The Benefits and Limitations of Massage for Soccer Players
The rapid stops and starts involved in soccer place a high demand on our soft tissues and many players experience tight and stiff muscles (recall that the sensation of stiffness beyond what it should be could also be related to nutrition). This tightening of the fascial system due to trauma is a protective mechanism that can arise from either micro-trauma over time or acute injuries such as a contusion or strain. Remember, if the fascial components lose their pliability they become restricted and are a source of tension for the rest of the body. This becomes evident at the cellular level as well as mechanically within the collagen in which the ground substance solidifies. When the collagen develops cross-links that are fibrous and dense, the elastin loses its resiliency which causes disruption in the extracellular matrix leading to inflammation and pain. The tight areas of fascia are often referred to as trigger points, knots, adhesions, and scar tissue. There aren't actually knots in the muscle, but mal-alignment of tissue due to trauma and injury, poor motor patterns, and psychological stress. These restrictions in tissue cause inefficient movement patterns, screw with joint function, and contractile tissues to work much harder to attain the ranges of motion needed in soccer.
Soccer Performance Through a Holistic Lens: Interview with Erica Suter
Deadlifts are the movement I call the "ACL reduction powerhouse." They are so great for not just the hamstrings and glutes, but the entirety of the trunk, and ensuring it has the stability, as well strength to handle high amounts load so the lower extremity joints are also stable (knee and ankles). I am also a huge fan of Single Leg RDLs, Pistol Squats, and Lunge variations for single-leg strength as well as trunk stability.
Why Do Some Soccer Players Have Valgus Collapse (aka X Legs) and Some Ways To Fix It
I’m obsessed with how people and soccer players move 👣.
If you look at the top players in the world there is a durability to them. It’s hard to improve if you’re always injured. I wouldn’t know nothing about that 👀.
Yeah a lot of it comes down to favorable genetics or playing barefoot as a kid, but we must take control of what we can and it’s never too late for an upgrade.
Develop Soccer Speed by Training the Often Neglected Hip Flexors
Soccer players around the world are starting to understand the value of strength training for injury prevention and improving their performance. Everyone seems to be doing some sort of squat, whether it is on one leg or two, and some hamstring work such as Nordics. However, one of the most important muscles to train for soccer players who want to reduce the risk of injuries and run faster are the hip flexors.
A Powerful Way To Prevent Muscle Injuries in Soccer
Getting injured sucks. For many soccer players it seems as if life consists of being sidelined with one injury, returning to play, and shortly thereafter picking up another injury. What can we do to prevent soccer players from getting injured so often?
That is a complicated question that comes down to several factors. Genetics, biomechanics from pre-natal development/inherited structure, lifestyle factors such as narrow shoes or prolonged sitting, hydration status, training volume, weakness, tightness, etc. While I will cover all of those in the book The Ultimate Soccer Body, in this post I go over a two principles and one powerful stretch that incorporates them to give you a huge bang for your buck.
How To Last The Full 90 Minutes of a Soccer Game Without Getting Tired
Well known throughout coaching circles and backed by studies, most goals are scored or conceded towards the end of each half. This is especially true towards the end of the game from the 75th minute onwards. That is when players are most fatigued, tactics change abruptly, and chaos ensues. In the chart below we see from arguably the top 5 leagues in the world from 2017/2018 season, most goals were scored in the last 15 minutes of play with Spain’s La Liga having the highest number of goals scored in the last 15 minutes (24.4%).