Soccer speed training

Despite working on all the drills, ball handling skills and passes in preparation for the soccer season, speed training is often ignored. Speed is extremely important and will help you get the ball in the first place. Here are two soccer speed training tips to do during the off-season:

Band-Resisted Knee Drive

Wrap a band around a pole or any stable anchor point. Get in a push-up position and wrap the band around your shoelaces. Put some tension on the band. Now drive your knee as fast as you can toward your chest, resisting the band. Hold it there for two seconds. Bring it back slowly. Do each set three times with a 90-second rest between. Each leg should do 10 reps per set.

5-10-5 Pro Agility Drill

Place 3 cones 5 yards apart in a straight line and start at the middle cone with one hand on the ground. Sprint as fast as you can 5 yards in the direction of your choice. Then sprint1 0 yards in the opposite direction as fast as possible. Finish by sprinting 5 yards the opposite direction again. Do this five times with a 90 second rest period between each set.

Mix the above with sprinting sessions and your speed should improve dramatically. In addition, the time it takes to go from standstill to full speed should reduce. Expect to see improvements starting around two weeks after the training starts. Do this during the off-season as in-season training will take a different route.