These Four (4) Exercises Will Increase Any Soccer Player's Speed

In order for a soccer player to increase their speed, there are several factors which will contribute to their speed increasing on the soccer field. Proper running mechanics is certainly one factor which will help increase speed, while another is lower body strength training. Learn four of the best lower body strength exercises a soccer can player can do to increase their speed.

Specifically, a soccer player will want to get their posterior chain of muscles stronger. The posterior chain of muscles are many of the muscles you can't see when you look at yourself in the mirror. Those muscles include the back, the glutes, the hamstrings and the calf. Getting the posterior chain of muscles stronger will absolutely get a soccer player faster and increase their speed.

Here are Four (4) excellent exercises for a soccer player to do to isolate these muscles and allow for their speed to be released:
# Tire Flip or Log Flip
# : Take an old tractor tire (or wooden log) and bend down into a squat with both hands cupped underneath the tire. In a powerful movement, lift the side of the tire where your hands are off the ground and then push the tire forward with both hands so that it now falls forward and is laying on the ground again. Quickly repeat this process for up to 10 flips. This movement is great for developing explosive power in the posterior chain of muscles.Sled Drags:
# Take a weighted sled and attach two "D-handle" cords to it. Place some weight on it and then grab the handles in such a way that you are facing forward and the sled is behind you. Keep your arms relatively straight and walk forward so that your cords or rope are tight through this resistance. Then march forward using a simple high knee, linear lunge walk. Work up to 20 -30 yards of dragging the sled in this manner. This exercise is a great way to get the lower body stronger explosively allowing the soccer player to gain valuable speed.Forward Broad Jumps:
# With both feet about shoulder width apart, jump out forward as high and as far as you can. Upon landing, bend the knees and drop your hips...in other words cushioning the jump. Have the soccer player gather themselves and repeat that jump. Continue repeating for up to 5 jumps in a row. Work up to 3-5 sets of 5 jumps. This exercise is a wonderful way to create loads of explosive, quick movements for the soccer player.Let Go's:
Let go's are simply resisted sprints. Have two players work together. One lines up behind the other player and grabs their waist with both hands. The player in the front gets into a good acceleration position and starts to run forward. The player in the back holds on and resists the player in the front from moving too quickly forward event though they are trying to do so. After about 5 yards of this resistance, the person in the back releases the person in the front. This person will feel like they have been shot out of a cannon. Remind the person in the front about that so that they are ready for that quick burst being released and they do not stumble and fall. This is a great exercise to add speed to any soccer player.

These four exercises will without a doubt add strength to the lower body of any soccer player which in turn will increase their speed.

I hoped you enjoyed reading about these four excellent exercises for enhancing speed on the soccer field.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Christopher