Sprinting Help (Soccer)

[azzerr]

Hi guys,

I'm currently looking to improve my general all round performance in Soccer and I'm currently lifting 3x a week following the JasonDB 5x5 program. I'd also like to improve both my sprinting speed and conditioning. So far my plan looks like this:

Monday: Lift
Tuesday: Sprints (Long rest to focus on speed and not conditioning)
Weds: Lift in the morning, 6 a side game in evening for 40mins
Thurs: Sprinting conditioning (I was thinking nightmare runs?)
Fri: Lift
Sat: Rest
Sunday: Match/Rest

I need help deciding how much distance to sprint for and how long to rest for between sprints? Also would 1 nightmare run be enough or should I rest afterwards and then do it again?

I'm also cutting atm so in a calorie deficit. Will I be able to make speed and conditioning gains whilst cutting?

Thanks for the help.

[DeadlyStriker]

Seems fine to me. Idk what a nightmare run is.

Usually put two cones 20m apart. Sprint there and back. Sometimes I will do 10 sec rest in between for 5, then 20 sec. rest in between for 5, then repeat for like 30 min or so.

The other sprinting I do is yo-yo type stuff. Is this what you talk about as a nightmare? I'll do like 6yd back, 18yd back, half field back, opposite 18yd back, full field back. Something like that. Then I usually go until I can run anymore.

These two worked like a charm for me. In offseason I usually sprint twice a week, do a timed 1 or 2 mile once a week, and one 30 min tempo run (running for 30 min at an uncomfortable pace) once a week if I am not playing or anything.

Also to help with sprinting, work on speed and agility/quickness drills with the ladder and plyometrics for some explosiveness. I'll do those one of the days too if I feel I need some extra work after the week.

Plus you can cater your leg workouts to help with sprinting. Train with lower reps (like you are doing with 5) and when you squat or do leg extensions, etc, try to go slow and controlled down, and explode up hard. Focus on the explosion. It helps A LOT. At least it did with me.

Form is also key. Make sure to drive your knees and use your arms to help pump (keep them straight dont flare them).

just some tips. hope this helped

[azzerr]

Thanks for the reply mate.

Yeah nightmare runs (In my area anyway) are where you start on the goal line, sprint to 6yd, jog back, sprint to 18yg jog back, sprint to half way jog back etc until you get to the opposite goal line and that would be 1 run. Maybe then walk around the pitch once and repeat for 30/45mins or whatever?

I'll try the explosiveness on the up rep, see if it helps with speed.

What sort of plan would you suggest to help me improve during the season?

Cheers

[Broskis]

What size pitches do you play on?

[DeadlyStriker]

Thanks for the reply mate.

Yeah nightmare runs (In my area anyway) are where you start on the goal line, sprint to 6yd, jog back, sprint to 18yg jog back, sprint to half way jog back etc until you get to the opposite goal line and that would be 1 run. Maybe then walk around the pitch once and repeat for 30/45mins or whatever?

I'll try the explosiveness on the up rep, see if it helps with speed.

What sort of plan would you suggest to help me improve during the season?

Cheers

Hmm that's a tough question to answer. Usually during the season you maintain all the gains you made and worked on in the offseason. The main season is usually pretty rough so it is hard to make tons of improvements besides match fitness and technical/tactical skills. In season I'll usually lift 2-3 times a week, and that is usually just body weight stuff like push ups, pull ups, dips, body wieght squats, walking lunges, burpees, core exercises, etc. I'll try to circuit them too so I am not in there too long.

But if your season isn't as strenuous, what does your schedule look like?

[azzerr]

Hmm that's a tough question to answer. Usually during the season you maintain all the gains you made and worked on in the offseason. The main season is usually pretty rough so it is hard to make tons of improvements besides match fitness and technical/tactical skills. In season I'll usually lift 2-3 times a week, and that is usually just body weight stuff like push ups, pull ups, dips, body wieght squats, walking lunges, burpees, core exercises, etc. I'll try to circuit them too so I am not in there too long.

But if your season isn't as strenuous, what does your schedule look like?

If I exclude any other work apart from football here's what my week looks like:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: 6 a side football for 40mins. (On a 3G pitch, hockey sized)
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Match

So maybe I could include a nightmare/yo-yo run session in there once a week and do some body weight circuits 2-3 times a week. I'm currently a bit overweight at the moment so I'm cutting, can I still make fitness and speed gains whilst in a calorie deficit?

What size pitches do you play on?

For my club we play on full sized pitches, 11 a side. I don't know the exact measurements

[DeadlyStriker]

Yea that sounds good. Once you get your conditioning up and weight down, then you can even add some more. You can still make strength, speed, etc gains as long as you have a good diet, even at a caloric deficit. Make sure to up the carbs a bit on days with running and on match day (preceding the running and games).

[azzerr]

Sounds good, thanks mate!