Coach Davies…I am a former collegiate level soccer player who has been talked into playing indoor soccer. Have you ever worked with any soccer athletes and if so could you give me some suggestions as far as what type of training I should be doing to enhance my all-around game? Right now my weakness is most likely cardiovascular conditioning. I play the forward position if this is relevant.
I am in the exact same situation! My indoor soccer season starts next week - and I’m also playing as a forward (although in the indoor game you tend to sprint to all corners of the very small pitch!). I’d also say that my cardiovascular conditioning is my weakness. I’ve been working to improve this with some sprinting and interval training, although since we pulled our team together so close to the season’s starting date, I’ve only got a week to prepare from a base which is pretty poor. I’d love to hear Coach Davies’ thoughts on how to prepare for Indoor Soccer?! =)
Where do we start - I think I noted in the very first tmag interview that outside of this country I am mostly known for soccer. So where do we start - what have you been doing with your training? In faith, Coach Davies
Hi Guys,
You don’t really provide a lot of infos about yourself to make helping you easier.
I don’t know about the US (although I used to live in NYC and watched people playing indoor soccer at the Chelsea Piers), but in Italy we have various kind of indoor soccer, the main being 5 or 7 players games. Other variations are short or medium field, tiny or regular goals and with or without side throw-ins. To give you an example: a 5 people game in a short field with tiny goals (thus no goalkeepers) and no side throw-ins requires a lot more cardiovascular conditioning than a 5 people game in a medium field with regular goals and side throw-ins. The former kind of game can also be used as a training tool for specific cardiovascular conditioning, especially if you have an extremely short time before the start of the season and the players never played with eachother before (emergency plan). In the meanwhile plan a training schedule to use for the weeks after the first game.
In Italy I work for professional athletes and teams, including SSC Napoli junior teams (yes the same club Maradona used to play in).
Hope this helps.
Best,
Carlo
I haven’t played regularly for seven years, other than the once a year we get together in the summer and play in a local tourney, so training-wise I haven’t done much with that aspect. I recently finished 10 weeks of Massive Eating combined with Poliquin’s Maximal Weight training protocols (rep ranges of 1-6 depending on exercise). Right now I’m 5’7, 175 @ 10 percent bodyfat. I have never done any type of Renegade type training…wish I would’ve known about it when I was playing in college. I have little time to prepare this season as it starts Sunday, so I am actually considering sitting out and playing the next session which starts in approx. three months I believe…so if I took this route, what would you suggest? I also left out in my previous post that my vertical jump is also a weak point.
Also, seeing as I’m not playing profesionally or anything I would like to maintain as much muscle as possible while training.
The first step in your training is more of a decision to prepare yourself like a soccer player. With 90 days till the start of the season you can give yourself a great headstart on the season but your training should be focused towards the pitch. I would be pleased to discuss if you wish. In faith, Coach Davies
Unfortunately my season has just started. My aerobic conditioning needs work. This week I’ve started daily Renegade Rope Work to help improve this. I’m sticking to functional compound movements in the weight room, and slowing adding in some exercises like the Turkish get-up. Any other ideas? I think if I concentrate my training around the rope work and sprints, I’ll be on the right track?
A good plan - obviously the plan, needs to be focusing on game performance each week. You also need to get some med ball work in and general agility foot work. I look forward to hearing from you. In faith, Coach Davies
I sincerely appreciate your willingness to help, Coach D. Unfortunately for me the guys I will be playing with have no dedication and they practice once a week at most, and it’s pretty much a joke. What I would’ve given to be born in one of the European/South American countries. I got the best practice when I could get someone to come out and play 1v1 on a small field with me, but I can pretty much count on any field training being solo. Conditioning-wise, when I played in college I did more sprinting work than anything, usually consisting of 120’s or cone drills, and this definitely helped. I like the idea of rope work. I’m probably not going to do a lot of endurance work in terms of miles as the games are only 48 min. and we use two four-man rotations playing half of each 12 min. quarter. I have done German Body Comp training and this put me pretty much in the best cardiovascular condition I have ever been in. I’m sure your Renegade training is even better. So considering the vast majority of my training will be done w/o any teammates, can you give me some pointers? Again, you are very much appreciated.
You raise a tremendous point of the dedication to this sport in other countries. Your personal training can be certainly done solo and should be a blend of flexibility, agilty, linear speed and strength work. Within agility I would suggest rope work and agility ladders. Within your strength work I would suggest a few basic Core movements, coupled with some bodyweight movements and med ball work. Pay careful attention to your abdominals. I will be happy to discuss more. In faith, Coach Davies