Soccer Fitness Training - How To Do It

Often called "The Beautiful Game", football, or soccer if you're from the United States, is unquestionably the most popular sport in the world.

It started with George Best in the 1960's, and now Soccer is the new rock and roll of our time with multi-million pound paydays, glamorous celebrity lifestyles and worldwide acclaim on offer for its top exponents. Sponsors and TV Companies also profit massively from the world-wide demand for the game and its domination of our TV Screens and popular culture shows no signs of flagging.

Not surprisingly therefore, how to actually train a soccer player to produce the goods on the pitch is big business for the coaches who know how. As an avid football fan for over 25 years I'm going to explain the best conditioning exercises currently known for the different player positions. I am not going to discuss ball control here because that is a separate topic:

The Goalkeeper

The Goalie has to go from a still position suddenly into a quick explosive movement. Powerlifting, reaction training and plyometrics should therefore be the mainstay of the training regime. A controlled low fat diet should also improve agility making it easier for the keeper to span the width of the goal at breakneck speed when required.

The Defender

Similar to the Keeper, the defender needs explosive bursts of energy and good reactions and agility. They also ideally need to be physically bigger to intimidate and impose themselves on the attacking strikers but still be able to run fast enough to keep up with them. Fullbacks need full body strength training but a high protein / low carbohydrate diet to avoid putting on too much weight which could slow them down. Reaction training is also a must here.

The Mid-Fielder

Mid-fielders need to do interval training interspersing sprints with longer runs to improve both their basic fitness and explosive power as they will need both to get them through 90 minutes of what will be a lot of running around (more so than with any other player position). Power lifting to achieve full body strength (but again not at the expense of speed) should also feature prominently to give extra authority to the tackles that will need to be made.

The Striker

Forwards need to train for speed and agility pure and simple. This means factoring in explosive twists and turns into their workouts. They also need good general fitness so they can run at a slower speed for longer periods of time to keep up with the pace of the game and stay in contention to capitalise on any opportunities that are created.

Conclusion

These tips are just general guidelines and obviously will need to be tweaked to fit the individual requirements of different athletes but hopefully the underlying principles should be clear. The more progress a player makes the more individualised his or her training can become.

It is important that any unique physical characteristics of a footballer (e.g. an unusually tall player) be taken into account when initially forming a training program and it is also important to constantly re-evaluate the training methods to find the right 'fit' for that particular individual.

To use an analogy from Boxing: behind every great fighter there is a great trainer. The best boxers in history often had very unconventional techniques but had trainers who recognised their particular talents and structured the training to allow for this. Muhammed Ali did everything wrong from a boxing textbook point of view but his trainer, Angelo Dundee, recognised his genius and allowed him to express himself in training, taking a much more 'hands off' approach than other boxing trainers of the day.

So perhaps the rule should be that there are no definitive 'hard and fast' rules but that if you combine the above basic principles with a flexible approach then the foundation for success can be achieved.

Gary Evans has been an avid football supporter for over 25 years. If you found the above information on soccer training useful, you can learn a lot more about how the world's elite players and coaches train for their soccer matches by clicking here: http://tinyurl.com/kqgdg

Soccer Betting Secret No. 1 - Never Bet When You Cannot Afford To Lose

This golden rule is the simplest rule to understand yet the hardest rule to stick by for most punters. Every gambler who has hit a winning streak or a losing streak has fallen into the trap and gambled away money they couldn't afford to lose. DON'T DO IT!! As simple as it may sound ? You just can?t do it. Stick to this first golden rule and drill it deep down inside your brain that this rule cannot be broken. Why I say this is because there?s consequences if you break this rule.

It is very easy to fall into the trap that because you are winning, then bigger stakes won't hurt (after all - it's the bookies money right?) or if you are losing then you think that you put a little bit more on this 'certainty' you can get your money back. DON'T DO IT!! As simple as it may sound ? You just can?t do it.

