With soccer season having been shifted to second season, I have decided to participate as it is my final year of high school. It will be a hectic time period, as I will have plenty of important deadlines, but it will be an outlet for me to stay active and sane! Not only that, but I really do love the girls on the team and it is always a good session with them. In order to start the season on the right foot, I decided to start working out twice a week with my friend Savi. I chose to go on this journey of getting stronger, so that I will be able to push myself that much further once the season begins and this way fitness and strength won’t be an issue. Last year one of my downfalls was the fact that I lacked adequate muscular strength in my legs and it hindered my kicks and crosses.
The workouts I participate in throughout the week are focused on leg, arm and abdominal strength, as muscular endurance is super important for sports like soccer. Over the summer I ran between 1 – 3 km several times a week to ensure that maintain my physical shape and endurance. In order to keep up with my efforts from the summer I always squeeze in some cardio into each workout. I start each workout with a run that ranges between 1000 – 3000 meters (1 min max per lap around a 200 meter track) depending on how fatigued I am that day. This is followed by an intense strength training session which focuses on my legs, abdomens and arms. These workouts will vary depending on what was done in the previous session to ensure that I am providing equal attention to each of those parts of my body. I end the session with an exercise that is directly associated with soccer, as it allows me to practice my kicks and clearances. I kick two balls across the field and run to retrieve them and repeat this process for about 10 -15 minutes. It is a great way for me to track my progress and to cool off my muscles after an intense workout. My goal is to be able to kick the ball across the entire field with full power, as this will be beneficial for me, as a central midfielder, when crossing the ball to the striker during a game. Plus I love challenging myself physically and reaching new limits!
Hopefully I will be a stronger, faster player in time for next season!
Below are some examples of the workouts my friend and I have been doing:
- 16th August 2019
10 – 15 minute run
30 squats x 3
15 Thrusters x 3
12 pick ups x 3 (15 kg)
Wall sits 45 seconds x 3
1 sprint lap around the field x 3 (1 lap 200m)
1 min plank x 3
Sit ups with medicine ball 25 x 3 (20 kg)
Skipping 1 min
15 min Soccer ball kicks
- 19th August 2019
10 – 15 minute run
Squats 40 x 3
Mountain climbers 30 x 3
sit ups with medicine ball 25 x 3 (20 kg)
Leg raises 20 x 3
Step ups 20 x 3
Crunches 20 x 3
Inclined push ups 12 x 3
1 sprint lap around the field x 3 (1 lap 200m)
1 min plank x 3
15 min Soccer ball kicks
- 26th August 2019
10 – 15 minute run
Warm 6 mins
Squats 50 x 3
Deadlifts 12 x 3 (15 kg)
Kettle bell swings 20 x 3
Pick ups 15 x 3 (15 kg)
Run 1 sprint lap (200 m)
Plank 1 min (x 3)
15 min Soccer ball kicks
- 30th August 2019
10 – 15 minute run
walking crab – 15 x 3
Dead lifts 12 x 3 (15 kg)
Plank ups 10×3
pick ups 15×3 ( 15 kg)
Skipping 30 seconds x 3
Running 200m x 8
Planks 1 min x 3
15 min Soccer ball kicks