Soccer training is a balancing act. You want to develop your skills without burning out. It is good to push your limits, but you do not want to overdo it to the point of an injury.🤕
It can be a struggle to know how much time you should devote to individual training each week. Right now, lots of players across the country are preparing for Spring tryouts. Many want to work on honing skills so they can make the team.
Blayze coach Sarah Woldmoe, takes you through her suggestions on figuring out what the best balance is for you so that you are growing and developing, without burning out or risking injury.
Going out on your own or with someone else to help you train individually at least once a week is a great start!👍 Players should not feel overwhelmed with the amount of extra work they think they need to do simply because they are probably already training a ton with their team!
Time spent individually training also depends on what season it is for you. Do you feel like your workload is lighter or heavier? Players typically have fewer team trainings during the winter ❄️and summer 🌞months, so you can devote more time to individual skill work.
It is all individual preference and is also based on what is right for you at that time.
Studying Soccer
Watching soccer 📺and studying the game is something that you can do in your free time to supplement what you are doing on the field and learn from your coaches. Study the game as much as possible! Your game IQ can help set you apart from others and raise your individual performance.🧠
United States Youth Soccer Recommendations:🏴
USYS recommends players follow this guideline to judge how often to train as well as how long to train, in addition to regular team practice. If you are in the summer months and you have no team trainings in the week, then feel free to up how often you train.
Age Days Per Week Duration of Session
U7 and Younger 1 45- Minutes
U8 – U9 1 45–60-Minutes
U10 – U11 2 60 – 75- Minutes
U12 – U13 2-3 75- Minutes
U14 – U15 3 75 – 90- Minutes
U16 – U17 3 90-Minutes
U18 and Above 4-5 90–120-Minutes
Having trouble deciding on what you should work on for your individual training sessions? Then talk to your coach or a Blayze coach. It is best to have an idea of what skills you need to improve upon, or what skills your coach is looking for, before going out and running a bunch of drills.⚽
Talk with your coach or private trainer and create a schedule for when and how long you plan on training. Each week reflect on what went well and what did not. Make a new plan for the following week based on what new improvements you need or what you need to continue to focus on.
Article of the Week: Athletic Development Planner: Self-Evaluation Tools
Many athletes we work with use this exact development planner. Whether they're an MLS player or a youth soccer player at the recreational level, this template is for anyone.
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