Speed training exercises focus on improving the explosive muscle power needs for acceleration, fast sprints and quick turns. Soccer requires fast turns and short bursts of speed. In contrast, track athletes need explosive starting power and sustainable speed to win races. Speed training exercises enhance the ability to change direction, decelerate quickly and maintain balance through quick movements. Basic speed training exercises teach the muscles to accelerate quickly to accommodate the short bursts of speed required for soccer. Choose two to three exercises of four repetitions each on alternating days from your regular cardiovascular and weight lifting regimen.
Warm-Ups
Warm up completely before performing any speed training exercises with light aerobic exercise for 10 to 15 minutes. Focus on your posture to assure alignment of the hips, back and shoulders.
100-Meter Sprints
Mark a distance of 50 meters and 100 meters for a straight-line sprint. Accelerate to your top speed by the 50-meter mark and continue full speed to 100 meters. Run with pressure applied to the ball of the foot only. Rest between sprints to allow recovery time.
Bounds
Incorporate bounding with your regular running motion. Begin at a jog, focusing your attention on pushing hard off the ground with each foot in a bounding motion. Use forceful alternating arm movements, focusing on pushing the right arm forward when the left leg is in motion and the left arm forward when the right leg moves forward.
Raised Knee Sprint/Jog
Sprint for 10 yards, raising the knees above your normal jogging/running level and then jog with knees raised for 10 yards. Return to sprinting with knees raised for 10 yards, then rest.
Agility Drills
Place cones or markers at 5-meter intervals for 30 meters on a smooth running surface. Sprint from start to the first cone and return to the start cone. Then sprint to the second cone (10 meters) and return to start. Sprint to each successive cone until all have been reached. Recover completely for at least 2 minutes.
Skipping
Strengthen the feet with skipping. Focus this exercise on the balls of the feet, making sure the foot completely leaves the floor with each movement. Clock yourself on the stopwatch for 1 minute and then rest between repetitions. Skipping focuses attention on the flexing motion of the foot used for pushing off with sprinting, jumping and turning.
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