With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, naturally fitness people and soccer players/trainers are talking about training on their own, or at home. While individual training has grown with certain Instagram soccer celebrities who do a good job promoting themselves and their skills, many soccer players who usually rely on their team practice to improve are now scratching their heads about what to do. Hopefully this article inspires you and gives you some ideas to do on your own so when you return to your team, you turn some heads with your great form.
While you might lack some of the vision and decision-making aspects of the game from a lack of exposure to the contextual aspects of playing (pressure, time, space), your speed and skills will be sharper than ever. That is a good compromise I think. Doubtful? Maradona used to train on his own at the expense of team training. I recently watched a few full matches he played in and while yes, he gave incredible passes and eyes in the back of his head, he was not the typical “smart” player. He lost the ball often by dribbling in a lot in situations when maybe a pass was a better option, or by attempting a risky pass. Nonetheless, he was just so good, so skillful, that in the end he made a huge impact that it was absolutely worth having him on the field. Michael Jordan and Kobe being “selfish" comes to mind.
I have written before about individual soccer training and how powerful it is to make fast improvements. As soccer is a skill sport, repetition will be important in any player’s development. Have you heard the statistics that throughout a 90 minute game, the average player touches the ball for 3 minutes? How can you expect skills to improve with such limited time on the ball?
The best players in the world are notorious for loving the ball. Think of Ronaldinho and Maradona and Messi and Ronaldo, always playing with the ball, caressing it, kissing it. Even America’s wonderkid Pulisic loves the ball as you can see him here on Instagram:
Here are some simple ways you can train on your own without a ball. Some have links to Youtube videos, but you don’t need someone to hold your hand. Get out there and experiment:
Without a Ball
Sprints- flat or up a hill. Sprinting is the best exercise on the planet to improve every aspect of athleticism.
Stairs- running them, hopping them, bounding them, get creative.
Play tag with friends
Plyometrics- jump training. Depth jumps off a bench or chair, jump squats, lunge jumps, lateral jumps over the ball on one and two legs, knee tuch jumps, bounding, single leg hopping for distance, power skips for height, broad jumps single, consecutive broad jumps, etc.
Animal crawling - crab walks, bear crawls, lizard walks, etc.
Suicides- 5 back, 10 back, 15, back, etc.
Track workouts- 200m for time, rest 2 minutes repeat. Sprint straightaways, jog the curves. Run a mile for time. Run 1 mile, then 800m, then 400m, then 200m, then 100m or in the opposite order. Etc.
Parkour style training- go with friend and create little challenges.
Mountain biking/trail running - good cross-training - especially powering up hills
Rollerblading
With the Ball
Coerver drills (google it if you don’t know what they are)
Play 1v1 or 2v2 or 3v3 with friends
Use a wall and practice turning different ways and passing
Get a bag of balls and take shots dribbling or receiving (if you have a friend) from different angles. Can you master the Coutinho back post bender?
Using a fence, practice dribbling 1v1 against a cone or imaginary opponent then crossing into the fence with the right foot. Reset, maybe juggle the ball a few times, receive, it, and do a 1v1 move and serve a cross with the left foot. Back and forth. Get creative.
Hit long balls with friends. Make it a game by creating a small zone where the ball has to land and/or be received for points.
Keep away 1v1 against your dog or sibling -if they aren’t motivated, bribe them ;)
Find an indoor court and use the walls and goals to do function training. By that i mean situations that occur in the game- i.e. back foot collection, dribble hard one direction and finish low and far post. Mix it up.
Shoot baskets on a basketball court using your feet
Soccer tennis or juggle against a wall