An adequate warm-up program is an important part of any stretching and flexibility regime. The right balance of warm-up and stretching an integral part of any soccer-specific strength and fitness training program. Injury prevention is a crucial consideration and and important reason for an individualized warm up, stretching, and flexibility program. Prior to initiating a workout program, a routine soccer practice or a match, the soccer athlete must be warmed up and have stretched for a period of between 15 and 30 minutes, not only to reduce the risk of injury, but to improve training results and match performance.

The proper warm-up routine has several important elements. The elements of a properly structured warm-up and stretching regimen must be integrated into a holistic strategy designed to properly engage all of the various muscles of the body in such a way as to be ready for peak performance prior to the workout, practice or competition. Every muscle and muscle group must be working together and fully warmed up in order to reduce the chance of injury, regardless of whether it is due to stress, strain or trauma.

Why is warming up so vital to the overall success of a training program?

Proper warm-up before training is important for a number of reasons and is responsible for a myriad of benefits. The properly designed warm-up routine prepares the athlete, physically and mentally, for peak performance and for strenuous, physical and mental exertion. While there are many reasons for this, the most important may be the fact that warm-up increases the body’s metabolism and core temperature. As a consequence of an overall increase in temperature, there is accordingly an increase in the temperature of the various muscles involved in training and competition. Increased muscle temperature, and the associated increase in blood flow, allows for muscles that are ready for strenuous activity, being oxygenated, fully fueled, and supple. Additionally, the warm-up will also have a positive, overall cardiovascular effect, increasing both heart and lung function and allowing for more complete delivery of oxygen and energy-providing nutrients to the musculature during periods of peak demand. Once again, this has a ripple effect and the connective tissue, so at risk during periods of strenuous activity, to be warmed up and prepared for activity prior to the workout or competition. The latter is vitally important, as many sports-related injuries are connective tissue based, as in ACL injuries!

How to Develop a Warm-up Program for a Soccer-Related Strength and Fitness Training Program

There are several factors and considerations that come into play when designing a soccer-related strength and fitness training program. Along with diet and nutrition, warm-up, stretching, and flexibility are crucial to the overall success of the program. For that reason, we will spend quite a bit of time on the proper warm-up design and integration in this article.
It goes without saying, or should anyway, that it is very important to begin with the simplest and gentlest movements and tasks first. The idea is to move from one motion and movement to the next, an overall build taking place, and once again a ripple effect leading to a fully engorged and oxygenated musculature prior to strenuous activity. The process of easy to difficult, slow to faster motions and activities, each building and compounding upon the other, fully engaging the athlete’s body and optimizing performance regardless of the task involved.

The body, if properly engaged and warmed up, will be at its mental and physical peak prior to strenuous activity and the demands of soccer-related performance, whether for strength and fitness training, practice or match play. With the body at peak readiness, optimally engaged mentally and physically, the likelihood of soccer-specific, sports-related injuries will have been minimized and the soccer athlete can continue into the training or the competitive area fully prepared. The next step, now that we understand why…is how!

The Four Components of an Effective Soccer-Specific Strength and Fitness Training Warm-up

The first stage is a general, overall warm-up program. The second stage is static stretching and differs from the third stage, that of soccer-specific stretching and warm-up. The fourth stage is dynamic stretching, stretching used to engage and involve the entire musculature, synergistically. The four components are equally crucial to the overall success of the program, one building upon the other, all equally vital. The components come together, in very much the same way as muscles do, synergistically, all four working in unison to prepare the body, physically and mentally; and, also preparing the soccer-athlete for whatever is to come. Once again, this process is designed to ensure the soccer-athlete has minimal exposure and consequently risk of sports-related injuries.

Stage One: Overall and General Strength and Fitness Training Warm-up

The overall, general warm-up consists of mild, minimally demanding physical activity. I recommend jogging, no faster that a brisk walk, generally for 400 meters or one-quarter of a mile. We then jump on the stationary bike, increasing the intensity and duration from a low tension setting and a duration 2 minutes, to a high of medium range tension for up to 20 minutes; and, in winter we start off with the stationary bike. The level of difficulty and the length of time on the bike is usually determined during testing and is determined by the soccer-athlete’s overall level of fitness. A good indicator that the athlete is starting to warm-up is a moderate sweat and perhaps an elevated heart rate and respiration. The heart rate and respiration are usually tracked by chart at the onset of the program and then weekly; this will help in establishing overall training results, and also will aid in watching for signs of overtraining.

The primary goal of stage one is to increase the pulse and respiration, an indication that blood and oxygen are being moved at a faster rate through the body. As stated, increased heart rate and respiration will thus increase blood flow to the muscles and provide for oxygenation and energy supply to the muscles during strenuous physical training. The increased blood flow and nutrients to the muscles also helps elevate the overall body and muscle temperature; and, this in turn will provide for a better static stretching stage.

Stage Two: Stepping it Up and Static Stretching

Stage two is the static stretching phase and is really the basis for overall flexibility. Given the importance of the static stretch, and of flexibility in general, it is always interesting how few soccer-athletes engage in it…or any other stretching routine for that matter. Static stretching is slow, easy, and constant stretching of the various muscles groups and is usually quite safe; and, it is a very efficient and effective means of achieving overall flexibility. The biggest issue with stretching is in the form and the carry out, how the stretches are actually carried out. The proper way is in a long, ballistic-free motion, one of constant and applied pressure to a specific muscle or group of muscles. If done properly, the static stretch is very safe and quite beneficial. During the second stage of the warm-up and stretching program, the static stretch must include the various major muscle groups, working from largest to smallest muscles groups and then back again. The entire regimen will generally last from five to fifteen minutes, at first; and, taking somewhat less time as training progresses.

In order to properly stretch the muscles during the static phase of stretching, the athlete’s body must be in a position in which the muscle or muscle group is under constant, applied tension. To begin with, the muscle or muscle group to be statically stretched is relaxed. Additionally, the opposing muscles are also relaxed. The opposing muscles consist of those muscles “in front of” and “behind” the target muscle or muscle group. Then, carefully and with deliberation, the athlete slowly and carefully places the body under pressure, with emphasis on the area to be stretched, increasing overall tension to the muscle, or muscle group. At the point of greatest tension, the stretch is held in place, allowing the muscles, tendons, and ligaments to stretch and, when possible, to lengthen. This stage of the soccer-related, strength and fitness training program is extremely effective in advancing flexibility. Stage two assists in lengthening muscles and tendons, and in a synergistic fashion impacts ligaments too. The static stretching allows for a greater degree of movement and range of motion. This stage is crucial in sports-related injury prevention, as it, once again allows for a strengthening, as well as the aforementioned lengthening of muscles and tendons.

