Running
Running is an important aspect in any physically demanding sport. Running is extremely crucial in soccer, but players and coaches must be aware of the different types of running in order to not focus on one type of running and conditioning in their training. Soccer is more of a power and speed game as players must be able to transition from a jog to a sprint and then into a jump which all require power, speed, and agility. As the game becomes more intense and legs begin to become more heavy, players must be mentally prepared to continue running and persevere through the game. Endurance running and power runs or sprints are the two biggest types of running used in soccer. In this guide I will focus on the form and uses of both endurance running and sprinting in soccer.
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Video on Types of Running and Form
Video made by Serafin Olguin on Running and the form for Sprinting and Endurance
Endurance
As players have to be ready to run for ninety minutes in a soccer game, they to have to pace themselves in the game and not use up to much energy in one point of the game or the other. Endurance running is all about pacing ones self in order to reach the designated distance in the shortest amount of time, thus making endurance running very important for soccer players. Players run about 48% of the game according to Reilly T, which include jogging, and sprinting, this means that players must be constantly moving and ready to receive and distribute the ball which attentiveness and concentration.
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Form for Endurance Running
Form and technique for running is crucial as if the form is flawed the run will increase in difficulty which increases possibility of injury. The form is important in every part of the body including the head, chest, arms, and legs. The cardinal aspect in the form for a runner is the head. The head must be kept straight and not tilt to far down or to far high or the rest of the body will falter in form and breathing. The next most important part is the shoulders and arms which will be affected by the heads positioning. The arms must be no less than 45 degrees and no more than 90 degrees other wise the arms and shoulders will start to tire, also inhaling and exhaling will be more difficult as the lungs are being compressed in an unnatural position. Whatever the arms do the legs will follow so as the left arm goes forward and upward the right leg will follow, when the right arm goes forward and upward the left leg will follow. The shoulders must also be relaxed so that the arms can easily move back and forth and so that the muscles in the shoulders do not cramp or tense up. Form must be kept continuous and relaxed and always kept in mind along with the game.
Uses of Endurance Running in Soccer
Endurance running is important in soccer physically but more importantly mentally. Endurance runners learn to be consistent and determined with their breathing patterns, pace, and hydration as soccer players do. Endurance runners although must be extremely light which in effect means that they must attain the least amount of weight but still be able to run for the required distance. This means that endurance runners are extremely skinny compared to sprinters or soccer players as muscle on an endurance runner would wear them down. Mentally endurance runners have to be determined to run and run for as long as they can keeping in mind their physical condition, pace, and place in the race. In this reason soccer players have to be mentally ready like endurance runners keeping in mind their, physical condition, pace, position on the field, and anticipation for the ball.
Sprinting and Acceleration
Sprinting is the fastest form of running consisting of mostly power in the thighs and arms in order to get past players and beat opponents to loose passes, headers, and shots. Form and technique is extremely important in sprinting and requires the whole body to be in synchronization and in control. Acceleration is the speeding up of something or the rate in change of velocity (Webster Dictionary). Players must be able to accelerate as quickly as they can in order to beat a defender or attacker, and coaches try as many explosive drills that require jumping and quick reactions in order to help their players practice that quick acceleration and sprint.
Form for Sprinting and Acceleration
Technique for soccer players follows the same basis that of an Olympic sprinter. Olympic sprinters have a set distance for where they are to run unlike soccer players who may run towards the ball and then 5 yards into space then slow down and sprint back to where they started, there running and movement is much more staggered and on & off compared to a sprinters. Form although is very similar and crucial in gaining speed. Soccer players have to be aware of the ball as they are sprinting which can make them slow down in order to accelerate towards it while sprinters have to worry about their form which is that crucial otherwise they will tire, slow down, and or injure themselves. In sprinters form the head must be facing forward and leaned a bit in order to gain some momentum and velocity. The arms should be at a 90 degree angle and in synchronization with the knees and legs. Breaking the 90 degree angle with your arms will result in slowing down of the sprint. While sprinting whatever the elbows do the knees will do, as the left elbow goes up the right knee will go up, vise versa. The last part is that the shoulders should be relaxed other wise the muscles in the shoulders will tense up and maybe even cramp. Following correct form and technique is key in getting in front of players and first to the ball.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23168374
https://youtu.be/GrPvZWVtuuc (Sprinting v Distance)
http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/sprintingtechnique.html (Form for Sprinting)
https://youtu.be/GrPvZWVtuuc (Sprinting v Distance)
http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/sprintingtechnique.html (Form for Sprinting)