It is the gambler's curse. Win or lose this time, it will lead to disaster in the long-term. Bigger stakes on a winning streak are a sure way of guaranteeing that the bookies get back every single cent you won off them - and a lot quicker than even they anticipated. DON'T DO IT!! As simple as it may sound ? You just can?t do it.

The safest way to get as much thrill and enjoyment out of the gambling experience is to work out how much money you can afford to lose before you start. Betting big when you are losing is a sure-fire way to lose your rent, food money for the week or maybe months or years. DON'T DO IT!! As simple as it may sound ? You just can?t do it.

Remember - before you place a bet - imagine how you'll feel if when the bet loses. If the thought of losing it makes you feel sick or feel like jumping off a 35 storey high building ... then don?t ever break this GOLDEN RULE NO.1

Writer is a full time soccer analyst and has been around the betting scene for more than 12 years. Writer wrote this mastery secrets for soccer betting "Make Your Bookie Your ATM Machine" visit http://www.soccerbettingpro.com

Not All Soccer Cleats Are Created The Same

Soccer is the world's most popular game for many reasons. Aside from the fun and competition it provides, soccer's appeal also stems from the fact that only a single piece of equipment is needed in order to play, and that is the soccer ball. However, if you want to be serious about the game, and you want to maximize your potential as well as protect your ever-important feet, then it is imperative that you invest in a pair of quality soccer cleats that will suit your skills and abilities.

In fact, most youth soccer programs and organized leagues require that appropriate soccer cleats be purchased before you will be allowed to compete. In order to purchase the appropriate soccer cleats you must make an assessment of both your needs and means. There are really three variables in play when making a decision on soccer cleats: your skill level, the surface on which you will be playing, and the amount of money you are willing to spend. Those factors will help you narrow the field of choices, allowing you to make a purchase that will suit your needs.

There are four basic types of soccer cleats: molded cleats, detachable cleats, turf shoes, and indoor shoes. Molded cleats are the most basic and inexpensive kind of soccer shoe, so they are an ideal choice for beginning and intermediately skilled players. Molded cleats get their name from the fact that the cleats themselves are part of the sole of the shoe, i.e. they are molded as one piece. The actual cleat is built in a size and shape that will allow it to perform well on nearly any kind of outdoor playing surface. The cleats cannot be removed, and when they wear out the entire shoe must be replaced. However, the low initial cost of molded cleats makes them easy to replace, and also makes them the ideal entry level shoe for most players.

Detachable cleats are the preferred choice of advanced and highly skilled players. The cleats are studs on the bottom of the shoe and they can be unscrewed and removed quite easily. This allows the player to not only replace cleats that have become worn over time, but more importantly, the player can tailor their shoes to perform best on different kinds of playing surfaces and in different conditions. By changing the length and type of cleat they use, a player can use the same shoe to play on firm turf or soft grass, dry and fast or wet and soggy. It is this versatility that makes detachable soccer cleats a must-have shoe for the serious player.

Rounding out the types in soccer footwear are indoor shoes and turf shoes, however, neither of these shoes are truly cleats in the literal sense. Lacking the peg-like cleats of the molded and detachable models, these soccer shoes are more like sneakers in appearance and are designed for indoor surfaces, or outdoor Astroturf.

When you are ready to purchase your soccer cleats make sure to have your foot properly measured in order to give you the best possible fit. Remember that the materials used to construct the boot portion of the shoe are important and factors greatly into the price. Real leather is expensive and comfortable, but can be easily damaged and becomes heavy when playing in wet conditions. Synthetic leather is less expensive and less durable, but it is the preferred material if you are playing on wet fields. No matter what you choose the important thing is that you are arming yourself with footwear that will allow you to enjoy your time playing soccer to the fullest.

Get all the latest in Soccer know how from the one and only true source at http://www.SoccerDetails.com. Be sure to check our soccer cleats page.

Soccer Betting Secrets No.1 - Never Bet When You Cannot Afford To Loose

This golden rule is the simplest rule to understand yet the hardest rule to stick by for most punters. Every gambler who has hit a winning streak or a losing streak has fallen into the trap and gambled away money they couldn't afford to lose. DON'T DO IT!! As simple as it may sound - You just can't do it. Stick to this first golden rule and drill it deep down inside your brain that this rule cannot be broken. Why I say this is because there's consequences if you break this rule.