Stage one and stage two form the foundation for what will follow. The first through fourth stages form an overall and effective soccer-specific warm-up and stretching program. The overall warm-up and stretching program thus laying the basis for the training to follow. It is crucial that the first two stages be completed completely and in the proper fashion before increasing the intensity and moving into stages three and four. The correct implementation of stages one and two will provide for safe and effective exercise in stages three and four.

Stage Three: Soccer-Specific Stretch and Warm-up

Generally, if the focus of the warm-up and stretching was on practice and match play, we would now move to paired stretches and various warm-ups designed to be competition-specific. However, because this is primarily focused on strength and fitness training for soccer-athletes, we usually up the level of the stretching to include another round of static stretching, followed by a number of isotonic-related stretches. The primary focus in stage three must be inside out, largest to smallest and back in. That is, for the upper body a series of stretches including the back, chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, forearms, wrists, and hands. The neck is very important and great care must be taken when stretching the neck for obvious, and not so obvious reasons. The neck has a number of very small muscles and muscles groups but, as Woody Hayes once pointed out to me, “as the neck goes, so goes the body.” While Coach Hayes is obviously a legendary football coach, but his lesson was not lost on his student (your’s truly). The neck should always get special attention and, as a soccer player, the neck plays so many roles, its importance cannot be overstated. After the upper body and the neck, the lower body is next. Included in the lower body are stretches for the gluteus maximus and minimus, the hips, quadraceps, hamstrings, calves, ankles, and feet. Finally, the abdominals must be focused on, and they get special attention because, like the neck, they are a determining factor in the overall performance of the body.

Obviously, the stretching program can and often does take up an entire workout session, particularly at first and until the routine is set. There are myriad stretches available and any number of them will suffice. However, if you would like to have a personalized program, one effective and designed just for you, you must engage the services of an experienced, and knowledgeable (they are not always the same), strength and fitness coach, one experienced in dealing with soccer-athletes, in particular.

By the time the athlete has completed stage three, he or she should be perspiring and their heart rate and respiration should be significantly elevated. The idea is to integrate the warm-up and stretching into the overall conditioning program is such a way that it has a number of cascading affects and effects on the body of the athlete, all with one thing in mind, optimizing overall development and match performance gains. In other words, it is my desire to see them be able to put it on the pitch!

Stages Four: Soccer-Related Strength and Fitness Training, Warm-up and Dynamic Stretching

Ultimately, the proper warm-up must culminate in a series of exercises known as dynamic stretching exercises or simply as dynamic stretches. Significantly, dynamic stretches often result in injury. The main reason for the high incidence of injuries due to dynamic stretching has to do with athletes who are not trained properly by coaches who are experienced in working with soccer athletes, or athletes in general, or the athletes themselves simply do not adhere to training guidelines. For the reasons stated above, dynamic stretching should only be engaged in when training with a competent strength and fitness instructor; and, not just someone who likes to work out and thought it might be a great business to get into! Dynamic stretching has to do with what I refer to as neuro-muscular coordination and is about muscle conditioning, rather than simply flexibility, as the name would seem to imply. The dynamic stretch regimen is usually designed and best suited for top-level amateur and professional soccer-athletes, those individuals who are well-trained, and are highly-conditioned, competitive athletes. A dynamic stretch routine is usually implemented as a final, ultimate step in a flexibility program adhered to for quite some time and it is obvious to trainer and trainee that the “next-level” is appropriate.

Dynamic stretching usually involves controlled movement, a bouncing or pendulum motion, forcing the muscle beyond its normal range of motion. Gradually and over time the degree of bounce and the range of the swing is heightened and increased to achieve an exaggerated range of motion and enhanced flexibility. The best example of this done in an incorrect fashion may be when young athletes attempt to stretch their hamstrings, one foot crossed in front of the other, bouncing up and down to stretch the biceps femoris. Done in this fashion, the young athlete may cause a micro-tearing of the hamstring and risk serious injury. But they see others do it and they model the behavior. A recipe for disaster…or at the very least a blown hamstring! During stage four, it is crucial that the athlete integrate dynamic stretches that are soccer-specific. Stage four the culmination of the soccer-specific, warm-up, stretching and flexibility program and will result in the soccer-athlete achieving peak mental and physical preparation prior to training and/or match play. At this point in the training session, the trainee is prepared for the what will come next, the rigors of an intense soccer-specific, strength and fitness training program.

Finally, the most neglected aspect of any training regimen, the warm-up and stretching, must come first. Without adequate preparation, both physical and mental, the soccer-athlete cannot hope to achieve peak performance and optimal training gains. The four stage training program is a workout in and of itself and will generally take between twenty-five and forty-five minutes to work through. As the trainee becomes used to the routine, its system and its rigors, the amount of time it takes to get through it is lessened. Interestingly, as time lessens, intensity increases…but so does the fitness level of the athlete. So, when integrating and off-season, soccer-specific strength and fitness training program into your training routine, it is imperative you recognize the importance of diet and nutrition, combined with a proper warm-up and flexibility regimen. With the above two components in place, we are ready to move on to the next ingredient, the actual soccer-specific strength and fitness training program.

Should you desire more information or a consultation, please contact me via email, phone or Skype. Leave a detailed message and I will get back to you within 24 hours.

CoachZ
John Zajaros
216-712-6526
Skype: johnzajaros1
coachz@ultimatesoccertraining.com

This post is a bit long but this is probably one of the most important aspects of the entire soccer-specific strength and fitness training program. Like diet and nutrition, if you miss this, you will not perform at peak levels. And that is what this is all about, optimal performance on the soccer pitch next season.

We have reviewed the first ingredient required for an effective off-season, soccer specific strength and fitness training program…nutrition and diet. While they are two separate and distinct subjects, they are inextricably linked, you can’t have one without the other. It is important that, if you haven’t reviewed the introduction into diet and nutrition, and the first article, an overall introduction to this soccer-specific and sex-specific strength and training program, you do so before going any further. The next step in designing and implementing an effective training regimen, the next ingredient, equally important to diet and nutrition, is an understanding of just how crucial hydration is; and, not only hydration but optimal fluid intake and replacement. If you wish to have a real performance edge, peak performance in training and competition, you must be properly hydrated before, during, and after strength and fitness training. A proper hydration strategy is a vital component in any sport, in any region of the world, and in all climate conditions. In fact, proper hydration may be more important during conditions not thought of as being related to, or linked to, hydration. An example of such a condition is cold weather. During cold weather training and competition fluid intake may be neglected or even ignored, yet it is just as important to be well hydrated during such periods. Ultimately, hydration is crucial in any situation, during training and while competing.
Performance and hydration have been linked in study after study; and, there is a positive correlation between hydration and performance, a causal relationship. There can be little doubt as to the importance of hydration, neglecting it can lead to diminished performance and, in the severest of instances, death. We have all heard stories of athletes who have died crossing the finish line or after an incredibly brutal training session. I have personally witnessed the catastrophic effects of severe dehydration. I have watched as athletic trainers and EMS personnel attempted to save the life of a young soccer athlete who had taken salt pills, a terrible “old school” strategy, while failing to drink fluids, a recipe for disaster. The young man died, a boy actually, and all because of inadequate fluid intake combined with the loss of electrolytes. What we don’t hear about, because it is so difficult to track and quantify, in any athlete is diminished performance, the performance that “could have been,” if only the proper hydration strategy had been suggested and adhered to.

