Speed Training for Soccer: Get Faster By Adding These 3 Exercises

Dec 2

So you're a soccer athlete and you want to get faster. I've got you.

Here's the thing... speed training is more than just doing top speed springing and soccer speed drills. We must develop strength in our muscles, more power in our movement, and this can then create increased speed, which is super important for an athlete, especially a soccer player.

So let's dive in on all things speed training for soccer so you can level up your game.

To enhance your speed on the field, incorporating specific exercises into your training routine is essential. Here are three effective exercises that can help you build strength and power, ultimately leading to improved speed.

The top 3 exercises to add to your training routine to improve speed

Agility ladder/speed ladder drills 2x per week
You know exactly what ladder I mean here, right? But do you know why you need to do this? Working on agility and using the agility ladder helps your feet and your brain work together to move quickly. It helps you improve your balance, coordination, movement control, and it's quite challenging for your brain.
The outcome: You're able to make quicker decisions both with your body and with your brain. This means quicker takeoffs, faster reaction time, and (of course) improved speed overall.
Training with the agility ladder is the foundation for speed.
It's important to move through this exercise with maximum velocity and high intensity to train your brain and your body effectively. Take breaks between drills and give it 100% when moving through the ladder. But only go as fast as you can control, focus on footwork instead of going through the motions.
Always maintain control over your movement during training.
Plyometrics routine 1x per week
Plyometric exercises help with explosiveness, which is especially important for take-offs and changes in direction. Both of which are incredibly prevalent and important in soccer.
Added benefit: it's important to train with plyometrics because it's also super helpful for ACL-tear prevention, which is also, unfortunately, common in soccer athletes.
Here are a few of the plyometric exercises you can do:
- Squat jumps
- Skater jumps
- Skipping
- Hopping - double and single leg
- Bounding
These exercises will work your stability, explosiveness, and ability to create and control force both in single leg stance and in double leg stance.
This is what we'd call the essentials for speed because our body will only let us move as fast as we can control the deceleration for. Acceleration and deceleration are important, so we must train both.
Bulgarian split squats -1x per week
You know it... strength is key. If we improve our strength, we can improve our explosiveness and therefore improve our speed.
So, split squats will help you do just that. But I'm not referring to split squats with small weights/body weight. Ideally you're progressively overloading your tissues so you can actually get stronger and generate more force through our speed sticks, otherwise known as our legs.

Overall, incorporating these exercises into your training regimen will not only help you get faster but also make you a more powerful and agile player on the field.

Remember to combine these strength and power exercises with your regular soccer drills to see the best results. Consistency is key, so stay dedicated, and soon you'll notice a significant improvement in your speed and overall performance.

Personalized speed programs for soccer athletes by a Physical Therapist and soccer specialist

If you're more of the "tell me what to do and I'll do it" type of person and are wanting to improve your speed on the soccer field, then I'd love to help you.

I specialize in sports physical therapy and working with athletes is my jam.

If you're local to the Kennewick, WA area, you can work with me for performance training (in-person) at my physical therapy clinic, Game Changer Physical Therapy.

If you're not local to Kennewick, I offer online soccer speed training programs as well.

To get started, book a free discovery call! I'd love to chat with you.