Is Long-distance Running Really Important in Soccer Training?

By David Soltero 

Soccer is a sport where players are constantly running for 90 minutes and where conditioning plays an important role. People often think that because soccer players run a lot in a game and there are no time-outs that they need to have a good aerobic capacity and, consequently, need to run long distances in order to be physically fit and ready to play.

This theory is correct in a way because players do need to have a good aerobic capacity to play the sport; however, there are other important training components that long-distance running do not provide and, therefore, it is not the best way to prepare the players to be able to play the sport.   

Why isn’t long-distance running the best way to train for soccer? When analyzing the game, players run approximately 70 percent of the actual minutes of the game. Players run a lot in terms of the distance run during a game; however, the question is, how do they accomplish those runs? Is it long-distance running at the same tempo throughout the entire game? The answer is no.

Most of the runs made in soccer are explosive, high-intensity runs, rather than long, slow runs. Jonas Forsberg, in his article, "How to Build a Soccer Conditioning Base," says that soccer is a "power-sport," where sprinting, maximum strength and jumping ability is extremely important. Running long distance will affect the players’ performance in an opposite way, making them weak and slow instead of strong and fast as most people believe. Running long distance will stimulate the slow twitch muscle fibers, meaning that the body will adapt to the slow tempo being performed during long- distance running and, over time, the fast twitch muscle fibers will "drown," which will make the players slower and weaker. 

Aerobic conditioning should be performed in a different way rather than long- distance running.  Instead of long-distance running, coaches should focus on short and more dynamic sprinting drills.  A more sport-specific conditioning program should be done. These are some examples of drills that a coach can do on a conditioning program:

• 5-yard Shuttles - Set cones at every 5 yards for 25 yards (5, 10, 15, 20, 25). Sprint out to the first cone (5 yards) and back to start, second cone (10) and back, third cone (15) and back, fourth cone (20) and back, and fifth cone (25) and back to start in the indicated amount of time. The amount of rest depends on the time you run it in. You always have the “remainder of the minute” to rest. If you run it in 35 seconds, you have 25 seconds to rest, and if it is done in 40 seconds, you only have 20 seconds to rest. Take extra rest where indicated. Repeat the number of sets indicated on that day. If you miss any, do that many extra. Do not do more than three extra.
• 120s - Sprint the length of a 120-yard field in 18 seconds or less. Immediately turn and jog back to the start line in 30 seconds. Stand and rest 30 seconds. Then start No. 2. Complete 10 times. Additional 15 second rest is given after No. 4 and No. 7. The sprint down and the recovery jog back are both timed for a reason. If you do not make either stage in time, you should consider that you missed that one. If you miss any, do that many extra. Do not do more than three extra.
• 300s - Put two cones 50 yards (or 25 yards depending on the day) apart from one another (be liberal with your yards…if you are easily finishing 55 seconds, your steps are too short!) Run from the start cone to the second cone and back three times (or 25-yard cones = up and back - 6 times) It is a total of 300 yards. You need to run this in 57 seconds (or 63 seconds for 25-yard cones). You will have one minutes to rest before running the next set. Take extra rest where indicated. If you miss any, do extra.
• Run the long distance around a track or a soccer field and the shuttles on a field.

½ mi (2 laps) - 3:15 min

REST 2 MINUTES

½ mi (2 laps) – 3:30 min

REST 2 MINUTES

6yd, 18yd, 60yd, sprint shuttle - 35 sec

REST 1 MINUTE

¼ mi (1 lap) – 1:45 min

REST 1 MINUTE

6yd, 18yd, 60yd, sprint shuttle - 35 sec

REST 1 MINUTE

6yd, 18yd, 60yd, sprint shuttle - 37 sec

REST 1 MINUTE

¼ mi (1 lap) – 1:55 min -NO REST!!!!

6yd, 18yd, 60yd, sprint shuttle - 37 sec

REST 2 MINUTES

½ mi (2 laps) – 3:50 min

• Split 150s - Set up three cones (0, 50 yards, 100 yards). Sprint 100 yards in 14 seconds. Rest 10 seconds. Sprint back 50 yards in seven seconds. Jog one minute back to the start. Repeat six times = 1 set.

In conclusion, long-distance running is not the best way to train for the sport of soccer. Even though most people think that long-distance running helps athletes develop an appropriately conditioned and physically fit body, there are different ways of training that can be more beneficial than doing a long run – that being short interval sprints. In order to reach peak performance, the player should have the appropriate training that would be beneficial rather than harmful. 

Reference: 

Forsberg, Jonas.  How to build a Soccer Conditioning Base. Recreation and Sport: Soccer. 2010.

Basic Football / Soccer Rules for Players

Indirect free kick is given to the opposing team when a player commits a foul.

Offside in a soccer match.

Referee Calls in a soccer game

By: Marco Ayllon

Nautilus News

Dallas TX

IMPORTANT FOOTBALL RULES FOR KIDS:

It is important to learn the soccer or football rules before to play, as well as to choose a soccer equipment, and prepare for the best soccer tournament.

Football is one of the simplest sports in the world. This may be the reason why it's the most popular sport in the world. Here you will find the rules to play the game. The rules become more complicated and technical with the level of play. But even at the professional level they are quite simple. FIFA, International Federation of Football, holds the official rules to the game. According to them, the official rules may be modified in their application for players of under 16 years of age, female soccer players, veteran players (over 35, 45, 55, years of age,) and for players with disabilities.

