Building your Base
by Mike Mejia CSCS
Now that the new year has finally arrived, many of you have probably already set your sights on the upcoming season. Sure, you'll play in a few indoor tournaments just to keep your skills sharp, but for the most part, winter is all about training. For the next several weeks, you've got a real opportunity to take your game to the next level by becoming stronger, faster and more resistant to injury. That is of course, provided you organize your training in a manner befitting your current level of physical development. Because while things like kettlebells, intensive free weight training and plyometrics may look really cool, when done before a body is physically prepared for them, techniques like these can present a number of problems. So, in this first of a four part series on off-season training, I'll be outlining a plan of action to help you get your body ready for the Spring.
Be on the lookout for video of these exercises at http://basesportsconditioning.com/lijsl-offseason-training-.html
When it comes to off-season training, my view has always been to stay away from anything that's too "sport-specific"- especially if you're younger than the age of say, sixteen or so. As a matter of fact, I even tend to have my older athletes avoid anything that's too specialized, opting instead for drills that are aimed at helping improve overall athleticism. Let's face it, by the time you're serious enough to start thinking about doing some off-season training, you've likely been playing soccer (often at the exclusion of other sports), for several years. Does it make a lot of sense to then focus your training efforts on the same muscles and movement patterns you're already overusing during practice and competition? Or, do you think you'd stand to benefit from a more balanced approach that centers on improving things like stability and movement efficiency? If you guessed the latter, not only are you right, but you've also taken a major step in the direction of becoming a more well-rounded athlete.
First things first
Before you just start pounding weights, or jumping over hurdles, you have to make sure that you possess the mobility and stability necessary to reap any sort of benefit from these types of activities. A lack of ankle mobility, for instance, which is extremely common in young athletes, can make an otherwise great exercise like the barbell squat extremely tough on the knees and lower back. Just as a lack of knee stability will not only minimize any potential benefit from plyometric training, but in fact, make it more likely to actually cause injury to the joint. With this in mind, our first objective is going to be to increase range of motion around areas like the ankles, hips and thoracic spine, while also working to improve stability around the knees, core and shoulder girdle.
The drills featured below offer the perfect starting point for your off-season program. Not only will they help get you moving better, but they'll enable you to build the proper foundation for phase two of this program, where we delve into some more advanced strengthening drills. Do the following workout two to three times per week, focusing on using proper form at all times. You have the option of either doing the drills in circuit fashion, by going from one to the next with no rest until you've completed all six of them, or dividing the workout into separate mobility and stability segments. Either way, before long you're bound to see big improvements in the way your body moves and feels.
Mobility Drills
Ankle Mobility: Low step knee drives
This is a simple, yet extremely effective way to improve ankle mobility. Begin by setting up a low step, or platform of sorts that's only a few inches high (a large text book works well here). Place the balls of your feet on the platform with your heels in contact with the ground. Next, keep your torso straight and tall as you gently dip your knees forward until you feel a stretch in the lower part of your calves going down into your Achilles tendons. Once you do, immediately come back to the starting position and repeat; this time trying to go just a tiny but further. Continue this way for 12-15 repetitions. Take care not to force the movement and focus on gradually increasing range of motion.
Hip/ Thoracic Spine Mobility: High Kneeling HF with thoracic extension
Due to the all the sprinting and kicking involved in the sport, tight quadriceps and hip flexors (the muscles on the front of the thigh and hip) can pose a real problem for soccer players. Here's a great way to open those up, while simultaneously working to increase the mobility of your thoracic spine (middle upper back). Begin by getting into a high keeling position with your right knee on the ground and your left foot planted about 2 feet out in front of it. Holding a broomstick in your right hand, down next to your hip, cup the top of the stick with your left hand. Next, keep your core braced and contract your right glute as you simultaneously drive your left knee forward and use your right hand to gently push your left arm behind you on a diagonal line. Once you feel a good stretch in the right hip, left pec and shoulder area and some movement in your thoracic spine, return to the starting position and repeat until you've completed 8-10 repetitions- trying to go a little bit further each time.
Hip/ Groin Mobility: Leg Raises
These are great for increasing range of motion in the groin, as well as stretching the entire area on the outside of the hip and thigh. Begin by lying on your back with your arms out to the sides and palms facing up. With your legs straight, lift your right leg up towards your head as if about to stretch your hamstring and then gently allow it to drop over to your right side. As you do this, keep your left hip as still as possible to help increase the stretch in the groin area. Once you feel that stretch, reverse directions and "sweep" your right leg across your body, trying to get your toes as close to your left hand as possible. In this position you should feel a stretch on the side of the right hip, possibly traveling up into the lower back area and all down the outside of the leg as well. Bring the leg back to the starting position and repeat the sequence with your left leg. Continue until you've done 10 repetitions total.
Strengthening Drills:
Bulgarian Split Squat:
There are a lot of great drills you can do to improve the strength and stability of the muscles that surround the knee- I've highlighted a few of them before in my injury prevention series on the hips and knees here. Here's another that I really like because it requires a combination of balance, coordination, strength and flexibility. Begin standing about 2-3 feet in front of an exercise bench with your back to it. After reaching back to place the instep of your back foot on the bench, gain your balance and then maintain an upright torso as you descend into a squat. Once your forward leg is parallel to the ground, pause for a second and then press back up to the starting position. Continue until you've completed 8-10 repetitions per side, then switch legs. *Note: Once you've mastered the form you can hold light dumbbells to increase the difficulty level.
Windmills:
Here's a tough one that will improve stability in the core and shoulder girdle. Begin by getting into a push-up position with your core braced to maintain a neutral spine posture (no arch in the back, no rounding the butt), your legs held straight, slightly wider than shoulder's width apart and your shoulders lined up directly over your wrists. Once in position, take one arm off the ground and rotate it towards the ceiling, as you simultaneously turn your torso and hips to follow the path of your arm. As you do this, rotate onto the sides of your feet. In the top position you should have your arms vertically stacked, with your shoulder blades "packed" together and your body forming a diagonal line from your feet to your head. Hold for a second, then gently return to the starting position and repeat to the other side. Continue until you've completed 10 total repetitions.
Inverted Row:
Building strength in the upper back area to help reduce the likelihood of shoulder injuries is important for athletes of all ages. For this drill, you'll either need to use a bar set up in a squat rack, or a TRX suspension trainer (a tool a highly recommend for young athletes). Whichever one you use the premise remains the same: the higher up your torso is in relation to the ground, the easier the exercise. To increase the difficulty, you can either lower the level the bar starts at, or, if using a TRX, walk your feet further forward. Once in the desired position, begin by holing your torso and legs still and initiating the pull by "pinching" your shoulder blades together as you bring your chest towards your hands. Your arms are also involved in the exercise, you just don't want to make them the focal point. Once you've reached your highest point, hold for a second or two, before lowering back down. Repeat until you've done 10-12 total repetitions.