Soccer Specific Resistance Training

This exercise/drill is a SAMPLE of what you get access to with the New Wave Soccer Conditioning Program. Click on the blue video button to view the video for this exercise/drill.

Lunge (Free Weight): LIFTER

Beginning Position

• Grasp bar with a closed, pronated grip.
• Grip should be slightly wider than shoulder-width.
• Step under the bar and position feet parallel to each other.
• Move hips under bar.
• Position the bar in a balanced position on the shoulders (above the posterior deltoids at the base of the neck).
• Lift and hold chest up and out and pull shoulder blades toward each other.
• Tilt head slightly up.
• Lift elbows up to create a “shelf” for the bar.
• Extend both legs to lift bar out of racks.
• Take at least three steps backward.

Forward Movement Phase

• Take one exaggerated step directly forward with one leg (the “lead” leg).
• Keep lead knee and foot aligned, and toes pointing straight ahead or slightly inward.
• Plant lead foot squarely on floor.
• Flex the lead knee slowly and under control.
• Lower trailing knee toward floor.
• Bottom position for trailing knee is 2.5 to 5 cm above floor.
• Keep torso vertical to floor by “sitting back” on the trailing leg.
• Keep lead knee directly over lead foot.
• Keep lead foot flat on floor.
• Do not bounce in the bottom position.

Backwardward Movement Phase

• Forcefully push off with the lead leg.
• Maintain body position.
• Bring lead foot back to a position next to the trailing foot.
• Pause and stand erect.
• Alternate lead legs.
• At the completion of the set, slowly step forward into the rack.
• Position hips beneath the bar.
• Squat down until both ends of the bar are resting on the rack.

Breathing

• Inhale during the forward movement phase.
• Exhale during the push-off of the backward movement phase.

This Lunge Exercise is one of several soccer specific strength training exercises that are included with the program. All sports require multi-joint muscular actions across multi-planes of movement. Most sports are also ground-based activities, so athletes need to use exercises that will enable them to apply force against the ground with their feet. The idea is to utilize resistance training exercises, which will best transfer to the actual playing conditions of that particular sport.

This chart is a SAMPLE of sets/repetitions/rest intervals program design.