Several factors are involved when attempting to achieve success in football, as with any other sport. Preparing oneself mentally and physically are staples. For this blog, we’ll tackle the physical aspects of preparation, mainly what the body needs to become a strong footballer.
Endurance
A football match is 90 minutes of walking, jogging, jumping, sprinting, and kicking. You sometimes use your head or chest. Cardio work is very much a must, and the fact that it leads to muscular endurance is what football players need.
Strength
The common misconception is that footballers have little need for strength. A closer look at a professional player’s training routine would prove this theory wrong. Strength is needed when developing quickness and speed for those burst movements that are very common on the pitch. Also keep in mind that there is a lot of contact in football, especially when jostling for control.
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| Image source: soccer.com |
Speed
Footballers need to get to the ball before the opponents do. They need to be quick enough to be off-side traps or chase down opposing forwards coming in for the kill. This is where speed comes in, which is almost as important as endurance and strength, and which the greatest footballers possess in abundance.
Flexibility
Flexibility affects a person’s range of motion. The more flexible a footballer is, the more moves he can perform. This adds to versatility. But more importantly, being more flexible generally means the person is safer or has a lower risk of injury.
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| Image source: blogs.dctc.edu |
John Eilermann loves football, especially the German national team. For more football discussion, follow this Facebook page.