Hydration is the Key!

Hydration is not only important in the waning moments of an all-important soccer match, it is also important for peak performance during training and to regulate and even enhance the body’s overall capacity to work. The body is made up of approximately sixty percent water, it is very important that an athlete and his or her trainer and/or coach be aware of the need for proper fluid intake. The body requires water for a number of functions and processes, including the proper uptake of nutrients, as an aid in the breakdown of food (digestion and absorption of nutrients), making food available for energy and muscle building and rebuilding, as a transport mechanism for various materials throughout the various systems, eliminating harmful waste material and toxins, regulating the body’s temperature, and for energy, both production and output. In fact, there is not a single system in the body that doesn’t rely on water. Hydration is required for life!

How Much? For Whom and When?

Many authorities propose the average person consume a minimum of eight, eight ounce glasses of water per day. The amount varies from one individual to another, with size, activity level, weather, and athletic performance all affecting daily requirements. Ultimately, water intake should be based on size, activity, and atmosphere, with more being better, within reasonable limits, of course. Women also carry more water than men, thus requiring more per pound of body weight than men. However, for our purposes and during strength and fitness training, the average athlete, male or female, should increase fluid intake by at least 15% and more if training outdoors and at high temperatures. Wet bulb also should be considered; and, at high wet bulb readings, a high temperature and humidity combined to set the reading, care should be taken to replenish fluids often.

Water Intoxication and Hyper-Hydration

Because we here in the States have a culture of “if one is good, ten is fantastic,” I must at least touch on two conditions, inextricably linked, often mistaken for one another, that may have catastrophic results. I will speak to these conditions as they may relate to athletes, not to the general public. The first of these is known as “water intoxication,” or “hyper-hydration,” also known as “water poisoning.” Most individuals with water intoxication are completely asymptomatic, meaning they present with no symptoms whatsoever. However, hyper-hydration or water poisoning may be fatal, the result of an osmotic imbalance and a drop in electrolytes. The condition usually occurs when individuals consume water large amounts of water, while failing to take in inadequate amounts of electrolytes lost during extreme exertion. This is why, in certain circumstances, various electrolyte replenishing drinks can be a good thing.

Hyponatremia

Interestingly, a related condition also caused by taking in too much water, any fluid for that matter, may contribute to a condition known as hyponatremia. Hyponatremia is also attributed to an electrolyte imbalance, one that may result when sodium levels in blood plasma drops too low. Symptoms of hyponatremia may be mistaken for drunkenness, diabetic complications, and/or even being “on something.” The symptoms include: muscle cramps, particularly of the feet and legs but also of other large muscle groups, and even the hands and fingers; nausea and vomiting; confusion, disorientation, fainting, and in severe cases, blacking out; slurred and rambling speech; and, inappropriate actions and behavior out of the norm. As with water intoxication, its sister condition Hyponatremia is often more dangerous, more life-threatening than dehydration, it is vital to balance water and electrolyte intake. The balancing act between hydration and hyper-hydration is one every athlete needs to be aware of, taking into consideration the risks of both dehydration and hyper-hydration; and, achieving a personal water and sport drink intake balance in order to reach peak performance on and off the pitch.

To Drink or Not to Drink!

It must be noted, in preparing you for a soccer-specific, sex-specific strength and training program, particularly when dealing with hydration, you must also recognize what not to drink. While some of the sports drinks may have their time and place, and I do mean some, the newly emerging sports drinks with protein are definitely worth considering, particularly after training sessions. Significantly, many of the current quick energy drinks are nothing short of pollution to your system, contrary to your goal of peak performance. While I won’t mention any of them by name, you know certain drinks claiming to do everything from keeping the away the doldrums to allowing you to fly. Remember one thing, when you are flying and run out of fuel, you will most certainly crash, wings or no wings. The so-called energy drinks are loaded with chemicals and caffeine, combined with various herbs and unknown ingredients, almost every one counter to a good training program. Other drinks you should consider avoiding include carbonated beverages or all kinds, that’s right pop (soda if you are from back east) is out, coffee and tea as well. Juices are good but only in moderation, and any other sort of empty calorie, high-sucrose, is inappropriate; and, caffeinated beverages not covered above are out, too. Yes, you can treat yourself once in a while, we all need our little bonuses, but ask yourself this first, is the person competing for the same spot you are hoping to own next season “cheating” or are they totally committed to making it, with that serving as the ultimate reward.

Water and Sports Drinks

The fact is, every athlete, and your soccer-specific, sex-specific strength and fitness training coach, if you are fortunate enough to have one, should monitor their own hydration program. There is a balance that must be achieved between too little and too much. The challenge is that what is too little for one athlete is nowhere near enough for the next. And, as stated above, sex, size, weight, atmosphere, and even musculature and previous training habits will all come to into play and should be considered. Water versus sports drinks is an issue and when training hard and/or under extreme conditions, sport drinks that replace key electrolytes and minerals may enhance performance. Various sugars, namely glucose, fructose and sucrose, along with various electrolyte minerals, particularly sodium, are necessary and even vital, in the true sense of the word. However, water is still the most important ingredient, and one every athlete should make sure they have plenty of. There is a debate raging right now as to just how much, when, and even if water, as opposed to other drinks, should be taken in. This debate while interesting is not really all that important to the overall program, which is to get you into shape, into peak performance through a soccer-specific sex specific strength and fitness training program.

Water: The Essential Nutrient

As stated above, water is and essential nutrient for the transportation of vital nutrients, ease of digestion, ridding the body of toxins and waste products, proper function of joints and connective tissue, and even thermo-regulation, the regulation of your body’s internal temperature. Soccer athletes should maintain proper hydration for normal body function, optimal physiology, and also for peak, competitive performance. Proper hydration during training also helps to regulate and control the volume of blood in the body, circulatory function and cardiac output, muscle hydrodynamics and blood flow, skin condition, tone, and blood flow, and core physiology. Significantly, proper hydration, and fluid intake generally, is crucial for anatomy, physiology, and performance. The duration of individual training sessions, how intense the training is, determine how much to drink, the proper amount and kinds of fluids.