Any or all of the following modifications are permissible:

Size of the field of play,

Size, weight and material of the ball width between the goal posts and height of the crossbar from the ground.

Size of Field: The field must be rectangle, that's pretty much it. Soccer field size depends on good judgment of how many players on each side and the size of your goals. The more you coach the better you will get at judging a field size. You want it big enough to keep ball in play but small enough to engage all players and prevent boot ball. To be considered true international competition basic soccer rules (11 Vs 11) field must be:

Length: minimum 100 m (110 yd) maximum 110 m (120 yd)

Width: minimum 64 m (70 yd) maximum 75 m (80 yd)

For a 5v5 soccer experience most teams use futsal regulation size dimensions. This creates an amazing experience pushing technical versus kick and chase ball. See our Soccer field layout photograph for dimensions specific to age and group size.

Ball Size:

The ball size depends on age. Below you will see basic soccer rules sizes according to different soccer programs. Academies use the following sizes for all development programs.

3-5 y/o - size 4 - Size 3 is a good size to kick inside the house or back yard play. However, they will outgrow size 3 fast and because of limited size the tow kick becomes a problem.

6-12 y/o - size 4- Size 4 will be used until about 11-12. It is a great size for development and a futsal ball is size 4 so I prefer to develop players under 12 with 4's.

12-adult - size 5- This is the standard size for professional and adult soccer. Some countries introduce size 5 to kids as young as 4. The ideas is more surface of ball = more surface of boot.

Players: Soccer is played by two teams preferably by equal number of players. Max players per team is 11 (Goalie + 10 field players). Team size is reduced by age. Some leagues play with 8 players for youth aged ten and under. And down to 6 per side for the under 5's. For optimum development, coaches use futsal rules 5v5.

Substitutions: Officially, you are only allowed 3 subs per game, however, depending on modified rules this may be different. For youth leagues usually there is no cap on subs. A substitution can only be performed when the ball is not in play and your team has possession. (Ex) it's a throw in for your team, or goal kick for your team. Substitutions cannot be made when the ball is in play (even if your goalie has the ball in his/her hands, if this happens, the game is still in play.) It is different if you are playing futsal rules.

Starting the Game:

The game is started at the center of the field. The team who kicks off passes the ball forward to a teammate at the referees signal. The opposing team is not allowed to enter the center circle until the team kicks off.

Game in Play: As long the ball stay in the field the game is in play, only exceptions is when the referee blows his whistle for an infraction or offside. The ball is considered in play as long as it is inside the goal and side lines. Furthermore, it's still in play as long as it has contact with the line. Therefore, the ball may be touching the outer part of the goal or side line and still be considered in play (This applies if the ball is in the air as well.) Contact with the goal post, corner flag, and referee back in the field is still considered in play. The referee is considered a fixture of the field.

GOAL: In the basic soccer rules the point of the game is to get the ball in the opposing team goal and the team with the most goals after the specified time is the winner. The ball must cross the goal line to be a goal. Therefore, if the ball is still in contact with the goal line in the inner part of the goal it is not a goal! I have seen pro's sweep through the goal line to save their team from a goal. Everybody swears that it was already in but the cameras show the ball was still in contact with the line (This applies if the ball is in the air as well.) This has happened in the world cup and causes some controversy and drama as the human eye decides if it was a goal or not. Nowadays, there are computers, cams, or sensors, those are used and FIFA is using more technology and for accuracy purposes. However, MLS (Major League Soccer) has been looking into being the first professional league to introduce new technologies. The MLS has a reputation for "trying" new things always.

How Long is a Soccer Game? For basic soccer rules a game is no more than 90 min long. Two halves of 45 min (that's what the pros play with a 15 min half time break.)

Youth games range from 15-30 min halves with a 7-10 min half time.

NO HANDS! Alright, I know you probably knew this but here it is anyway. Only the goalie can use their hands. The definition for hand ball is any part of between your fingers (including nails) to your upper arm. Your shoulder is actually legal to use! One side note about goalies. The goalie is not allowed to use their hands if the ball was kicked back to them intentionally by any of his/her team mates. This rule is about 25 years old. In the old days defenders, when under pressure, would pass the ball back to their goalie to secure in their hands (this was a good rule change for spectators.) Youth leagues under 10's don't really enforce this rule as most of the time it isn't an intentional pass back. Coaches should not be teaching this as an option.

Out of Bounds: if the ball crosses the side line it is a throw in. The team who did not touch the ball last before the ball crossed the line gets the throw in. If the ball crosses the goal line two things may occur. If the team that is defending that goal line touches it out it is a corner kick. If the team attacking that goal kicks it out it is a goal kick

BASIC SOCCER RULES FOR KIDS

Soccer is very simple and very enjoyable. Don't complicate the basic soccer rules too much with technical rules that only apply when playing competitively. Soccer for kids age 3-10 should exploratory. This means the games need fluidity and need to be fun. The rules will apply at some point but be cautious and selective as to when to enforce them.

Now you need to practice soccer more often, remember about pro-soccer players look forward not about how many games they win. Instead, they make sure they learn and meet the set of milestones accumulated by the team by the end of the season. Soccer is unique, where the players create the show. The coach should have little impact during games allowing players to enjoy and perform their best!

Kellsey’s Best Soccer Rules Sites:

Laws of The Game FIFA 2016 Soccer Rules: Complete soccer rules to learn to become professional soccer player. (PDF)

10 Soccer Rules for Parents: (PDF)

17 Basic Rules of Soccer:(PDF)