Lift heavy to get strong for soccer speed
Do not lift weights for soccer strength training that are between 10-20 reps all the time. In other words because people think soccer is an aerobic sport their strength training must match all the running done in soccer.
Let me ask you something. Lets remove all the skills with the ball. What are important physical qualities you desire most to take your game to the next level? I would guess that most would answer speed, agility and fitness. If speed is one of the desired qualities that coaches and athletes desire why not lift heavier weights? We've already discussed one reason, but I think two other reasons might be tradition and bulky muscles. Lets go into each of these for a moment.
Tradition
Your well meaning parents or coaches that grew up with the game may have lifted lighter weights in the 10-20 rep range. Their coach told them now they are telling you. I once heard a story that illustrates why this is bad. A long time ago a wife was cooking ham. In preparation for cooking she cut off the ends of the ham. She learned that skill from her mom, who learned it from her mom and so on. Asked why she cut off the ends of the ham she didn't know why except her mom did it and taught it to her. As we go back in the history of this family we find that originally the first person cut off the ends of the ham to fit it in the stove. The problem, the newer generations have big enough to stove to not have to cut off the ends.
This story illustrates a great reason to not just do something because it was done by previous generations.
Bulky Muscles
The next fallacy is that heavy weights make you big. This is simply not true. Lifting really heavy for a small number of reps is not designed to get you bigger muscles. The body works is specific ways to develop some qualities. And lifting smaller number of reps with really high weight is not the way to get big and bulky. It is the way to get strong which leads to faster athletes.
Quick Tip
It is the low reps and really high weights that make you strong. It is being strong that contributes to being fast.
Click here to
take the quizAction Plan
If your body is ready for heavy lifting (ask your doctor) start to include heavy weights into your strength training routine. Make sure you focus on technique first and finish and exercise when techniqu breaks down.
