Question:
I have noticed that some soccerplayers that can squat over 400 lbs, are slow? How can this be? Is it a lack of RFD or something? People that are that strong should be capable to accerelerate more than OK… ?
That’s because absolute strength is just one part of the equation. The other part is velocity.
Power = Force x Velocity
One might have the strength, but lack the “velocity” to move fast.
Still with that strenght they ought to accelerate well over a 10meter distance ,which is very important in soccer.
Agreed. Also soccer players although “occasionally” sprint during a game they conduct more like interval type runs (ie fartlek runs). The rest of the time they are doing tempo runs (back & forth). So there can be a number of factors why they are slower, genetic, not training sprint specific, etc.
If you look at some of the professional soccer players in FIFA, ie retired Maradona, they have legs like tree trunks yet they could never really accelerate like that of a sprinter. Also, partly b/c if you see a soccer player run, again even at the FIFA level, their technique is horrible. How you train (technique) affects velocity and consequently power significantly.
Good point! The type of training required for soccer can also be a factor for speed development, or lack thereof…
Also soccer speed is only minimally related to actual speed. How well you read the play and your reactions probably have much more to do with how fast you look on the field than your absolute speed levels.
That said, I would expect someone who had a big squat to be able to demonstrate good acceleration assuming that they are working on the RFD aspects of strength as well.
This will say it all to you …
Percentage of Distance Covered by soccer players
Standing 0%
Wakling 26%
Jogging 49 %
Crusining 17 %
Sprinting 8 %
Movement with Ball < 2%
I forgot to ask in my last post. What is RFD?
thanks guys
RFD= Rate of Force Development. The better your RFD, the faster you will be…
No its genetics and your bodypower/weight ratio IMO.
what planet are you living on? you think deion didn’t have any endurance to go along with that speed? lets see, started on defense at corner, played frequently at wr on offense, returned punts and kickoffs. you have to be in great shape to play over 80% of all downs in a football game. oh yea, and he played some baseball in the off-season. you think this guy wasn’t in shape? you’re right, deion couldn’t run a 4.19 dribbling a soccer ball, but he would certainly be faster than you even with the ball. he was the best all around athlete of his time and maybe of all time (right up there with bo) so i’m sure if he was so inclined to take up soccer, he would have been one of the best in the world.
Ok well re: comparing anyone with Deoin? - forget that argument Ricky as ESPN says - he is one of the best all rounders ever - and probably would have made a good soccer player too!
I do not beilieve that cycling itself can transfer over directly soccer.
The only studies I have read dispell a cross over between cycling and running.
Your strength endurance is what is being devloped here.
As I posted above - the crusing and jogging percentages are what are high - this is what cycling will improve for you.
You don’t need weights to play soccer?
I’m not sure what level you play at - but did you ever see the size of Roberto Carlos’ thighs - and don’t tell me he’s slow!
Beep testing has little relevance to sprinting or a 40
A 6 hour cycle?
One more hour and you’ll be doing as many as Armstrong!!
Again I can’t see a 6 hour cycle being of direct benefit to a soccer player.
Ricky,
Well, you conviced me. All of those stories about top sprinters squatting must mean that they are succeeding in spite of their training not because of it or…I got it…it’s probably all just a dis-information campaign to make those of us not “in the know” run slower.
Now that I know better, I’m going to give up lifting, sprinting and all of those other useless forms of speed development and focus on just riding a bike for hours a day. I bet I can get to an emaciated 145# in a few months and then by next summer I’m sure you will see me winning olympic gold in the 100m next year in Athens. Thanks for the tip!
The cycling one is good … reminds me of the 40 laps story,
One of the most successful ‘coaches’ over here is a 68 year old legend in football.
He has one more championships than anyone else by a mile.
However he doesn’t use pyschologists, nutritionists or any other ‘expert’.
His style is based on keeping things simple.
He moved to take over another new team recently.
The story goes he arrived to the first session and got out of the helicopter jogged over to the group of lads who were togged out ready to go and said two words - ‘40 laps’.
And that was the first session.
I met him and asked him recently was that the case and essentially it is true.
He doesn’t believe in stretching - but if the lads want to do it he lets them do their own stretching.
The first session of the year is 12 laps, a short break, followed by 10 laps, 8, 6, 4 etc. … which all add up to 40 laps.
As someone said for variety he lets them run in the other direction!
This will go on for 3 or 3 1/2 months, 3 or 4 times a week. Then the ballwork and short stuff will begin.
Needless to say his team are probably the fittest in the country…
But it is an interesting comparison with other teams and coaches and experts in every field etc. etc.
A six hour cycle … stills makes me laugh.
I wonder what Lance would do the 100m in?
I believe Roberto Carlos’ thighs got so big by playing soccer with a ball full of sand when it had burst because he couldn’t afford to go and buy another one… :eek:
You serious?
I saw a film clip of him standing in briefs in the brazilian changing room.
Thighs as big - possibly bigger than any sprinter I’ve seen and up there with many body builders!!
He ain’t slow either … (faster than Beckham anyway )
no23 ,that old coach you mention - sounds like he has had a real impact on coaches here in Norway. When teams in the lower divisions here decides to “really get fit” this is what they do.
When I returned to soccer after an eight year layoff ,“40 laps” is what hit me - on an ice-covered mudpitch!
I feel your pain Thor.
And yet like I said he has won more championships than anyone else.
How?
Well for team sports superior stamina can cover and hide alot of weaknesses.
… and if the Nike stat’s I posted earlier are true then only 8% of the time is speed work, the majority is crusing or tempo work.
This appraoch reminds me very much of the approach of the great Vince Lombardi who used ‘break them down to build them up’.
Alot of the success is pyscholoigical making the players feel as though they have trained hard.
no23, the stats are probably right… but I think that a midfielder has to jog and cruse much more than a striker… ex ronaldo… I think strikers need more speedwork and maybe less “laps” to run. Speed is what often makes the difference between middle-class players and top-class, and superior stamina wouldnt be enough on top level. ( and as a striker I think you only need OK stamina )