Whether you’re already a soccer player or you want to give it your first try, these soccer drills — which you can do with or without a ball or cones — will get your energy up and your legs ready to hit the field!
With the excitement of the World Cup drawing near, and Spring weather bringing sunshine and green grass, there’s all sorts of excitement buzzing around the soccer fields. If you’ve been cooped up and are looking to hit the pitch and play like a pro, you’ll need to get in shape and sharpen your skills. Here are examples of 6 soccer drills that you can do yourself or with a partner to get you game-ready.
Stamina
Soccer matches are made up of two 45-minute halves and with many games even lasting longer than 90 regulation minutes, it’s obvious that endurance and stamina are essential to players looking to maximize field time and performance. Stamina doesn’t occur over night, so here’s some exercise and advice on starting a regular training schedule.
Agility
Yes, soccer is “mostly running.” But there’s a world of complexity that takes place while moving in and around the field during play. Agility is the ability to match endurance and fitness with speed, strategy, and responsiveness and cannot be underestimated as a building block of a great player. Here are five cone drills to help improve both speed and agility.
Dribbling
In most of the world, soccer is more commonly known as “football” – and as you might have guessed, it takes some skilled footwork and coordination to excel at the game. Keeping control of the ball when advancing your position on the field can be improved by practicing dribbling.
Passing
Soccer is a team sport made up of 11 players on each team on the field. With the length of a professional field being as wide as 295 feet and as long as 393 feet, players need to rely on each other to advance the ball or defend and reverse the momentum of play.
First Touch
Soccer is a game of speed and accuracy and thinking ahead. With so many quick plays happening on the fly, it’s important to get the most out of every pass and play by using a technique technique called the “first touch.” Take a look at these great “first touch” drills to help you gain better control of accepting a ball, and what to do with it next.
Shooting
While soccer is generally a low scoring sport, it still takes a lot of effort to master speed, control, and power to score those difficult goals. Here are some essential soccer drills to improve your shot.