How to Increase Stamina for Playing Soccer

Progressive Interval Conditioning is the key to increasing stamina for cardio-intensive sports like soccer, basketball and hockey. These constant motion sports require incredible stamina for running, sprinting, back-stepping and passing. The explosive power needed for shots-on-goal means that stamina training is imperative to be successful in these aerobic sports.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Speed Intervals. Jogging with intervals of sprinting. You can do these in a linear fashion, like on a treadmill (3-4mph jog, 5-6mph sprint). An alternative is to conduct them on a field or court. Divide the distance into quarters. Jog to the first mark, sprint back to the start, jog to the second mark sprint back to the start, etc.

2. Intensity Intervals. Hills or stairs are the best way to increase lower body intensity. Work on the explosive nature of your sport by alternating sprints uphill with jogs on the downhill. This will also shift your heart zone training between anaerobic (80-90%MHR) and aerobic (70-80%MHR) zones.

3. Progressive Multiplier. Increase training in three dimensions one at a time: time, quantity, and distance. After three training increases, do a low impact training on the fourth. Focus on fundamentals and form.

Tips & Warnings

• Consistency is the key to stamina improvement
• Just do one more sprint, one more rep, one more ...
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

[Spiralina]

on 11/30/2008 Great article!!