It is very easy to fall into the trap that because you are winning, then bigger stakes won't hurt (after all - it's the bookies money right?) or if you are losing then you think that you put a little bit more on this 'certainty' you can get your money back. DON'T DO IT!! As simple as it may sound - You just can't do it.

It is the gambler's curse. Win or lose this time, it will lead to disaster in the long-term. Bigger stakes on a winning streak are a sure way of guaranteeing that the bookies get back every single cent you won off them - and a lot quicker than even they anticipated. DON'T DO IT!! As simple as it may sound - You just can't do it.

The safest way to get as much thrill and enjoyment out of the gambling experience is to work out how much money you can afford to lose before you start. Betting big when you are losing is a sure-fire way to lose your rent, food money for the week or maybe months or years. DON'T DO IT!! As simple as it may sound - You just can't do it.

Remember - before you place a bet - imagine how you'll feel if when the bet loses. If the thought of losing it makes you feel sick or feel like jumping off a 35 storey high building ... then don't ever break this GOLDEN RULE NO.1

Author is a full time soccer analyst who has been around for more than 12 years and internet marketers and loves to write. http://www.soccerbettingpro.com http://www.firsteasymoney.com http://www.zacksays.com http://www.worldaffiliatemarketing.com

Coaching Soccer Drills: Dribble for Lots of Activities

When it comes to coaching soccer drills, there is variety of fun, yet effective ways to teach the players about the same.

These methods will not only improve the practice attendance but your team will also play better and win more games. One of such methods is dribbling across a square.

Dribble Across A Square (U-6 and Up)

This is the best way to teach dribbling and how to use the bottom of the foot, the inside & outside of the foot to stop the ball, and turn. This is something that the U6-coaches must read and learn about.

This method will effectively teach the players how to dribble in traffic. As per this method, first, make the square 5 or 6 adult steps wide. Now tell the players just to dribble across and stop. Do not let them turn and dribble back.

The moment they have all dribbled across, have them all face inward and dribble back across to the opposite side and stop. You need to consignee this approach for at least 6 to 8 times.

Each trip includes dribbling across and stopping each time until they have crossed the square. One important thing that the coaches must note is that the players have to focus on their own ball only. They should not try to kick anyone else's ball.

Furthermore, the coaches should not teach turns at this stage. They do not even need to keep scores. You just have to encourage the players and let them have fun.

The best thing with this method is that the set-up is easy and everyone has a ball. This way, it can be a great warm-up. Teaching the players about dribbling through cones is good but dribble across a square is a much better method to teach and evaluate dribbling skills of the players.

Coaching soccer drills like this does not only help the players? brain learn to process a lot of activity, but it also helps them learn how to use peripheral vision, and to make correct, instinctive decisions and maintain composure when under pressure and in heavy traffic.

Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of coaching soccer drills.
His web site, Youth Soccer Drills, provides a wealth of informative soccer articles,
resources and tips for soccer coaches, parents and players.

Free Live Football and Soccer - Even At 3PM on a Saturday Happy Days

I am a football/soccer fan, always have been always will be. I love my football/soccer and I know there are thousands and thousands of people out there just like me.

Two weeks ago I received an e-mail from a friend of mine. He text me and said, you have got to log into your e-mail now and check out what I have sent you. I did as I was told and about 3 minutes later, I was the happiest football fan on the planet, at the point in time. I had discovered live football/soccer on the net for absolutely NO COST what so ever.

Now, we all know that live football/soccer on the box has been the cause of many, many family arguments. It clashes with Eastenders, Coronation Street, Emerdale, you know what I mean. Well, now there was a way to end those rows. Football/Soccer on the PC/ Laptop and the soaps on the box. Happy Days !!

I was so excited about this. I had to share it with my Dad. The only problem with this, was that my Dad is very new to computers and the internet. He has been on-line for about a year now and only recently upgraded to Broadband. I couldn?t visit it him, because of other commitments, but I wanted to get him up and running with my new discovery, for two reasons.

