5 Soccer Workouts When You Can’t Make Practice

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5 Soccer Workouts When You Can’t Make Practice

Maintain your game in the offseason with these simple soccer workouts. These moves help you develop core strength, endurance and kicking power. Best of all, you can do them all at home.

SOCCER STAIR SCOOPS 

This easy exercise improves abdominal strength for better balance.

  1. Begin by sitting on the top of a staircase, letting your feet dangle. Rest your hands behind you, and lean slightly backward. Lift your knees to your chest.
  2. Next, slowly straighten your knees and move your legs downward in a scooping motion.
  3. With your legs fully extended, pull your knees back to your chest. Repeat the full motion over several reps.
  4. To increase the resistance, place a small weight between your feet and perform the exercise.

AT-HOME SOCCER CARDIO SET 

This soccer workout gets your heart rate up anytime, anywhere.

  1. High knees for 30 seconds
  2. Box jumps for 20 seconds
  3. Squat jumps for 30 seconds
  4. Lateral jumps for 20 seconds
  5. Jumping jacks for 30 seconds
  6. Mountain climbers for 20 seconds

THE SINGLE-LEG SET-UP 

This exercise works major muscle groups to help improve your critical kicking strength.

  1. Begin on a sturdy, stable platform 1 to 2 feet off the ground. Place one foot on this platform and evenly distribute your weight across this foot.
  2. Next, step up onto the platform while maintaining your balance. Then step back down to the floor.
  3. Do a dozen reps for each leg. For a challenge, try using an unstable platform, like a balance trainer.

THE LEG-STRENGTHENER

You can tone and strengthen your lower-body at home with these classic workout moves.

  1. Jumping jacks for 30 seconds

Rest for 15 seconds

  1. High knees for 40 seconds
  2. 30 squats
  3. 30 calf raises
  4. 25 walking lunges

BOX-JUMP CLASSICS

Box jumps improve balance and leg strength, all while scorching calories.

  1. Stand with a box about five inches in front of you. The higher the box, the more challenging this drill will be.
  2. Bend at your knees and squat towards the floor. Swing your arms out straight behind you.
  3. Jump onto the box. Spring up through your legs and swing your arms for momentum.
  4. Land with both feet on the box as lightly as you can. You’ll want to land with bent knees to absorb the impact.
  5. Step down from the box and repeat several times.