Quickness > Physical Quickness > Types Of Movement In Soccer
Types of Movements in Soccer with Statistics
Generations of soccer players have been told endurance training is required to play soccer for a full 90 minutes. Video and GPS studies, see below, show acceleration, running at high speed and endurance training are all critical for team and player success.
Rinus Michels, FIFA's Coach of the 20th Century, taught A.F.C. Ajax, F.C. Barcelona and The Netherlands National teams to "save energy" when the ball was lost by applying instant high pressure to win the ball back as close to their opponent's goal as possible. Ajax won the "Eredivisie" (Netherlands highest level or "Honor Division") and consecutive European Cups, Barca won Spain's La Liga (widely regarded as the top league in Europe) and the Dutch National Team in the 1974 and 1982 World Cup Finals. Studies, using GPS and multi-camera player tracking, documents soccer players, even at the highest professional levels, spend 52.3% to 60.8% of their time standing, walking or jogging in competitive games. Percents vary slightly by report, league, club, system of play and positions played.
Assessing Player Movements By Type - Print our assessment form to assess how much your players move at different speeds in games.
Impact on Game Results by Movement TypesResearch tracking player movements in games reveals that:
Assessment for Movement Types and Systems of PlayThe challenge for every club, coach and team, at every level of play, is to accurately assess the capabilities of your team and individual players to determine what training will best prepare them to play that system of play that makes the best use of your individual player's and team's strengths and weaknesses.
In assessing Dutch players in the 1960's and 70's, Rinus Michels concluded his players would "save energy" by instantly attacking (pressing) to win the ball back as close to their opponents goal as possible. Rinus referred to his system as "Pressing Soccer" in articles. The world soccer press hailed his system as "Total Soccer" when the Oranje advanced to the 1974 Cup Final. |
Muscle Fibers for Speed versus Fibers for Endurance
The muscle fibers in each individual are unique. Individuals with an above average number (over 50%) of Fast Twitch (Type IIa and Type IIb) fibers accelerate and run faster. Olympic sprinters, for example, have up to 80% Fast Twitch fibers. Individuals with an above average number (over 50%) of Slow Twitch (Type I) fibers have better endurance. Olympic marathon runners, for example, have up to 80% Slow Twitch fibers.
FIFA Recommends a Balanced Diet for SoccerFIFA's "Nurtition for Football", published in 2010, recommends a healthy balanced diet for all players. The recommended diet provides carbohydrates to fuel the Slow Twitch Type I fibers necessary for endurance and protein required for increasing the glycogen and enzymes required to fuel the Fast Twitch Type IIa and IIb fibers necessary for quick acceleration and running at speed.
Interval Training for Acceleration and Sprints in SoccerWhile most track sprints are between 40 and 100 meters, sprints in a soccer game are usually between 5 and 10 meters, with a smaller number between 10 and 20 meters. Interval training that mirrors these distances and the frequency of sprints in soccer games is most effective.
Players have a lot of fun, learn to sprint these distances and to sprint more frequently playing FIFA's 5-a-side Futsal game in a 15 x 25 meter area. Futsal not only conditions players for the short sprints in soccer, but also teaches the skills, tactics and decision making found in FIFA's soccer game. Three and four player acceleration and sprint 5 meter and 10 meter relay races also duplicate the sprint distances and frequency of sprints found in soccer. For 2 rest cycles for every sprint use three players, for 3 rest cycles for every sprint use four players, etc. See the Acceleration and Running at Speed modules under the Physical Quickness Category. Endurance Training for SoccerExcessive endurance training, over time, converts Type 2a fibers needed for burst of speed to fibers better for endurance. See the Endurance module under the Physical Quickness Category for training for game endurance.
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