<p>While we're on the World Cup topic, I had a question about soccer...how can I improve my skills over the summer (by myself)? I'm on a club team for the summer, but I want to join our school's club team when I return to college, so I gotta do some individual work...any ideas on how to improve:</p>
<p>-Footwork/Passing/Ball-control
-Shots
-Tactics
-Strength training</p>
<p>You can do a lot of this right in your backyard, in a small amount of space. </p>
<p>These are ball related exercises. </p>
<ol>
<li>Work on your footwork. Play around with the ball in a little area you've set up- you can "rope" it off with cones or something. Practice turns, fakes, crossovers, things like that. </li>
<li>Juggle. Alternate between feet, knees, and head. You'd be surprised how much this helps you. </li>
<li>Set up a little portable goal or even an area on a wall and practice shooting. You don't necessarily have to shoot hard or anything, but practice the motion and getting the strength behind it. Work on your non-dominant foot as well. </li>
<li>Find a friend, a sibling and have them pass the ball to you. Start out with your feet, but then work towards them throwing the ball and you either hitting it back (with head, knees, etc) or trapping it. </li>
</ol>
<p>These are getting into actual fitness training.
4. Run laps with the ball.
5. Sprints and long runs. </p>
<p>I can't help you much with the weight training. </p>
<p>I hope this helps a little bit. This is always what I did over the summer to train. I used to be a soccer player (14 years) until I injured my knee and can't play anymore. So I sort of know what I'm talking about. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Weight training...legs:</p>
<p>Only weight train your legs every five/six days or so. These are big muscles and need lots of time to recover.</p>
<p>The trick is to try and do as much as you can, dont put too little weight on that you squat more than six reps...but dont put too much on that you cant do four. Aim for four-six reps...and repeat for three to four sets. Rest about two minutes in between each set so you can focus better on pushing the weight.</p>
<p>Do them in this order:
Squats
Deadlift
Leg Press
Leg Curls/extension
Calf Raises</p>
<p>You can probably do calf raises three days or so since your calfs get the most use, and should be ready within three days time to work out again.</p>
<p>Thanks for the tips! I generally do ball control and intense dribbling/foundations for about three hours a day, and that leaves me exhausted. Should I cut back, add more?</p>
<p>Make sure to stretch for 20-30 minutes a day. Hold each stretch for 15-30 seconds.</p>
<p>that 3 hours a day sounds about what i did when i was in middle school. back then soccer was my life. anyway, juggling is probably what got me so good with ball control, so i'd definitely suggest that. if i had nothing to do, i'd go outside and juggle, for hours upon hours. my parents thought I was crazy. </p>
<p>for strength training, i did circuit training. you have 5-8 strength training exercises, you do each exercise for 2-3 minutes, and just keep rotating. it's a good way to work everything and it gets your heart going pretty good. </p>
<p>Shots... you can't really do anything but practice. I played defense and keeper, so i don't know too much about shooting. Just make friends with a keeper, and you two will have a lot of fun. </p>
<p>I played soccer for 10 years, injured my knee, now... nothing. it's kinda sad. I guess i'm not the only one though. good luck with everything!</p>
<p>I play varsity soccer down here in SoCal.</p>
<p>I would suggest juggling and just touching the ball with every part of your body. You can't do anything more than just getting touches on the ball. If you need work passing, you just need to get with your group and play. As far as shooting, either you can shoot or you can't. Try and go somewhere with a net (I have on in my backyard) and work on your technique, see what works and what doesn't, and when you find the style that fits you, work on it. As far as strength, if you want to do something not involving weights, runs stadiums or hills. For endurance, I don't know, just play. I've never been great as far as sprints or distance running, but I have the endurance to play a full game. Just get game minutes so you can see what it takes and you know when you can conserve energy and all that. </p>
<p>No drill is going to help you more than just playing, whether it be possession, small side games, or a scrimmage. Juggling will help your touch, but no drill is going to be able to recreate a game situation.</p>