical to include some direct core isolation work to specifically target the midsection. Check out this video… she’s pretty impressive! Guaranteed you need a strong core to performance those exercises:
Conclusion:
The great thing about building powerful core muscles is that this will also improve your progress in every other area of your training, because your core supports movement in every other part of your body. Also, as part of complete training and nutrition plan, these exercises will help you achieve a stronger, leaner, solid-looking waistline. Try incorporating some of these exercises into your own workouts and let me know what you think!
Train smart and stay fit,
Josh
Tags: Warm Up Exercises For Soccer
A proper dynamic warm up will not only help prevent injuries during soccer games and practices, but it will also lead to a more powerful performance on the field, or in the gym. The exercises demonstrated in the videos below will prepare your muscles, joints, and nervous system for the activities ahead, enabling you to contract more quickly in the game or practice to follow. Here is a basic full body athletic warm up, progressing from slower to more explosive movements:
Here is another demonstration of more soccer-specific dynamic warm up exercises. If time allows, once you have finished the general warm up shown above, this series of “Warm Up Activation Exercises” below would be a great progression to help you get game-ready!
Be sure to make time to properly warm up before training or playing… it can make the difference between a winning soccer performance versus missing games due to injury. Review these videos, and make sure you’re training with a team or coach that understands the importance of a good dynamic warm up.
To thank you for checking out our blog and being part of our soccer community, I have attached a free e-report to this post for you… it covers some of the basic warm up exericses, with descriptions and illustrations, so you can print it and bring it with you to practice. You can download it at:
Train smart and play hard!
Josh
Our Soccer DVD is Now a Digital Download!
We are very proud to announce that our already popular DVD, “Building the Complete Soccer Athlete: Train Like a Pro” has been converted to MP4 format and is now available as a digital download at:
This development was in response to many requests from customers and subscribers to make our DVD available for instant download online. We listen to your requests! To celebrate this new format for sharing our soccer training program, we are offering it at discounted price for a limited time, plus we have added an additional bonus ebook called “Develop Power For Soccer”. Learn more by clicking the image below…
Check it out and start playing better soccer right away!
Stay fit, train smart, play hard.
Josh Hewett
Is Strength Training Safe for Youth Soccer Fitness Programs?
For years medical and exercise professionals, soccer coaches, and parents discouraged prepubescent youth from resistance training. The old school of thought was that strength training would damage the growth plates and retard or stunt children’s skeletal development. Some coaches and soccer players also believed that resistance training would cause the athletes to become slower. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Research has dispelled all of the past concerns and it is also worth noting that there has never been an incidence of growth plate breakage reported in the United States.
According to Wayne Wescott, Ph.D. (Specialized Strength Training, 2001) progressive resistance training is actually the best way to enhance musculoskeletal development in boys and girls. Other studies have even indicated that resistance training has its greatest positive affect on bone formation during the prepubescent years (Bass, 2000). This potential benefit may be especially important for young women who are at increased risk of developing osteoporosis. Other studies have proven that a well designed strength training program can help improve speed and power development for athletes.
If established training guidelines are followed and if nutritional recommendations are adhered to, participation in regular resistance training will have a favorable influence on growth at any stage of development.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (2001), the American College of Sports Medicine (2000), the American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine (1988), and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (Faigenbaum et al., 1996) all support participation in youth resistance training activities as long as the program is supervised and designed correctly.
Joe Defranco, a respected strength and conditioning coach who works with young athletes, is quoted as saying the following regarding the growth myth:
It still amazes me that parents won’t hesitate to get their young children (6-7 years old) involved in sports such as football, gymnastics, basketball and soccer, yet they feel that participating in a strength-training program is damaging to their children’s bone health and will stunt their growth.
The fact of the matter is that running, jumping and tackling can create loading on a child’s body which is up to ten times greater than most strength training exercises. In other words, the physical demands on a child’s body are far greater on the athletic field compared to the weightroom. Parents who don’t let their children participate in resistance training are actually increasing their children’s risk for injury on the athletic field.
There have even been position stands by such organizations as the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics suggesting that children can benefit from participation in a properly designed and supervised resistance training program. Position stands recommend that prepubescent children shouldn’t lift maximal weights; they should lift weights that can be lifted for at least six repetitions with proper form.
Strength training in this manner can be the most potent exercise stimulus for bone growth and development. In fact, research has shown that young weightlifters have greater bone densities than individuals who don’t lift. Thus, the positive benefits of resistance training for bone health, injury prevention and improved athletic performance are far greater than the risks.
Strength training for kids is not to be confused with competitive weightlifting, bodybuilding or powerlifting. Instead, the focus is on moderate weights and controlled movements, with a special emphasis on proper technique and safety. This doesn’t require access to expensive exercise machines either, as children can build muscular strength using free weights, resistance bands, or body weight exercises. Recent research indicates that strength gains of roughly 30% to 50% are possible for youth during childhood and adolescence following short-term (8-12 weeks) training programs.
Benefits of Youth Resistance Training for Soccer Players
In addition to enhancing muscular strength and local muscular endurance, regular participation in a youth resistance training program has the potential to influence several other aspects of health and fitness. The potential benefits of youth strength training are summarized below:
Potential Benefits of Youth Resistance Training
• Enhance sports performance
• Increase muscle strength
• Increase muscular power
• Increase local muscular endurance
• Improve body composition
• Increase bone mineral density
• Increase cardio-respiratory fitness
• Improve motor performance skills
• Increase resistance to injury
• Enhance mental health and well-being
• Stimulate a more positive attitude towards lifetime physical activity
Youth Resistance Training Guidelines
Resistance training should be recommended to adolescents and children as part of a well-rounded physical activity program that includes exercises for cardio-respiratory fitness, flexibility, agility, and balance. Those who are interested in helping children and adolescents participate in resistance training programs should consider the following guidelines:
- Provide qualified instruction and supervision
- Teach youth the benefits and risks associated with strength training
- Begin each session with a 5 to 10 minute warm-up
- Begin with one light set of 10 to 15 repetitions for a variety of exercises
- Include exercises to strengthen the lower back and abdominals
- Target the major muscle groups in balance
- Progress to 2 or 3 sets of 6 to 12 reps depending on goals and needs
- Increase the resistance gradually as strength improves
- Focus on the correct exercise technique instead of the amount of weight lifted
- Strength train 2 to 3 times per week on nonconsecutive days
- Listen to each child’s concerns and answer any questions
- When necessary, adults spotters should be nearby for safety
- Focus on participation and provide positive reinforcement
- Keep the program fresh and challenging by systematically varying the training program in order to optimize gains, prevent boredom, and prevent overtraining.
Summary
Parents, teachers, soccer athletes, and coaches should realize that participation in a resistance training program, along with other types of physical activity, gives children and adolescents another opportunity to improve their health and quality of life. Scientific evidence indicates that youth resistance training programs are safe and beneficial. Medical and fitness organizations now support participation in well-designed and properly instructed youth resistance training programs. Check out www.SoccerAthletics.com for some great examples of appropriate exercises.
We now have the evidence to recommend youth resistance training as part of a well-rounded physical activity program.
Stay strong!
Josh