Dehydration

Current research on peak performers indicates that decreasing blood volume due to intense exercise and sweating causes an athlete’s heart rate to accelerate. An accelerated heart rate, combined with sweating the the resultant loss of bodily fluids may result in fatigue, dizziness, and muscle cramps. Dehydration and its symptoms can be avoided by replacing body fluids lost during training. Dehydration is often caused by improper and/or inadequate fluid replacement; profuse and excessive fluid loss, sweating; neglecting to replenish fluids lost during and immediately after training; training in arid, high temperatures; and, drinking when thirsty rather than on a specified schedule before, during and after training sessions. The degree of fluid loss and dehydration is made worse by intensified heat stressors, length of training sessions and the amount of time between sessions, and training severity or intensity.

The Ultimate Hydration Program

Most soccer athletes should use this program, follow the guidelines above and below to replenish and replace fluids lost, and modify it to meet your individual requirements:

Hydration Prior to Training

* Take in 15 to 20 fluid ounces 2 to 3 hours prior to training sessions
* Take in 8 to 10 fluid ounces 10 to 15 minutes prior to training sessions

Training Hydration

* Take in 8 fluid ounces of your favorite sports drink, I prefer Gatorade for a number of reasons (try a 1 to 3 ratio Gatorade to water) 3 to 4 times per hour during training

Post Training Hydration

* Take in 20 fluid ounces of fluid, preferably water, but a mix of 1:3 Gatorade to water is OK, for every pound of body weight loss to sweat#

# Make sure you weigh yourself prior to and after training in order to track the number of pounds lost and fluid replaced

The Key to Success

Taking in adequate amounts water and sports drinks prior to, during, and after training sessions will reduce the risk of dehydration and may be the easiest and most direct strategy for maintaining and improving bodily functions, and increasing performance levels.

Good luck! Next? We begin stretching and flexibility training!

CoachZ
John Zajaros
216-712-6526
Skype: johnzajaros1
coachz@ultimatesoccertraining.com

The key to an effective soccer-specific, sex-specific strength and fitness program is planning. A well constructed training regimen will yield greater results in a shorter period of time. Additionally, a well planned and well-thought out program will make it easier to track progress throughout the season. As noted in the previous article on this topic, soccer-specific strength and fitness training is quite a bit different from training programs for other sports and/or activities. It is widely known that the average soccer athlete may run several miles during the course of a match; and, goalkeepers being the exception, of course. Proper nutrition is vital for success, both in training and in competition. Dietary habits, combined with proper nutrition can make or break a program. This article, the second in a series will deal with diet and nutrition for an off-season, soccer-specific, sex-specific strength and fitness training program.

3 Components to Success

The key to an effective soccer-specific, sex-specific strength and fitness program is planning. A well constructed training regimen will yield greater results in a shorter period of time. Additionally, a well planned and well-thought out program will make it easier to track progress throughout the season. As noted in the previous article on this topic, soccer-specific strength and fitness training is quite a bit different from training programs for other sports and/or activities. It is widely known that the average soccer athlete may run several miles during the course of a match; and, goalkeepers being the exception, of course. Therefore, it is assumed that running and running alone is the secret to effective training. It is not unusual for other training methods and considerations, even diet and nutritional requirements particular to soccer athletes, male and female, to be totally ignored for this reason. In fact, one only has to watch top level amateur or professional soccer match to get a sense for just how physical, and physically demanding, “The Beautiful Game” can be.

On the Ball or Off?

For this reason, and for a myriad of others, a complete, soccer-specific, sex-specific strength and fitness program must be followed. The proper training routine will be one that takes into account diet and nutrition, stretching and flexibility, and strength and overall fitness. It is true, much of soccer training, particularly in-season training, should be done “on the ball;” and, this is not at issue. Yet, even in-season a suitable strength and fitness program should be adhered to, not only to maintain strength levels, but for flexibility and tone, as well.

Diet and Nutrition

The initial focus and primary stages of any off-season program, as noted above, should cover three factors: nutrition and diet: stretching and flexibility: and, the third stage is aerobic conditioning. This article will cover the first of the three stages, diet and nutrition in some detail. Nutrition and diet play a central role in any fitness program, particularly during periods of peak, strenuous training; and, for that reason, we will address nutrition and diet first. Diet, dietary habits, and nutrition are inextricably linked. Dietary habits, particularly when the athlete is involved in a strenuous strength and fitness training program, will make or break your results, determining the success or failure of your overall program. For a number of reasons, including how your body is able to break down and metabolize nutrients, meals should be taken in every two and one half to three hours, give or take a few minutes. The old days of steak and eggs before football and basketball games, and huge amounts of pasta the night before soccer matches and endurance events have made way for balanced, well-thought-out meals, planned at regular intervals. While carbohydrate loading is still used and may still have valid applications, that strategy is not applicable for our purposes.
Carbohydrates are extremely important as they provide immediate and intermediate range fuel for the body. Carbohydrates are made up of simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are generally made up of sugars and starches; and, they break down into glucose molecules as they are metabolized by the body. If the body does not have a need for immediate energy, glucose is converted to glycogen and stored in the liver and muscles for future energy needs.

Carbohydrates: Go Fuel!

The average athlete who weighs between 155 and 165 pounds, which may be a little, needs approximately 2400 calories, carbohydrate calories, to fully supply his glycogen tanks. To take in 2400 to 2500 carbohydrate calories requires 600 grams of carbohydrates. It should be obvious to anyone reading this that the body cannot take in and metabolize that sort of volume in one, two or even three sittings. It generally takes a day and one-half to three days to consume that many carbohydrate calories (approximately 40 pieces of whole wheat bread!). For that reason, and for others, carbohydrate loading is not only ill-advised, it is impractical. When the body uses up most of its store of glycogen, it will begin to burn fat for fuel. While fat may be a good fuel source, it is not optimal for our purposes and should be avoided at all costs. Ultimately, if the body depletes both glycogen and fat stores it will begin converting and consuming amino acids from proteins into fuel. This can be particularly problematic if dietary protein is not readily available because the body will begin to cannibalize itself, using muscle for fuel. Additionally, if the body must use amino acids, taken from ingested protein, this may weaken your immune system and inhibit muscular development.