1. My mum could watch her soaps and give her control of the remote. That maybe a step to far though !

2. My Dad could cut costs without missing his Live football. Yes I got the football/soccer bug from my Dad, bless him. He is a pensioner now, so every saved penny is a bonus.

The only way I would be able to give him access, to this great online offer, would be to write an installation, easy to follow ?idiot guide,? with screenshots taking him through every step and every click. It took me longer than I thought, but the end justified the means.

I was so excited. I had to get a second opinion before I e-mailed it off to my Dad. So, I popped next door with a printed copy of my lovely, colourful guide. I sat in the kitchen with my neighbour?s wife having a cup of tea, while her hubby logged on to his PC and followed my instructions. It took him about 5 minutes, but ?SUCCESS? was achieved and he was as happy as I was.

I wasted no time in patting myself on the back, but the big test was still to come. I e-mailed a copy off to my Dad. I called him and explained, what I had just sent him. He printed of his copy. I sat on the other end of the phone, with a copy of the guide on the screen in front of me.

I was really pleased. In about 15 minutes he was done. The date was Feb 17th and we were both now watching Chelsea v Norwich FA cup 5th round match, Live on our PC?s, FOR FREE and even better than that; It was 3:20 PM on a Saturday. Sorry, but to coin a phrase, he was ?over the moon?. I was a very, happy chappy too !!

To make this work you need the following, but there is no EXTRA cost involved.

1. Broadband Connection (You are already paying for this)

2. Windows Media Player at least version 9(free download link is given for version 11) or real player

3. 10 minutes of your time and then you will be up and running

4. A Good Supply of ?cold ones.? Okay, you will have to pay for these

The choice is yours. Premier League, Coca Cola Championship & League. The FA Cup, Carling Cup, Champions League & UEFA Cup. The Italian Seria A, The Spanish La Liga, The French Le Championship, The German Bundesliga and much more.

You can even watch from a selection of movies. In February I watched the latest James Bond Movie ?Casino Royale?.

Get your Free Installation guide By Clicking on the following link. You know it makes sense: Free Live Football/Soccer. Even At 3PM on a Saturday. Happy Days Open it, download it and feel free to share it, with whoever you want. Enjoy and Have fun!

For More information go to my blog at http://greatoffersonline.wordpress.com/

Collecting enamel football badges or soccer pins.

The collecting of enamel badges or medals is not a recent phenomenon; however it is only in the last few years that they have received the attention they deserve. Should a collector choose to focus on enamel football badges there are many categories of badges to choose from. Areas of interest include: Premiership football clubs, Championship teams, Division One, Division Two, FA Stewards badges, referees badges, Football Association badges (County FA's etc). Alternatively, you may choose to collect Welsh or Scottish enamel badges. Another option is that of Non-league clubs, these enamel badges can be socially and historically interesting they often highlight connections between sport and local industry. Many older badges can now fetch a premium price while later additions remain affordable. Football is a team sport that is recognised around the world. While football may appear to have a universal meaning the term has been applied to a number of different, but related team competitions. Throughout the English speaking world a friendly rivalry exists due to different kinds of football played. Association football or soccer as it is also known is the most common and widely played form of the game. However, North America is renowned for American football which resembles another form of the game that is called rugby. Rugby football is played in many countries but its associations are strongest in the United Kingdom, Europe, New Zealand and Australia. Rugby football is divided into two categories or codes Rugby Union and Rugby League.To complicate things further the term football is also applied to Australian Rules and Gaelic football.

www.sportskerlectables.com Enamel badges offer a modestly priced collecting field for anyone interested in social history and sport. They can be displayed relatively easily and decoratively without taking too much room. Enamel badges were not only manufactured for sporting events, indeed their association with sport was probably influenced by their introduction in the work place and political arena. www.sportskerlectables.com

Is Manchester United The Greatest Soccer Club?

