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It's a new year, and for many that means new goals. So what's on your vision board? New skills? New drills? Maybe more goals (the kind you score, of course)? If you need ideas or aren't sure where to start, kick off the new year with this list.
Let's Kick It
Challenge players to add leg strengthening exercises to their routine. It'll help them prepare for tryouts and maybe even score a extra goal or two during the season.
Jump Around: An easy exercise to add is jumping rope as a warmup or for some added cardio. Players will get their calves burning, ready to run, shoot and score.
Love the Lunge: Sideways, forwards, backwards and more, lunges improve mobility and stability while strengthening the back, hips, and legs. The curtsy lunge is great for the glutes so Google it and get going.
Don't Skip the Squats: No equipment needed, squats are a compound exercise that strengthen tendons, bones, and ligaments around the leg muscles. There are dozens of variations of this exercise, but we suggest starting with simple air squats or jump squats, and then bringing out your inner wrestler with some sumo squats.
YouTube is your friend when it comes to showing how the exercises should be performed without burning yourself out at the same time.
Pick Up the Pace
The constant back and forth on the soccer field makes building stamina and endurance critical for players. Here are some ways to help them get there.
Hit the Stairs: Stairs are everywhere so this one should be easy to perform. Run 'em up, then run 'em down. Stairs are excellent cardio that'll bring on the burn.
Get into Intervals: Interval training boosts the heart rate making the circulatory system stronger. It also leads to quicker recovery from intense exercise, so players can be ready for those double game days. Jog, run, sprint, repeat. Mix it up and reap the rewards.
Cooler Heads Prevail
Soccer is as much of a mental game as it is physical. Players can be stacked with muscles and oozing stamina, but if they crack under pressure it could all be for naught. Remind players to take time to breathe, visualize, and focus.
Say Yes to Yoga: There are so many benefits to yoga it's a wonder any of us ever lived without it. Increased flexibility, muscle strength and tone, as well as improved respiration, circulatory health and protection from injury will benefit any soccer player, but did you know yoga is also good for the mind? Practicing yoga regularly helps with mental clarity and calmness, reduces anxiety, relaxes the mind, centers attention, and sharpens concentration. Focus on the ball. Be the ball. Namasté.
Make 2023 Your Year
Whatever your goals are for the new year, getting healthy both mentally and physically, boosting peformance, scoring more goals - whatever your goals are for the new year, remember that consistency is key. Aim for three days of exercise a week and add a fourth when you're ready to challenge yourself a bit more. Aim for 15-30 minutes of exercise a day or as much time you can spare. The key is to challenge yourself and your players to make 2023 your best year yet.