Carbohydrates, particularly complex carbohydrates, are the best source of fuel for your muscles, as well as for the brain which is a voracious carbohydrate consumer. Keeping in mind that a strenuous, soccer-specific strength and fitness training program will deplete glycogen stores, as well as fluids from the body, lost as sweat, it may take between one and two days for the body to fully recover. It may take longer if you’re not eating a high quality diet made up of complex carbohydrates, plenty of fluids, and easily digested, high-quality proteins. You should be able to see why, if you do not adhere to the proper dietary and nutritional guidelines, you may go into nutrient debt, and stay, there in a relatively short period of time.

Vegetarians Beware!

I am assuming, for the course of his program, that the reader is not a vegetarian. The vegetarian dietary requirements are very complex and may not be conducive to this sort of a training regimen. While I am not making a value judgment, a vegetarian diet and optimal soccer performance may not coincide, unless of course an incredible amount of forethought and planning, particularly as it relates to combining the necessary proteins in the proper ratios to make available all of the necessary amino acids for easy assimilation and metabolism.

Protein Intake

Protein intake, like carbohydrate intake, is central to a good overall program. The average male, at 5’ 10” and an ideal body weight of 165 to 175 pounds, depending on musculature, must take in between 50 and 60 grams of protein per day. Protein, in large quantities and in one sitting, is very difficult for the body to completely digest, meaning much of it may go to waste. However, if the protein is broken up into five, even six smaller meals, the body will have little or no trouble using most, if not all of the protein taken in. There are approximately 28 grams in an ounce, and since there is not a precise one to one ratio of ounces to protein, even in the leanest meat, it will usually take between two and 4 ounces of lean meat per day for the average person, twice that if you are involved in a strenuous training program. For a female, 5’6” tall, protein intake should be between 40 and 50 g per day, with the same sort of meal schedule.

Fats

Fats are also very important, not only for nutrition but for nervous system health; and, for other reasons beyond the scope of this article. Suffice it to say, and diet high in quality carbohydrates, a moderate level of high quality proteins, and low to moderate fat content will keep the body fueled and the athlete engaged in a strenuous, soccer-specific strength and fitness training program fueled and lean. The proper balance will ensure the development of the musculature and endurance for optimal performance by the time the season rolls around.

Hydration!

For all of the above reasons and many more, it is extremely important to eat smaller meals, at regular intervals, and as well balanced as possible. In addition to the above carbohydrate, protein, and fat considerations, hydration must play a central role. Carbohydrates are crucial for holding water in the body until needed. Water consumption also plays a vital role in dietary role when it comes to nutrient intake and digestion. While sports drinks have been shown to have some use, water is the training beverage of choice, period! Vitamins should also be considered, particularly if life events and/or work or school prohibit you from taking in all of the proper nutrients. Ultimately, a well thought out, daily and weekly plan for nutrient consumption, including what you are going to eat and when, is as important to the overall success of your program.

In Conclusion!

Nutrition is as important to the success of the program as any exercise or group of exercises you may do. If you do not provide your body with the necessary fuel, it will soon revolt, and you will go into a state known as overtraining, something we will cover in an upcoming article. Overtraining is a condition no athlete can long endure and still perform at peak levels. In the next article we will discuss stretching and flexibility, followed by an article on the aerobic foundation. Do you think you are flexible and aerobically fit? We will see soon enough! For now know this, a soccer-specific, sex-specific strength and fitness training program, properly design and fueled by the proper dietary habits and nutritional guidelines, will make you into a different athlete, a formidable presence on the pitch by the next season.

Junk Food is Out!

Oh yeah, one last thing! Cut out the junk food. That’s right, cut it out! How bad do you want it? Do you think your competition for the spot you envision yourself playing next season is pigging out on Big Macs and fries? Or buttered popcorn and nachos? Carbonated beverages and Kool-aid? If you are going to be a top-level athlete, start acting like one, training like one, and eating like one! If you want garbage? Give yourself a cheat day one day every couple of weeks, as a reward. You will find you enjoy the reward more and, after a while you will crave the junk less and less. But again, it’s up to you, you will get out of this what you put in. Garbage in, garbage out…just like a computer!

Coach Z, John Zajaros
216-712-6526
Skype: johnzajaros1
coachz@ultimatesoccertraining.com

Hello!

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Soccer-Specific Strength and Fitness Training: Rapid Cycle Circuit for the Best Aerobic and Anaerobic Benefit, Part II

I have been training athletes from all sports for over a quarter of a century and I’ve met few individuals with the mental, and physical, toughness of Brian. Brian is one in thousands, ten thousands, and I am fortunate to have known him. I worked him as hard as he demanded, and he demanded! This is Brian’s first soccer-specific strength and fitness training program leg workout. The strength and fitness training program is a good one, it works! You are free to copy it, tweak it…or discard it. However, before you do anything, please see a qualified medical practitioner and have a thorough physical.

Again, this is a demanding program and you should be checked out before starting it. This is Part II!

Step 1: You guessed it! 20 minutes of stretching. We stretch every muscle, inside out. Biggest to smallest and upper to lower. Any good stretching program will do but we stretched the back and chest ten minutes and the shoulders and arms five minutes. Hanging is an excellent stretch, alternating one and both arms. You may also grasp a vertical pole at shoulder height, and then, with feet shoulder width apart, stretch the shoulders. The arms may be stretched by using dumbbells and a heavy bar, just letting them hang.

Step 1a: Then stretch the legs as you did before the leg workout. Legs should be stretched every day until you can palm the floor! And then some….

a) Quads, hams, calves, rolling the ankles and back up…and down again for ten minutes.
b) Back (lats, traps, lower back), chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, roll the wrists and back in…and out again for five minutes.

Note: If you stretch properly, you should be sweating already! If not, you haven’t stretched with enough intensity. Everything is done at 110%, everything!

Step 2: Yes! Once again, we begin with the Lifecycle (or other stationary bike). Depending on fitness level, anything from random 2 to random 5. Nothing more intense than that, we are warming up with it, not training for a triathlon! Of course, we tend to push it a bit more on off days, so when legs aren’t being trained directly, we increase intensity just a bit.

Step 3: Immediately after you get off the bike, no drinks, no piddling around, straight to the Lat Pullover machine (for the Latissimus Dorsi). The lat pullover is for back muscles, particularly the “lats” but it also works several other muscles. The range of motion for this exercise should be emphasized, with a complete stretch when the elbows are up over the head.

a) Set the seat so the top of your shoulder splits the side pad to the right.
b) Sit back, don’t lean forward.
c) Relax your upper body and legs completely, don’t tighten up as you do the exercise. If your forearms get tight, you are grasping the bar too hard and not doing the exercise properly. The best way to do this exercise is to drive the elbows with little or no grasping of the bar with your hands.
d) Do not hold your breath! Breathe out as you push the weight down into your lap and in as you allow the weight to go back to the starting position.
e) Don’t rock your body and never use inertia, the weight itself, to move the weight.
f) Every movement should be controlled. Up to the count of two and back down in four.
g) Up 1…2…Down to the lap…1…2…3…4…up to a full stretch. Then repeat. Slow, controlled, feel the weight. Feel the stretch, particularly under the arms where the lats tie-in.