The Manchester United Football Club is an English Club that was formed in 1878 and was formally known as Newton Heath LYR(Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway). They have been nicknamed the ?Red Devils? and ?United?. Their home ground is the Old Trafford stadium located in Greater Manchester. The capacity of this stadium is 76,312 and is of only two stadiums in England, which have been given the UEFA 5-star rating. The current chairmen of the club are Joel and Avram Glazer and Sir Alex Ferguson has been the manager of the club for the past 20 years and the current captain is Gary Neville.

Manchester United have had to fight their way to the top to be the best soccer team in England. They have had their share of hurdles in the past like the bombing on Old Trafford during the Second World War and the Munich air disaster which claimed the lives of eight players of United when the British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on take-off at Munich, Germany. Manchester United were recently defeated in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League on the 2nd of May 2007 by AC Milan where Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite A.K.A Kaka scored the opening goal of the match only to defeat United by 3-0 at San Siro. But one should not forget that Manchester United is the first and only team to win the Treble. They did this in the year of 1998-99, when the Red Devils won the Premier league on the final day by defeating Tottenham Hotspurs 2-1, which was enough to put them ahead of Arsenal who defeated Aston Villa 1-0. United won 2-0 against Newcastle United in the finals of the FA Cup. United also went on to win the UEFA Champions League by defeating Bayern Munich in the final 2-1 during injury time. This was considered to be one of the greatest comebacks ever witnessed in the history of football. The Red Devils have won the English Premier league 16 times, the FA Cup 11 times (a record), the League Cup and the UEFA Champions League Cup twice and the Intercontinental Cup and the European Super Cup once.

Sir Alex Ferguson tried to sign Ronaldinho in the year of 2003, but the deal fell through. This was because the Manchester United and PSG could not agree upon the fee and lost the bid to FC Barcelona who signed Ronaldinho for ?50million. Manchester United?s current first team line up consists of goalkeeper Edwin van der sar; defenders Gary Neville (captain), Patrice Evra, Gabriel Heinz, Rio Ferdinand; midfielders Michael Carrick, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs (vice captain) and forwards like Wayne Rooney and Luis Saha. Their current starting line up has skilled substitutes on the bench comprising of players from all over the world. They are the Premier League Champions of 2007 with only one match to go in this season and Chelsea six points behind them at second place. Manchester United is to face Chelsea in the finals of the FA Cup on the 19th May 2007 at the new Wembley Stadium.

Considering The Red Devils achievements in the past and the way they have grown as a soccer club and the way they have handled the difficult situations, they can be considered as the greatest soccer club of all time.

Bob Zenoti is a freelance writer of various on-line content. He has recently provided content for a soccer fan site for Cristiano Ronaldo.

Soccer Cleats Guide- General tips on Soccer cleats

Soccer cleats are athletic shoes that are specially designed for soccer players. Soccer shoes have large studs or cleats on the bottom that assist players in gripping the surface. These studs help players to be easily moved in the desired position.

Generally the cleats are made up of molded plastic because metal cleats are illegal as they cause danger to other players. Plastic studs are round in shape that offers excellent grip on the hard mud of the basepath. Soccer shoes or football shoes can have both plastic as well as metal cleats on the sole whereas golf shoes have metal cleats.

Replaceable cleats are the best option for soccer or football players. Cleats of soccer shoes can be removed and replaced with another kind. Players can choose cleats as per their requirements. These studs or cleats are designed to provide exact traction or grip but these studs should not be so long because extra long suds can pose a risk for the player like knee injury.

Different manufacturers provide soccer cleats of great quality so the players should buy the best fit. Players should keep certain points in mind at the time of buying soccer cleats. They should find a soccer specialty store near their home. Players must know the exact shoe size so that they can play comfortably. They can also get information from the supplier about current and upcoming sales on soccer shoes.

Athletes should use soccer cleats for two or three months before finals. They can easily get all about their shoes with regular practice. They can talk, to salesperson or the coach, about which type of soccer cleats suits them. They must choose few pairs for trail basis and then select the best out of them. Whenever you're going to try the shoes on, don't forget to wear socks. You should check whether your heels are comfortable or not.

