Core body strength is critical to elite athlete performance. And when it comes to high school soccer players seeking the college soccer or professional soccer ranks, the core body becomes increasingly important to the overall youth player development program. Introducing core strength and conditioning exercises into the player development program is a wise move for those players entering their high school careers.
Why is core body strength important?
The core of the body is similar to the foundation of a building. Without a strong foundation, all other aspects of the building are subject to the foundation’s weak performance and susceptible to its failure. For the human body, especially for an aspiring college soccer or pro soccer player, core body strength is where much of the player’s performance originates. The core body serves as the hub, connecting an athlete’s upper body and lower body, and delivering a ripple effect of strength and endurance or weakness and failure to the rest of the body.
Strong and stable core muscles efficiently and effectively coordinate movement to the spine, legs, and arms. Core body strength and endurance is a crucial component of balance, speed, change of direction, power, shielding the ball, quick acceleration as well as quick deceleration, stabilizing posture, precision and control of rotation within the lower extremities, agility, high-velocity pivots, 90-plus-minute endurance, proper form and technique, breathing and injury prevention.
Soccer Player Injury Prevention
“One way to avoid initial or reoccurring ACL injury is for players to maintain fitness and training schedules throughout the season. Focusing on strength and conditioning of a player’s core, hip and thigh muscles in relation to common soccer movements will help players avoid initial injury as well as re-injury to an ACL” writes Dr. Riley Williams III for the Hospital for Special Surgery, which ranks as the top in orthopedics in the United States 11 years in a row, according to U.S. News (https://www.hss.edu/playbook/top-3-reasons-soccer-players-are-at-risk-for-acl-injuries/).
Core body strength is a critical component to the injury prevention plan for all players, especially as players begin transitioning from their youth careers to the game beyond. Among the most devastating injuries soccer players are susceptible to are knee injuries, specifically Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries. And according to numerous academic medical studies, female athletes are more susceptible to ACL injuries, caused in part by a lack of core body strength.
Injury Prevention for Female Soccer Players
“The anatomy of an athlete, especially female soccer players, can contribute to the potential risk of an ACL injury for the following reasons: Female soccer athletes differ from male athletes because of the alignment of their hips and knees. This difference is associated with knee valgus alignment, which increases the likelihood of ACL injury especially when movements are completed in high velocity. The femoral notch, where the ACL lives, tends be more narrow in females than in males. So if the knee or femur twists around the tibia the ACL is impinged upon by bone causing injury. Developing studies also have indicated that hormonal changes in women can impact the likelihood of sustaining an ACL injury,” Williams writes.
What is core body strength?
When referring to core body strength, muscle groups such as the abdominal and back muscles are usually referenced. Though, other muscles such as the gluteus maximus can also be included. Overall, the core muscle groups include:
- The muscles that extend diagonally from the pelvis to the ribs, which are the Internal and external obliques.
- The muscles the span the head, through the spine, and to the pelvis, which are the multifidus and erector spinae.
- The muscles that comprise the region known as the beloved abdominal region known as the six pack, which are the rectus abdominis.
- The muscles located on each side of the naval, which are the traverse abdominis.
Core Body Strength & Conditioning Exercises
Do all exercises in rapid succession, meaning no more than 30 seconds between each activity, preferably executing the next activity within 10-15 seconds. For a strong, disciplined athlete, the entire session should take approximately 19-24 minutes maximum, when done with only 10-15 seconds of a break between exercises. There should be no more than 30 seconds rest or transition between each activity.
The exercises are listed in the order to be performed, allowing amble rest period between muscle groups. Ensure you maintain solid form, remaining rigid, sharp, disciplined in execution.
For those who are not fit, beginners, 5 repetitions per core activity may be a good start. Whereas for those who are relatively fit, 10 may be a good. For seasoned athletes, 15-30 repetitions may great achievements to build or maintain your strength and conditioning pre, during, or post season. If consistency is maintained in scheduling, results will reveal themselves within two weeks, significant results within two months. This means, as an example, athletes can expect a reduction in injuries, a reduction in back pain, improved balance, improved speed, response and reaction (vertical, lateral and otherwise).
Depending on the type of athlete and desired results, this plan is ideal to schedule 2-3 times weekly (TU/TH or MO/WE/FR). Whereas for maintenance during season, as an example, once weekly may be a great option.
Jumping Jacks (Side Straddle Hop) – 100-150 (4 count)
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HApmauapA0
* NOTE: maintain rigid discipline and knife hand
Push Up (Front Leaning Rest) – 10-20 (4 count)
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVE–yvsDB0
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rICgEMAzc2w
* NOTE: optional to perform all push ups on fingers for throat death grip
Squat Bender – 10-20 (4 count) –
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5Z_rvIRY80
Rower (modified sit up) – 10-20 (4 count) – feet never touch ground as option –
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfW8K8qLOt4
Forward Lunge – 10-20 (4 count) –
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vYROBJiZZ4
Bend & Reach – 10-20 (4 count)
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yofbopcNG8
Flutter Kick – 10-20 (4 count)
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj_kN0MffVo
Up-Downs (without push up) – 10-20 (4 count)
* NOTE: like burpee without push up; maintain rigid composure; work toward going from push up upper position to standing with control via hands
Rear Lunge – 10-20 (4 count)
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7-d7U3VvlI
Prone Row – 10-20 (4 count)
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnRIUoZ2oYI
Ski Jumper – 10-20 (4 count)
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vuoRfEgLFg
* NOTE: hands and fingers interlaced behind head
The Windmill – 10-20 (4 count) –
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA4BkcBeaXk
Bent Leg Body Twist – 10-20 (4 county)
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqdHYggvDhY
Mountain Climber – 10-20 (4 count)
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r-nveZJTsE
* NOTE: optional to perform all push ups on fingers for throat death grip
Planks – Full Plank / Left Side Plank / Right Side Plank – 30-60 Seconds Each
- https://youtu.be/lstVIbf1Svs
- Depending on endurance, perform the following planks from 30 to 60 seconds each, ensuring your form is flawless before extending your time. Among the three different planks to ensure you perform: Forearm Plank and Side Plank (left and right). Bonus options include: One Armed Plank (great balance), Classic (or Full) Plank, Plank Side Jumps (10 to 30 from one side and back), Leg Lifting Planks (10 to 30), .