Step 4: Get off and immediate proceed to the seated row machine. No hesitating and no stalling!

a) Sit down, face first with the chest against the pad, feet flat on the floor, shoulder width apart.
b) Your butt should never, and I mean never, rise up off the seat, your chest should stay in constant contact with the surface at all times, and the hands should grasp the hand grips just enough to maintain control and not so that the forearms tighten.
c) Pull towards you 1…2…Out to a full stretch…1…2…3…4. repeat. Again, never use the weights inertia in the motion. You should feel the weight and concentrate on what you are doing.
d) Again, breathing is so important, don’t hold your breath! In, breathe in. Out, breathe out.
e) Again, as you grasp the handles, do not tighten your grip! Relax and feel the motion, concentrate, see the muscles in your mind. Feel the stretch!

Step5: Get off the machine and immediately proceed to the seated bench press.

a) Sit and make sure the handles are at mid-chest. You will do one set with the horizontal handles and one set vertical. Two sets of each, four total
b) Again, In…1…2…Out…1…2…3…4. Repeat.
c) You are dealing with small muscles, in conjunction (synergy) with larger ones, and connective tissue. So, be careful and do not use ballistic movement (don’t “bounce” the weight).
d) Give yourself 30 seconds between sets, no more! And again, rotate between horizontal and vertical hand positioning. 4 sets!

Step 6: Get off the machine and immediately proceed to the seated butterfly machine.

a) Make sure you don’t hold your breath, don’t tighten your upper body up, and don’t rock your body! You must use controlled motions or you will not get the proper effect.
b) Again, have the shoulder joint aligned with the pivot point for the butterfly motion.
c) Stretch back and then pull forward on 2. In toward the center line…1…2…Back to the full stretch start…1…2…3…4.
d) Make sure there is a full contraction at mid-line and a full stretch back. The benefit is as much in the stretch, if not more, than in the actual amount of weight used. One set, immediate after the 4 sets of benching.

Step 7: If you did the back and chest exercises properly, you should really feel it in your upper body now. Now, move right to the seated shoulder press, quickly!

a) Set the weight established during your testing. If you aren’t sure, less is better. Your shoulders will already be fairly tired, so forget ego! You can always add weight and we are not in a weightlifting contest.
b) Sit in the press, feet shoulder width apart and your upper body back against the seat (back) rest.
c) Your hands should be grasping the handles…but relax, do not squeeze them and tighten up. You are working you shoulders not your forearms!
d) Keep your head erect, don’t lean forward or back and DO NOT HOLD YOUR BREATH! You can, quite literally, pop a gasket, just as with the leg press! If all you do is cause a major headache, you are very lucky!
e) Again, Push up…1…2…Back down…1…2…3…4. Slow and repeat.

Step 8: If you’ve done the shoulder presses properly you should be about out of breath and lifting your arms may be a bit of a chore. That’s great! On to the tricep pushdowns.

a) Face in to the weight stack, not out! Make sure the weight is heavy enough to be a challenge but not too heavy. Again, we are training for soccer, not powerlifting! You do not want to stand over and push down the weight with your upper body, this is a tricep exercise only! It should be done to failure, until you can’t do another.
b) Elbows tight against the sides, push the weight down…1…2…back up to parallel with the floor…1…2…3…4, then right back down. Never muscle the weight! Control is most important here, feel the weight.
c) Never arch your back or lean in, and always breath. Never hold your breath. Remember…headaches!

Step 9: A set of standing dumbbell curls. Keep the weight down, hanging, then up in 2 and down in 4, then alternate. Making sure to stretch at the bottom, and now yanking of the weight! No ballistic motion, just pure, controlled effort. Do not stop in between arms! Your arms have been used in virtually every exercise, and forget about big biceps, they’ll get all the work they need without spending an hour on you arms!

Eventually we get to the point where we superset, but not until about four weeks in. There are additional exercises I do with clients that I cannot, for a variety or reasons, describe here. Primarily, it is because without the proper experience, they cannot be performed safely. They do, however, take the athlete to a whole new level in his or her training! For now, we are finished with the upper body, except to stretch and hit the Lifecylce. Eventually, we will add forearm exercises but given the specificity of the program, forearms are already engaged adequately in previous exercises.

CoachZ
216-712-6526
Skype: johnzajaros1
coachz@ultimatesoccertraining.com

Brian’s First Workout: Soccer-Specific Strength and Fitness Training and the Making of a Champion!

BUT FIRST: I need to apologize for not getting back to Brian’s Story sooner. No excuses, I just should have and didn’t for a number of reasons. If you stay with me, I promise, it will be worth it. It’s a great story!

If you remember? Brian had finished his soccer-specific strength and fitness training test and was one very shot young man, particularly after his ride on the Lifecycle! But Brian made it, got a slap on the back from everyone, a handshake from his Dad, and his next appointment from me. Dad gave me wink on the away out, Mom kind of shook her head, and Sis was still giggling…yeah, she did that a lot.

Brian’s Appointment: The Next Day

The day after a testing is crucial for a number of reasons but one of the most important is to get them back into the gym and stretching. Why? Well, the story is probably the best answer to that, so here it is:

The next morning early, remember I lived at the training facility so I was there all the time, but it was early, maybe 6:00am, and I got a phone call from Brian’s Mom. No sooner had I said hello, she gave it to me…both barrels! I get a few call like this, and I am never surprised. I can usually tell who is going to call me way before it happens. And it is always the Mom! It is not a knock on moms, I miss mine terribly, but when it comes to protecting their little ones, no matter how big their little ones are, they can be terribly protective. In this case, she was HOT!

Brian’s Mom started with the same script, I could do both sides of the call, I’ve received it so many times. It went like this:

“What have you done to my child?” She just about screamed into the receiver. I should say, we laugh about this call now…but at the time, oh boy!

“What do you mean?” I always play dumb because every call will take a life of its own, and I don’t want to create problems that don’t exist.

“He can’t walk!” Always an issue but never as catastrophic as the moms perceive it to be.

“OK? What do you mean, he can’t walk?” I am trying to find out if he’s sore, in pain or ready for the emergency room!

“Well,” she said, “he’s walking funny and says his legs hurt!” Now, this is a kid who has been playing soccer since he was 4 or 5 and running several miles per match, supposedly.

