Good fitness levels are the backbone of every soccer player. Simply put, without good fitness levels your performance on the field will not be any good.
Good fitness principles will also protect you from many injuries which is another reason for why you should put a lot of effort in it. Fitness training is also crucial if you want to develop as a soccer player.
Only players that are in good physical shape can expect to perform better. There are two ways that fitness is measured in soccer; aerobic and anaerobic.
Aerobic Fitness
Aerobic fitness simply involves lots of oxygen intake and gives your heart and lungs a workout. This part of fitness will determine the level at which you can breathe in and use oxygen to give you power to perform an activity.
Walking, for example, doesn’t put a big stress on your body and most people will at least be able to walk few hundred yards without getting tired.
Jogging is a form of aerobic activity where you will be able to continue without getting too tired. Your body works at a rate which simply means that you will not get completely out of breath.
The level at which this fatigue takes place will increase with aerobic training. Your heart and lungs will become more efficient from the exercise. This simply means that you will run further and faster before getting tired.
Anaerobic Fitness
Anaerobic fitness is completely about intensity. Sprinting is one common anaerobic fitness activity.
When you sprint your body will work at a level where it cannot provide enough oxygen and your muscles will not be able to get energy from your glycogen fuel sources.
You will not be able to work long at this level before you get out of breath. With anaerobic training in soccer your body will become more efficient at using your glycogen stored fuels but also help you deal with oxygen debt.
The effect of oxygen debt is the buildup of lactic acid (a burning feeling in your legs at the end of a long sprint). The lactic acid must be eliminated from your muscles fast and this is where anaerobic training helps you.
Combination
As a soccer player you will need a combination of aerobic and anaerobic fitness. However, some positions will require higher levels of anaerobic while others will need more aerobic fitness.
If you can afford it, I would recommend you to hire a personal trainer to help your running technique. If you are a midfielder you are supposed to cover a lot of field during a regular soccer match.
You need therefore a good aerobic engine. Forwards and strikers will need to sprint fast and will need therefore more anaerobic fitness. Your muscle power and fortitude will not only depend on your fitness training.
Proper soccer nutrition is also very important if you want to perform at your maximum. My experience is that good conditioning directly means better performance.
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