Conditioning for Women's Soccer

March 4, 2013 | Allison Skufca

Women's Soccer
To really develop and maintain your fitness level as a female soccer player requires a combination of anaerobic and aerobic training. (See The Truth About Aerobic and Anaerobic Training.) Think about it: you need the power to jump for a header or sprint 10 yards to a ball and recover quickly—and to last the full 90 minutes of a regulation game. That's why combining anaerobic activities like jumping, sprinting and short agility drills with aerobic activities like continuous running with few recovery breaks is essential in a soccer conditioning program.

Pre-Season Training

The pre-season is when soccer players develop their fitness level. Optimally, a player will spend six weeks devoting two days per week to anaerobic fitness and another two to aerobic fitness. The following training schedule (comprising Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday) is a sample of how you should be preparing to be at your best next season. (See also How to Start an Off-Season Soccer Training Program, Part 1.)

Monday: Anaerobic Training

Plyometrics. To perform plyometrics with proper form, keep your heels on the ground at the start of the jump and in line with your feet when landing. Always keep your hips back and do not land on your toes.

Sets/Reps: 4x6 with 90 seconds rest

Squat Jumps
Tuck Jumps
Broad Jumps
Single Leg Lateral Jumps

Sprint Drills

10-yard sprints - 5x60 seconds rest
20-yard sprints - 5x60 seconds rest
30-yard sprints - 4x60 seconds rest
40-yard sprints - 4x60 seconds rest

Tuesday: Aerobic Training with Interval Drills

Beep Test. The beep test is to determine your fitness level.

Start off at a slow pace and run 25 yards before the beep sounds
As the levels get higher, the pace gets faster
When you are unable to finish before the beep, you're done and the level is recorded
Run this one time

Soccer Interval Test. This test is done with and without the ball.

Start by running 10 yards down and back twice
Run 25 yards down and back once
You should finish in 30 seconds with a 30-second rest
Run 25 yards down and back once
You should finish is 29 seconds with a 30-second rest
Each run, the time gets lower until you are unable to finish and the level is recorded

The following video demonstrates the Soccer Interval Test:

300-Yard Shuttle Run (25-yard intervals). This test is run six times down and back at 80% max speed.

Run 2 times with a 5-minute rest.

Wednesday: Anaerobic Training with Agility Drills

Here is a video demonstrating each of the following agility drills:

Pro Agility (5-10-5)

3 runs starting to the right
3 runs starting to the left
Each with a 45-second rest

L-Drill

4 runs with 30-second rest

T-Drill

4 runs with 30-second rest

Thursday: Aerobic training with Footwork and Sprint Drills

Footwork Drills (2 sets of each x 30 seconds with 30-second rest)

Toe Taps
Scissors
Step Overs
Foundation
Inside-outside right and left foot
Inside-outside both feet

J.P. Shuttle (60-yard shuttle; run five sets with 30-second rest)

Gassers (100-yard shuttle; run 5 times with 30-second rest)

Bomb Drill (20-yard by 20-yard box; run one time)

Start by jogging three sides of the field and sprinting the last
Jog two sides and sprint two
Jog one side and sprint three
Sprint all four sides
Progress back down with jogging all four sides as last run

In-Season Training

Since you will be practicing with your team two to four times a week, your conditioning schedule should scale down to only twice a week, one for anaerobic training and the other for aerobic training. (See In-Season Soccer Training Program.)