“OK? Then he is walking, he’s just sore?” I try to put the pain in a different perspective, as soreness and not pain.

“Yeeessss buuttttt!” At this point she was, I found out later, wondering why she was worried about it at all…or as much as she was, anyway.

“OK? Well, he’s due to come in today and I’ll make sure I take extra time to get him loosened up, so he’s not as sore.” Again, I wanted to reassure her and minimize the state he was actually in.

“Well, OK, but I am still not sold on this whole thing!” The truth at last! It is more about her uncertainty with the program itself and what it will do for Brian…and the significant investment involved. Once I get to the truth, I can deal with it. In Brian’s Mom’s case it took time and visible results, nothing more…nothing less.

“I understand, I wouldn’t expect you to be 100% sold until you see for yourself, then judge.”

“OK, what time is he to be there?”

“10:00am but have him here 15 minutes before, so we can talk and he can stretch.”

And that was it, she was fine and Brian was there at 9:30am, not 9:45am!

The First Soccer-Specific Strength and Fitness Training Workout Begins

Brian looked a bit forlorn, even worried, as he stood next to the Lifecycle after stretching for a good 15-20 minutes. Up he went, punched in Random 3 for 20 minutes, and was off.

After 20 minutes he slid off the seat and was, miracle of miracles, walking fine. He didn’t hurt any more! I asked him if he wanted to work out, he hesitated for a moment and then said, “Sure!”

I laughed and told him to hit the whirlpool. The relief on his face and the sigh said it all…Brian was tough enough to have a go if i said he had to but he was also honest enough in his expressions to tell me he was happy to have the day to recover.

I would never have worked Brian out two days in a row like that, never! But I needed him to get in, stretch, and do a little light Lifecycle workout to get the lactic acid that had built up in his muscles as a consequence of the carbohydrates, converted to glycogen and broken down for fuel during the workout, thus causing a build up in his muscles, to be flushed out…at least in part. The lactic acid build up caused at least part of the soreness after a good soccer-specific strength and fitness workout. That, and some micro-tearing of the muscles as they are stressed in a new way, and then under go a process of adaptation and rebuilding, will cause the athlete to experience some soreness. Pain is a different matter and I have known too many strength and fitness coaches who think it’s funny if their charges can’t walk right for a week! They need to be out of the business, now!

Soreness is good! Pain is NEVER good!

Brian’s next workout, the next day, would be more intense. But on the day after testing I needed to see first hand how he was, and if he needed an extra day…Brian did not! He was game for a workout that day, he would be even more so the next….

Brian’s Mom, seeing her boy walking normal again seemed to be happier, and somewhat relieved as well. I knew tomorrow, Brian would be even sorer than today due to something I call the two-day lag principle. Basically, it just means that it is not the day after but the second day that is the most painful. There are a lot of reasons for it but if anyone has ever been in a car accident, they have experienced the same thing…the two-day lag!

In spite of the two-day lag, Brian was in for a real treat tomorrow!

See you then!

CoachZ
216-712-6526
Skype: johnzajaros1
coachz@ultimatesoccertraining.com

Brian Begins, Quits, and Begins Again: Soccer Strength and Fitness Training Begins!

The first thing I do, I’ve always done, with all of my clients, and Brian was no exception, is to sit down for an hour or so and just talk about soccer, his team, his coach, about school, about life, his goals, and about his family. There are a number of issues I wish to get clear during my initial conversation with a prospective client. And yes, at this point Brian was still a prospective client. First and foremost, I need to find out, one-on-one and without parents present, if the athlete really wants to be there, I mean in that situation and facing a training program that will be both demanding and time consuming. I can’t stress this point this enough during the first visit because it sets the template and establishes the tempo for everything that follows. The soccer-specific strength training and soccer fitness training I’ve developed is different from any other kind of progressive resistance exercise that I know of and, for that reason, the athlete, and his or her parents, must be on-board 110%! If any one person in that dynamic is not totally committed, the enterprise is almost certainly doomed to fail, regardless of how much I know or how hard the athlete trains.

I want to be clear about this, I am not a sports psychologist, although I have been able to get athletes to do things most coaches, teammates, and even parents just shake their heads in amazement over. I’ll tell you why that is in tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow! I am certainly not a priest, a reverend or a minister, although everything, and I mean everything, a client says to me stays with me! No exceptions, ever!

I did have one borderline incident, not with Brian. A young lady I was training, a swimmer, had just lost her mother and there was a sense that her life might be in jeopardy. I had to step forward. Thank goodness nothing happened and she never knew I had spoken up to protect her! Even in such a situation, it is tough to regain a child’s trust after “telling on them.”

Anyway.

Brian and I spoke for almost two hours! We talked about almost everything. I say almost everything because every athlete I’ve ever trained has held something back, initially. The final barriers come down but they come down slowly with time, trust, and mutual respect. Kids, in particular, while easy to win over if you show you respect them and their space (literally and figuratively), are absolutely unforgiving if you violate that trust, ever!

So, after two hours Brian and I decided to give it a shot, there was something about this kid, I didn’t know what it was, but he seemed to have a fire inside, just out of sight and well guarded…but there. My challenge? Get Brian to believe in me, so I could help him to believe in himself! Once that seemingly simple task is accomplished, everything else falls into place. Strength and fitness training is the easy part, it’s the head game that takes time and effort.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t easy with Brian, not at all. Frankly, it never is!

After the initial consultation, I sat down with the family…even his sister who giggled and rolled her eyes a lot, she was all of 8 (and a future client!). The purpose of the final meeting was to clear up any last minute questions or concerns and to lay the groundwork for the first stage in the process of developing, what I always hope will be, a champion. Soccer, football (American), basketball, track and field, triathletes, marathon runners, male, female, young, not-so-young, amateur, semi-professional, and/or professional, they all begin the same way…with a written statement describing, in detail, their immediate (day, week, month, season), intermediate (1 to 3 year goals), and long-term (3 to 5 years) goals. I realize 5 years isn’t long-term in terms of life-events…but in terms of an athlete’s career, it’s definitely up there.

In the personal statement, I try to get the athlete to be as specific as possible and to really spell it all out, nothing is out of bounds and nothing is discouraged. I want them to think, to dream, and eventually to focus! The written statement was our first step, after getting to know each other during the interview phase, in building a plan that would take shape over the first 90 days and carry us for as long as Brian, or anyone else for that matter, stayed with me. Soccer training had always been about the ball and running for Brian. Over the next few months Brian was going to find out that in order to be a true champion he had to gain control of his body as well.

