Stronger Core Means a Stronger Soccer Player

What gets ignored by many players and coaches is training the Core of a soccer player. Soccer players who work on getting their core stronger will become better as a soccer player!

There are three major components to a player's Core. The first component is the one most people associate training your Core with and that is your abdominals. The 2nd component is your back (upper and lower back) and the third component is your hips.

So let's discuss why your Core is so important. We use our Core constantly for every day living. When we walk, when we sit down, when we even are just standing we are using our Core to stabalize ourselves. Now if we are going to ask our body to go through strenous activity, then our Core is even more important.

Our Core is critical for tackling the ball better, for shooting with more pace and accuracy, for any driven balls, for heading the ball, for explosive running and for injury prevention, well I think you get my point....having a strong Core will improve the play of any soccer player.

Let's discuss three excellent exercises that can help you in all aspects of your Core training.

• Sprinters (for your ab's): Think of how you would run if you were lying on your back. In other words, as you sit up, bring your right knee toward your chest and keep your left leg straight. As this right knee comes up, move your right arm back (almost like you are reaching for your back pocket) and bring your left hand up to shoulder socket height. Once completed, lay yourself down and bring your right leg down and arms are at rest at your side, then repeat using the left leg. You will want to build up to 25 sets on each leg.
• 
  Supermen and superwomen (for your back): Now with this exercise, you are lying on your stomach with your arms extended out in front of you. Think how superman flies! Now, you want to raise your right arm and left leg up off the ground at the same time. Pause for a split second and then bring them both back down at the same time. Work up to 20 each and then switch left arm, right leg.
• 
  Spell the Alphabet (for your hips): Now you are standing up nice and tall. Lift your right leg off the ground and maintain your balance on your left leg. Now put your right foot out in front of you and pretend that your right foot is a piece of chalk and out in front of you is a chalkboard. Print the alphabet from A-Z in big capital letters. Once completed, put your right foot down and lift you left leg up and repeat the same process. While starting out, you may want to go A-M on one leg and N-Z on the other. Try and work so that you maintain your balance through the movements.

I hope you enjoy these three excellent Core exercises!

Check out my website, www.soccerandspeedcoach.com and receive training tips just like this on a weekly basis!

Have a great day!

Gary