Youth Soccer Conditioning
Considerations for strength and conditioning the young
athlete
www.movementforlife.net
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjC8CIKUIUDRXIOO74e5Llw
Defining the Demographic
Preadolescence
Defined by biological age as opposed to
chronological age, i.e. before development
of secondary sex characteristics (e.g.,
pubic hair, reproductive organs).
Biological age
Physique maturity, sexually mature
Chronological Age
Although youth sports are often grouped
according to chronological age, it provides
less insight and direction for appropriate
training and exercise routine.
Generally chronological Age falls somewhere
between 5-12 years old
Is training appropriate? Positives.
“Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.” Bobby Unser
‘It has been estimated that up to 50% of both acute and overuse injuries sustained by children
could be prevented if they were better prepared to play these games’.
Motor Skills
Psychosocial
Body Composition
Bone density
Preadolescence Differences
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Hormonal (limited recovery)
Neural Factors for strength
Growth Spurts
Protecting Developing tissues
Training age
Maturity level
Phenotype and Player Position
Hormonal
Limited hormonal support for hypertrophy
Example, testosterone 20-60 ng/100ml vs 600 ng/100ml
Growth factors
Unknown (limited data)
Hormonal Implications
Current thought: Strength gains not from muscle growth! (hypertrophy)
Implications: Do not target muscle growth in your workout strategy.
Potential Consequence: Overtraining, overuse injuries, cumulative
microtrauma, damage to developing tissues.
Neural Factors = Strength Gains
Preadolescent strength gains mainly from Neural Factors.
Motor unit coordination
Motor unit recruitment
Motor unit facilitation
Skill development
Growth Spurt Considerations
Relative bone weakening
Muscle imbalances
Relative muscle tendon tightening
Growth spurt strategies
Address muscle imbalances
Address flexibility
Reduce training volume
Rely on data points (test and measures)
Developing/Vulnerable tissues
Growth plates at end of large bones
Cartilage lining joint surfaces
Points where tendons attach to bones
Training age
How long has the child been training?
Consideration for program design and progression
You may be training a biological system not used to stress
Back to Basics
Performance Pyramid
Maturity Level
Kids would rather play games than
exercise...so make the exercises into
games.
Tag vs Running
Bear Crawl vs Planks
Physical Maturity
Hot Lava vs high knees
Psychosocial maturity
Hot Potato vs throw ins
Positive, rewarding, and fun
‘Limbo’ vs lunges
Finish with Success
Duck walk vs squats
Phenotype and Player Position
Guideline not a rule
Endomorph - Goalie
Mesomorph - Defender
Ectomorph - Offense
Children are always a surprise and truly
this is anecdotal. Consider that the
position can make the experience
favorable.
Different body types may do better in
different positions in soccer.
Program Design
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Assessment
Performance Pyramid
Frequency and Duration
Rest and Recovery
Periodization
Case Study and example workout
Coaches Challenge
Assessment
Ask yourself is the player...
Most common lower extremity Soccer injuries
occur with side to side and rotation movements.
Develop dynamic warm up exercises that move
players through 3 directions.
forward/backward
Side to side
rotation
Warm up becomes the assessment.
Stiff or loosey goosey
What direction is greatest difficulty
Does it improve with repetition?
Warm up idea…
Lunge walk using arms to challenge 3 directions
Crossover sideways walking ‘braiding’
Jumping jacks feet moving left, middle, right, middle
Performance Pyramid
1. Psychosocial development: coach age
appropriate
2. Mobility/Stability
3. Endurance, Strength, Speed, Power,
Quickness, Agility, Coordination
4. Skill
*Children are developing their training age and
should have heavy emphasis on foundations*
Frequency and Duration
Must be plastic in establishing frequency and
duration based on age group and
development
2-3x weekly non-consecutive days
Practice time i.e 45 mins progressing
duration 10% per week to 1 hour
Look for yellow flags of overtraining
*Overtraining Symptoms
Chronic Muscle/joint pain
Personality/mood changes
Lack of enthusiasm
Decreased performance
Fatigue
Increased illness
Rest and Recovery
Encourage and educate Kids and Parents on
importance of:
Healthy nutrition
Staying hydrated
Adequate Sleep 9-11 hours
Parents help with motivation and
encouragement
*Oftentimes adaptations from the training
stimulus take place during periods of rest and
recovery.*
Periodization
Offseason
Preseason
In-Season
Limited exposure to training requires
addressing foundations of performance.
*see performance pyramid*
Homework? Utilize multiple approaches to
address foundations of performance pyramid.
*Typically Periodization refers to altering a
workout to allow for peak performance during
season. As the season draws nearer the
workouts resemble the specific needs or
demands of the sport specific performance.
***The Child Athlete may have a very limited
training age and as a result suffer deficits in the
foundation of the performance pyramid.
Therefore typical Periodization should be
altered to address fundamental deficits
present.***
Sample Workouts
Dynamic Warmup
Exercises based on training age and
performance pyramid
1. 5-10 min dynamic warm up (should allow
for screening deficits)
2. 3 rounds of different exercises
Strength, flexibility
3. Skill Stations
Agility, speed, power
4. Scrimmage
Skill
5. Static Stretching (emphasis on what
warmup revealed) engage individuals on
how they feel i.e. concerns and needs
Static stretching with discussion
Conclusion
Case Study & Successful Routine
Lori is an 8 year old first time player with an
Endomorphic body type. 0 training age.
During Warm-ups, Lori struggled with level
changes going forward and backward.
Lori also had difficulty with cardiovascular
endurance exercises.
Lori enjoyed being social.
Lori responded best matching position to body
type. Emphasis on social + base level pyramid.
Defense player position
Partner ball toss for goalie high and low
High fives and low fives (squats with hands
driving the level)
Limbo (level changes)
Partner interval cardio work such as imitating
jumping jack drills
Encouragement from coach and teammates
Case Study & Successful Routine
Mia is an 8 year old second year player with an
Ectomorphic body type.
During Warm-ups, Mia struggled with ‘braiding’
but displayed good cardiovascular fitness.
Mia enjoyed being social.
Mia responded best matching position to body
type. Greater emphasis on lower body twist and
side to side agility and skill development.
Offense player position
Braiding, lunge walk with arm twist, jumping
jack side to side and twists
Rubber band side step race
Agility ladder
Dribbling around Cones
Partner roll ball and shoot
Encouragement from coach and teammates
Coach’s Challenge
Ask yourself these questions when undertaking
the development of young people.
What is a successful season?
How can we always ‘win’?
How can I create a safe environment
physically and socially.
If I don’t ‘know’ do I have resources that do?
Tips & Tricks
*Structure practice to eliminate lines
*Limit lecture time
*Use the ball A LOT
*Define rules to Parents early.
Thanks!
These were just a few considerations that
hopefully provide insight into further enhancing
our young people’s experience in athletics.
You should be asking about particulars at this
time as far as exercise types. Therefore
youtube things such as ‘soccer drills’, ‘ladder
drills’, ‘cone drills’, etc.
Children only get to be children once. Let’s
make a fun experience while building a solid
foundation to safely pave the way for skill
development.
Rely on the performance pyramid without
jumping steps too early. It takes 10,000 hours
of purposeful practice to master a skill it won’t
happen in one season. Jumping pyramid
stages leads to injury.
Good Luck and keep it fun, applicable, and
impacting.