Brian’s personal statement was a real piece of work. I still have it around the house, all ten pages of it, somewhere. I don’t need it, though, I can see it in my head. Brian wanted to make his Bayview’s travel squad, he said he was tired of playing with a bunch of kids that really didn’t care about the game, he knew he wanted to be a great soccer player and the first step was to get off of that “little kids’ team.” “Then,” Brian continued, “I want to make my high school’s varsity team as a freshman!” This was quite a goal because up until that time, no player had ever played soccer on the Bayview varsity squad as a freshman…there was even an unwritten rule to that affect! Those were his short-term and intermediate goals, along with wanting to play with his friend Paul’s premier club team. Paul was two years older and played Under-11 for the Westside Cobras Premier Soccer Club. Brian wanted to be just like Paul, wear that cool black and red uniform with the cobra, and all! That’s how he described it, too. “I want to have a uniform just like Paul’s…cool.”

Finally, Brian stated for his long-term soccer goal, and it was a doozy! Brian wanted to play college soccer and go to school on a “full-ride,” so “my parents won’t have to spend their money to send me to college.” The final goal told me what kind of a young man Brian was, and, as I remember, it brought a tear to my eye at the time! Brian, it seemed, was a very thoughtful young man.

Well, we had Brian’s goals pretty much mapped out, and now it was time to get down to business. Soccer-specific strength and fitness testing…into the whirlwind! It was the night before the test and I was asleep, tomorrow would be the day. Out of a dead sleep I heard the phone ring, at first I thought I was dreaming. I remember it like it was yesterday. Heck, I remember most things about my experience with Brian that way. You’ll understand why as time goes on.

Soccer Strength and Fitness Training Begins…except….

Anyway, I thought, “Who the heck is calling me here at this hour!”

I was actually more than a bit aggravated and it must have come across in the tone of my voice because whoever it was hung up as soon as I said hello…more like yelled hello! Well, I hung up the receiver, tuned over, and put my head back on the pillow. No sooner had I gotten comfortable, and halfway back to sleep, the phone rang again! This time it was Brian, he sounded upset. I looked at the clock radio next to the bed, I was living at the training facility at the time, trying to put everything I could back into the business, and sleeping on a fold-out couch in the office.

It was 1982 and it was 1:00am! Of at least those two things I was sure. Oh yeah, I remembered my name, too!

After my mind cleared, I asked Brian what was up. He said he was sorry for calling so late, and I said not to worry about it. Then, and I’ll never forget this, he said “Coach Z, I found out how much money my parents are spending for this program and I can’t let them do it. I’m going to have to quit.” Then, he hung up before I could say a word.

While I was still trying to figure out what had just happened, trying to clear my head so I could think about what just happened, the phone rang again. Yup! It was Brian. The phone went dead for a moment and I thought he had hung up again. Then, faintly, I thought I could make out what sounded like sobs and sniffles. Yes, I could hear him clearly now, he was crying. I waited until he was ready and we started to talk. It took a while but he finally settled down a bit. I could tell he was holding something back but didn’t want to push it. Besides, this was a discussion beyond his years, one that should have been between his parents and me. But Brian wasn’t going to let this drop and I could tell he had more on his mind, that money wasn’t the whole story, so I pushed a bit.

I said, “Brian, your Mom and Dad only want the best for you and this is the best program available in this area right now. Besides Brian, they’ve already paid me.” He didn’t say anything for a moment, then a moment turned into a minute; and, finally, after what seemed like an eternity he said, “Well, you’ll have to refund their money because I am not going to do it! I can’t!” The receiver went dead again and this time Brian had hung up on me. He was finished talking..or at least I thought so.

By this time it was close to 3:00am and it was clear that sleep was out of the question, my mind was racing, going in a thousand different directions at once. So I got up, put the sofa bed back together, and headed for the showers. Oh well, we’d be opening in a couple of hours and I could get my work out in beforehand. I was just drying off after working out and showering, it was almost 5:00am, when the phone rang again. I knew who it was, so I wrapped a towel around me and ran for the office, getting there just as he was about to hang up (I found out later). I must have picked it up on ring fifteen or twenty! Clearly, Brian wanted to talk.

Once again, I waited for Brian to begin speaking. After what seemed an eternity, Brian told me he was afraid his father would be laid off and they wouldn’t be able to live there any more, the only home Brian had ever known. You see, Brian had listened in on his parent’s conversation about how they were going to make ends meet, put him through my program, and still keep the house if there were any more lay-offs at the steel mill. You see, between 1980 and 1984 almost everyone was laid off at one time or another at US Steel or the Ford plant where a lot of his soccer teammates’ dads worked. The same was true across the rust-belt but Bayview had been hit particularly hard.

A Child’s Solution.

Brian, hearing this and wise beyond his years, took it all in and decided, entirely on his own, that he would step in and fix things for his Mom and Dad. Brian was going to give up his soccer strength and fitness program and, to his way of thinking, his dream of playing soccer beyond his community recreation league team.

Of course Brian’s thinking wasn’t informed and it wasn’t based in fact, at least not all of them. It was, however, based on Brian’s love for his family and his tremendous sense of obligation, unless I could make him understand that things would be OK, he was lost to the program. Trying to think and open the business up for the early birds, I knew what I had to do. I told Brian things would be fine. After a moment to work things out in my head, sell a Gatorade and a PowerBar, and give someone a spot, I promised Brian I would work things out with his Mom and Dad so that if his Dad was ever laid off, and couldn’t afford the program for Brian, I would indeed refund all of his fees and continue to train him, as well.

At first, nothing. I mean not a sound! And then, he started to whoop and holler and cheer and yell! Now, keep in mind that it’s 5:00am on a Saturday morning and his parents have been asleep through this whole thing! I can only imagine, I now know, what Brian’s Mom and Dad thought as they jumped out of bed to see who or what was attacking their son.

Me? I couldn’t stop laughing! Out of joy? A sense of doing the right thing? Relief? Lack of sleep? All of the above? People all over the gym are looked at me like I had a screw loose or something. In the span of about 60 seconds, the tension broke, the problem evaporated, and I convinced a champion, because in every sense of the word he was one, that people do care for each other and he could achieve his goals, if he worked for them. It was all up to him.

Brian had, through his sense of responsibility and duty to his family, shown me, his coach for the next few years, what a true champion is made of long before his next match was ever played. The soccer specific strength and fitness training would contribute to his play, even to his confidence, but Brian’s championship character was cast in granite and formed long before we ever met. What happened next was amazing and….

Next: Brian’s Soccer-Specific Strength and Fitness Physical Test…and a new rule. No more eating before work outs!

See you on the pitch!

CoachZ
216-712-6526
coachz@ultimatesoccertraining.com