Strength training and soccer players: Methods and applications for a better athletic performance

Football is a sport where high intensity bouts, quick turns of the body and explosive movements are occurring frequently on the playing ground and in many occasions those abilities determine the result of the game. During a soccer game sprints can reach up to 10% of the total distance covered on the pitch by a soccer player and up to 3% of games effective time.( Bangsbo et al 1991, Bangsbo 1992, O’Donoghue 2001) [5, 6, 26].Additionally during games a sprint is happening approximately every 90 seconds, with its duration being around 2-4 minutes. (Reilly et al 1976,Bangsbo et al 1991, O’Donoghue 2001) [28, 5].So it is prevalent that sprint ability and explosiveness are parameters that are crucial regarding soccer player’s performance and the at the same time the ability to maintain or even improve those abilities are really important.In addition the sport is characterized by many injuries happening during game days and training sessions. Strength training can be a really useful tool when we aim to improve our athlete explosiveness and performance but also when we want to decrease injury rates and keep our players healthy. The aim of this presentation was to examine the way that strength training improves performance and reduces injuries in soccer players,to analyze four strength training methods that have been shown to prevent effectively improve performance and decrease injuries in soccer players. The aims of this presentation are to inform S & amp;C coaches about strength training and its beneficial effects, to examine the underpinning principles and theory related to this kind of training and finally to convince S&C coaches, that working inside the gym is efficient and motivate them to imply strengthtraining programs, regardless to the level of the athletes they work with (amateur, elite, youth)