1. Soccer players must be proficient in endurance, exercise capacity, power, muscular
strength and endurance, speed, agility and sport specific skills. The work is
continuous for athletes at and wishing to be at the college level and beyond. The
simplest way to conduct and design a yearlong training program is to segment the
work into four phases: early-preseason, late-preseason, competitive season and off-
season. Different skills and capacities will be emphasized in each phase. The ideal
program will optimize performance and mitigate the risk of injury. Having played
soccer for a number of years (a few at the college level), I understand that each
position should be trained, generally, in the same manner. The exception will be
granted to those players who played a longer duration during a competitive match
or those recovering from injury. Under the presumption that the competitive season
will run from August through December, strength and conditioning throughout each
phase will be planned according to the time allotted.
The early-preseason will fall between the months of May and June. Late-preseason
will fall between the months of July and August. In most cases, the competitive
season will be conducted between late August and mid December. Mid-December
through January will be the recovery phase of the periodized training program. The
off-season/closed-season will fall between the months of February and April.
Early-preseason will focus mainly on establishing and improving aerobic capacity,
gaining flexibility, developing a solid base of functional strength and some soccer
specific skill work.
Athletes will train 3-6 days per week. This will allow for ample recovery and
regenerative time.
May-June (Early-preseason)
Weeks 1-4:
MondayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training,
Bench Press: 3x20
Shoulder Press: 3x20
Pull-ups: 3xfailure
Dips: 3xfailure
TuesdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training
Back Squats: 3x20
Lunges: 3x20
Calf Raises: 3x20
Romanian Deadlifts: 3x20
WednesdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, 12 minute run test
ThursdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training
Bench Press: 3x20
Shoulder Press: 3x20
Pull-ups: 3xfailure
2. Dips: 3 x failure
FridayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training
Back Squats: 3x20
Lunges: 3x20
Calf Raises: 3x20
SaturdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer skill work
SundayâRest and recovery day
Week 5-8:
MondayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training,
Back Squats: 3x8
Deadlift: 3x12
Lunges: 3x10
Calf Raises: 3x20
TuesdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, 5x100m sprints 1:2 work:rest
ratio (post weight training)
Bench press: 3x8
Push press: 3x10
Chin-ups: 3xfailure
Dips: 3xfailure
WednesdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, 1 milex2 splits 1:2 work:rest
ratio
ThursdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training
Back Squats: 3x8
Deadlift: 3x12
Lunges: 3x10
Calf Raises: 3x20
FridayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, 2 mile run at 50% max effort (post
weight training)
Bench press: 3x8
Push press: 3x10
Chin-ups: 3xfailure
Dips: 3xfailure
SaturdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, 10x50m sprints 1:2 work:rest
ratio, soccer skill work
SundayâRest and active recovery
July-August (Late-preseason)
Weeks 1-4
MondayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer training, multi-directional
sprintsx20 (1:4 work:rest ratio)
TuesdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer training,
Squats: 3x8
3. Deadlifts: 3x12
Lunges: 3x10
Calf Raises: 3x15
WednesdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer training, multi-
directional sprintsx20 (1:4 work:rest ratio)
ThursdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer training
Push-ups: 3x15
Pull-ups: 3x15
Sit-ups: 3x20
Dips: 3x15
FridayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer training, multi-directional
sprintsx20 (1:4 work:rest ratio)
SaturdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer training
SundayâRest and recovery day
Weeks 5-8
MondayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer training, 300m shuttle
runx2 (1:2 work:rest ratio)
TuesdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer training
Jump Squats: 3x15
Power Cleans: 3x5
Deadlifts: 3x5
Box Jumps: 3x15
Wednesday: Dynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer training, 2 mile tempo
run (800m at 25%, 800m at 50%, 800m at 75%, 800m at 100%)
ThursdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer training,
Plyometric push-ups: 3x15
Weighted chin-ups: 3xfailure
Leg raises: 3x15
Push press: 3x6
FridayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer training, 5x20m, 5x40m,
5x60m, 5x80m, 5x100m (1:1 work:rest ratio, 5 minute rest after each distance
interval)
SaturdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer training
SundayâRest and recovery day
August-December (Competitive season)
The competitive season strength and conditioning will largely remain the same over
the few months.. Due to the higher intensity of matches, largely twice per week, rest
and recovery will be imperative to continue the mitigation of injury and fitness
development. In season training should also be largely based upon what the coach
deems necessary to improve the teamâs capabilities.
MondayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer training
4. TuesdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer training
Push-ups: 3x15
Jumping Squats: 3x15
Pull-ups: 3xfailure
Box Jumps: 3x15
WednesdayâRest and recovery day
ThursdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer training, 10x100m sprint
(1:2 work:rest ratio)
FridayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer training
SaturdayâMatch
SundayâRest and recovery day
The several weeks in between sessions should be a rest interval. The February
through April will be the offseason. Included in these months the athletes would be
encouraged to do activities outside of soccer as well.
February
Weeks 1-4
MondayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training
Back Squats: 3x12-20
Romanian deadlifts: 3x12-20
DB Bench Press: 3x12-20
Lat Pulldowns: 3x12-20
Military press: 3x12-20
TuesdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, individual skill work
WednesdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training
Multi-directional sprints: 10x10
Push-ups: 3xmax
Pull-ups: 3xmax
Box Jumps: 3x15
ThursdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, individual skill work
FridayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training,
Medicine ball circuit (30 seconds each exercisex3 rounds, rest 5 minutes after each
round)
Clean and Press
Ball Slams
Lunges
Chest Pass
Sit-ups
Mini soccer game
SaturdayâRest and recovery day
SundayâRest and recovery day
March
5. Weeks 1-4
MondayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training,
Back Squats: 3x12-20
Romanian deadlifts: 3x12-20
Bench Press: 3x12-20
Pull-ups: 3x12-20
Push-press: 3x12-20
TuesdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer skill work
Multi-directional sprints: 5x50m
Long jumps: 5xmax distance
Box Jumps: 3x15
WednesdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training
Medicine ball circuit (1 minute per exercise, 5 minute rest between rounds)
Clean and Press
Chest pass
Overhead throws
Ball Slams
Sit-ups
Squats
ThursdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer skill work
Multi-directional sprints: 3x30m
Box Jumps: 3x15
Sprints: 10x50m
FridayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training
Bodyweight circuit: 1 minute per exercisex5, 3 minutes rest between circuits
Squats
Lunges
Push-ups
Pull-ups
Sit-ups
Mini soccer game
SaturdayâRest and recovery day
SundayâRest and recovery day
April
Weeks 1-4
MondayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer skill work
Hang clean: 3x2-6
Front Squat: 3x2-6
Back extensions: 3x10-15
DB Bench Press: 3x6-12
DB Rows: 3x6-12
6. Shoulder Press: 3x8-12
Sprints: 3x10x20m sprints, (1:1 work:rest ratio between sprints), 5 minutes
between sets
TuesdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training
Multi-directional sprints: 5x25m
Box jumps: 3x20
Plyometric push-ups: 3x15
Chin-ups: 3xmax
300m shuttle run
WednesdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer skill work
Bench Press: 3x10-15
Dips: 3xmax
DB Shoulder press: 3x10-15
Sprint ladder: 1x10m, 1x20m, 1x30m, 1x40mâŠ1x100m (1:1 work:rest ratio)
ThursdayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training, soccer skill work
100m shuttle run x 2
Lateral Jumps: 10xmax distance
Broad jumps: 5xmax distance
Multi-directional sprints: 5x25m
FridayâDynamic warm-up, flexibility training
Back Squats: 3x10-20
Lunges: 3x10-20
Back extensions: 3x10-20
Calf raises: 3x20
Mini soccer game
SaturdayâRest and recovery day
SundayâRest and recovery day