Small-sided games (SSG) have countless configurations, which make them an invaluable tool to develop  technical, tactical, and physical skills concurrently. Configurations can be developed to target various training intensities, volumes, and densities by altering lengths and widths of the...

Injuries are bound to happen. It’s the nature of sport. You push your body until your body pushes back. In sport, the hamstring muscles undergo major forces during sprinting, jumping, kicking, etc. Soccer is no exception to this.  Many studies have targeted this issue and have tried to...

Anyone who is an avid reader of this site knows we put a lot of emphasis on developing and maintaining strength and power qualities throughout the year. But having the most expensive ingredients in the cupboard doesn’t mean you’re a word-class chef. You may have all of the right...

Here’s a video featuring Kim Little, a member of the Arsenal Ladies. In the previous video of the Arsenal Ladies posted, some key aspects of the workout were highlighted.  This video gives us another view of their weight training program, with this session geared more toward power...

Here’s a study that looks at the last 44 years of the World Cup final – the elite of the elite. Soccer is always evolving. The rules and basic principles of the game may not be, but the athletes are. Most are just now seeing the value that speed and power can have on the game. The...

Repeat sprint ability (RSA) is one of the most important physical capacities in soccer. Although the following research study abstract examines RSA with cycling there are applications to others RSA sports that involve running like rugby and soccer. This study used repeated sprint bouts of 6...

Here’s a video of Arsenal FC training agility using a ladder. I’ve spoken about my thoughts on ladder use for soccer athletes previously here and here.  I will occasionally use a ladder in our warmups but rarely if ever when actually trying to develop speed or agility....

Sometimes we get caught up in time spent training or the sets and reps in the weight room, but fail to look at other aspects that can compliment an athlete’s training. Sleep is often an underrated variable when it comes to performance. Poor sleep has the ability to affect an athlete’s...

As most readers of this blog know, we are big advocates for progressively overloaded strength training focusing on fundamental movements to improve athletic performance in soccer players. While the soccer world has yet to fully buy-in to the benefits like some other sports have, the evidence...

Here is a speed session from FC Bayurn. They start out with some nice linear sprints and move into some sharp change of direction. This is working on hard accelerations and some repeat sprint qualities. Distance covered each sprint looks to be 10-15m with about 20-30 seconds recovery in...

The speed, strength and endurance of elite soccer players are often addressed by traditional training methods. However, one anthropometric factor that can help improve all of these qualities may be overlooked. We know that players are getting faster, with speed being the differentiating...

Here’s a very recent video showcasing Ellen White and Steph Houghton of the Arsenal Ladies. This looks to be a nice, well-rounded program for these athletes. Although this is a sample size of one from their whole training program, there are some fantastic takeaways from this: There is a...