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FOOTBALL (SOCCER) STRENGTH & CONDITIONING SPECIALISTS
FOOTBALL (SOCCER) STRENGTH & CONDITIONING SPECIALISTS
5 Proven Ways to Increase Stamina for Soccer Players

5 Proven Ways to Increase Stamina for Soccer Players

If you're looking to improve your stamina for football, there are several strategies that you can combine. 

As a footballer, you need to be able to repeat high intensity efforts with as little drop off in speed as possible over the duration of the match and recover quickly between each effort.

Here are five simple strategies which can help you achieve that:

1. High-Intensity Interval Training

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a type of workout that involves short bursts of high-intensity activity followed by periods of rest.

HIIT is a great way to improve your cardiovascular fitness and endurance, as it mimics the stop-and-go nature of the game.

By incorporating HIIT into your workout routine, you can improve your endurance, increase your VO2 max and improve your ability to recover quickly from intense activity.

Our Stamina Programme is a running based HIIT programme, which will significantly boost your stamina on the pitch within 28 days.

2. Resistance Training

Resistance training can also help improve endurance and stamina in footballers. 

One way that strength training helps to improve endurance is by reducing fatigue. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that a 12-week strength training programme improved the fatigue resistance of young soccer players.

The programme consisted of three strength training sessions per week, with each session focusing on compound exercises like squats, deadlifts and lunges.

By building strength and improving fatigue resistance, you'll be better able to maintain your speed and power throughout the course of a game, reducing the effects of fatigue and increasing your endurance.

In addition to reducing fatigue, strength training can also improve the efficiency of muscle contractions. By improving the rate of force development, you'll be able to generate more power in a shorter amount of time, allowing you to move quicker and more efficiently on the pitch. This will also indirectly translate to improved endurance and stamina during a game.

3. Football Specific Nutrition

Proper nutrition is essential for building endurance and stamina, specifically for optimising muscle glycogen levels.

Consuming the right nutrients before and after training and matches can provide your body with the energy it needs to perform at its best and help you recover faster.

Muscle glycogen is the primary fuel source for high-intensity actions, like sprinting and jumping during football matches. Consuming carbohydrates before exercise will help maximise your muscle glycogen levels, therefore improving endurance and performance. Good sources of carbohydrates include whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

One supplement that has been shown to improve endurance is beetroot juice. Beetroot juice contains nitrates, which can help to increase blood flow and oxygen delivery to your muscles, improving endurance. A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that consuming beetroot juice before exercise can improve endurance and exercise performance.

Staying hydrated is also essential for sustaining your high intensity efforts in training and matches. Dehydration can lead to fatigue and decreased endurance during exercise. 

4. Rest and Recovery

Rest and recovery are crucial for building endurance and stamina. It's important to give your body time to recover after intense workouts and games. This means getting enough sleep, taking rest days and incorporating stretching and foam rolling into your routine.

A study published in the journal Sleep Medicine found that sleep deprivation can have negative effects on endurance performance. 

The study involved 11 male soccer players who were asked to perform a soccer-specific endurance test after 36 hours of sleep deprivation. The endurance test consisted of 12 bouts of 15-second sprints interspersed with 15 seconds of active recovery. The participants' sprint performance, heart rate and perceived exertion were measured during the test.

The researchers found that the sleep-deprived participants had reduced sprint performance and increased perceived exertion during the endurance test compared to when they were well-rested. In addition, the participants had a higher heart rate during the test, indicating increased stress on the cardiovascular system.

The researchers concluded that sleep deprivation can have negative effects on endurance performance in footballers. They recommended that soccer players prioritise getting enough sleep in order to optimise their athletic performance.

5. Consistency

Consistency is key when it comes to building endurance and stamina. You should aim to incorporate these tips into your workout routine on a regular basis. This means setting aside time each week for interval training, strength training, proper nutrition, rest and recovery.

If you would like to know exactly how to combine all of these elements, then we have a few options which will help:

1. Our 28 day Stamina Training Programme - this provides you with all of the running based training you can do alongside your own gym training.

2. Our In-Season Training Programme - this covers all of your pitch and gym based training and provides you with a tried and tested daily plan to follow to get you in peak condition during the season.

3. Our Pre-Season Training Programme - this covers all of your pitch and gym based training and provides you with a tried and tested daily plan to follow in the off and pre-season to get you in peak physical condition ready for the season ahead.

4. Our Elite Training Programme - this will provide you with a fully personalised programme built around your body, goals and needs with 1-1 support.

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