Soccer Training Tips: Discover The Benefits Of Stretching
What if I told you that stretching as a part of soccer training tips is highly recommended by professional soccer coaches and is widely practiced by players in almost every sport? Soccer is a sport which is continuously growing and developing in its intricacy.
There are two types of stretching that can be incorporated in kid’s training for soccer; static and dynamic stretching.
Static stretching requires players to stretch their muscles to a point of resistance and hold for a given duration of time. Recurring motions, rebounding, and rhythmic bouncing are performed by the players while doing dynamic stretching. In comparison with static stretching, it is more risky and less useful.
In this article, you’ll find some good points of stretching that can help average players become great players.
Stretching reduces injuries: Continuous stretching during the day and performed over a period of time may promote muscle growth that, consecutively, could reduce the risk of injury. Stretching also provides a way of improving the size and strength of muscles.
Stretching affects flexibility: Stretching does prevent loss of flexibility. But, stretching is more beneficial in the long run when performed continuously rather than during the shorter periods of time.
Performing stretching for a few minutes before starting any playing activity is likely to enhance flexibility. One of the most important soccer training tips is to focus on enhancing the player’s range of motion by spreading out the stretching program over a period of months together.
Stretching improves performance: Stretches, when designed to be soccer specific can greatly improve a player’s performance.
Stretching can be great fun for the kids: If you include a lot of different types of soccer drills in your practice sessions, it can be a lot of fun. Keep changing the warm up activities that are performed before stretching. Try to include games such as the tag game, ball tag, and keep away.
Focus mentally on the stretching and feel and understand each stretch, checking for stiffness or soreness.
For a majority of kids, one stretch of15-30 minutes is sufficient for each muscle group but some kids may take longer stretches or more repetitions.
This is because when the temperature of muscles is higher than normal, tightness decreases and extensibility increases. Kids who feel like to keep up or enhance their flexibility can realize this goal to some extent by stretching. It’s advisable to perform stretching exercises when the body temperature is higher than normal as it is safer and more useful.
This is why some coaches tend to make their kids perform stretching exercises after a workout as well. To prevent muscles for tightening too fast, make your players do some stretching after they’ve practiced soccer skills.
Generally, players who exercise an active warm-up prior to stretching get a better range of motion than those who only stretch. So if injury prevention is your aim, stop stretching before exercise and increase the warm up time.
I again reiterate that the most important of all soccer training tips is to remember that hurried stretching does not help kids become flexible, gets monotonous and pointless, so let them take their own time to warm up before stretching. Join our youth soccer coaching community and enhance your knowledge about soccer through loads of articles, videos, and podcasts available there.
Andre Botelho is the author of “The Expert Youth Soccer Coaching Guide” and he’s a recognized expert in the subject of youth soccer coaching. Learn how to explode your players’ skills and make coaching sessions fun in less than 29 days! Download your free pdf guide at: Youth Soccer Drills.