Author is the owner of website on Soccer Cleats http://www.bestsoccercleats.info/ . Website provides information about soccer cleats, where & how to buy soccer cleats, some buying tips for soccer cleats. You can visit his site http://www.123soccercleats.com/

English Soccer - England's Football League Division One Review

It would appear that Swindon Town have been keeping an eye on Football England recently, at least that's what I'm claiming anyway. Since I tipped them as most likely to stay up in the now ferocious relegation battle, they haven't put a foot wrong.

This was confirmed by another good win at home to Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.

The 2-1 victory, gives them three on the bounce on the row, and confidence seems to have been restored. Any struggling teams yet to visit the County Ground - beware.

Manager Iffy Onoura was well pleased with the latest result, and also seems optimistic of survival. Perhaps he's also in a good mood because the proposed television project featuring Big Ron has been booted into row z, early doors.

At the top, Southend reconfirmed their promotion credentials with a fine 2-0 away defeat of Yeovil, which keeps them top. Shaun Goater scored the second, and his goals could be vital in the remainder of the season.

Brentford too perhaps have been reading this column. Last week I voiced a concern that letting DJ Campbell disappear to Birmingham for a pittance could harm their promotion aspirations. Seems I'm wrong.

The Bees absolutely paggered Walsall 5-0, proving that they can score without the DJ (League one player of the month for Jan), and heaping misery on a forlorn Paul Merson. Brentford still look nicely poised, sitting 5th with games in hand. Walsall look to be in terminal decline, and Merson has hinted that he will quit if results don't improve.

Colchester continue to make us marvel at their impressive record this term. A comfortable 3-1 home win over Bradford City, after going 1-0 down racks up a club record of nine consecutive wins, and perhaps more impressively winning 19 out of 21.

Bradford went ahead through stocky veteran Dean Windass just before half time - the chunky striker is still a force to be reckoned with at this level. The game, now a tough test, was turned by the inspirational Richard Garcia who headed home twice early in the secone half. Garcia has now notched 6 in his last 4 games. A confident display was rounded off by Chris Iwelumo, also heading in just after the hour.

Colchester must now believe they can go up without the lottery of the play offs - they sit second, 1 point behind Southend, with a game in hand.

Also at the top, Barnsley have slipped in unnoticed in recent weeks, while others have floundered. A 2-0 victory over Bristol City at home this weekend lifts them into fourth spot. Much of this recent form can be attributed to striker Marc Richards, who bagged both goals, bringing his tally to 10 in the last 15 outings. His first was an exquisite finish after lobbing a defender on his approach.

Back at the bottom, a predictable dour affair between Rotherham & Hartlepool ended 0-0. Both these sides are in deep trouble and must turn the corner soon or bye bye. Hartlepool were under the instruction of Youth team coach Paul Stephenson for the first time after the much publicised turmoil at the club. Hopefully he can get them on track.

MK Dons look to be adrift without a paddle after going down 2-0 to Scunthorpe. Scunny will be glad of the points to keep them above water, thanks again to their prolific goal getter Billy Sharp. Another brace for Sharp put the game away after just 10 minutes.

As for the Dons - it looks like they are going. Will anybody miss them?

Blackpool continue to show great determination at home, and look to have what it takes to stay up. The Seasiders were very unlucky to take only the 1 point from their home meeting with Notts Forest.

A creditable 8,399 turned out for this 2-2 draw in which Blackpool were always in control, until the last minute equaliser by Forest's Julian Bennett.

Oldham Athletic tripped themselves up by going down 1-0 in an eminently winnable game at home to Port Vale. This leaves the Latics adrift by 7 points from the play off spots. Manager Ronnie Moore knows he has to improve quickly.

Finally, Chesterfield kept up their unbeaten run and their play off hopes with a late home equaliser against Gillingham. Chesterfiald lie in 7th, with the Gills out of trouble, for the moment.

http://www.football-england.com

Norbert Wartle is Football correspondent for Football England. All content Copyright www.football-england.com © 2005-2006

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