You Run Like a…Soccer Player!

Even though soccer is played on 100-ish meter pitch, it is still a game of inches.  With that in mind it’s good to consider some little things that can improve a players ability to gain more than a few inches as they sprint down the field.  One thing that I have noticed with a lot of young soccer players is that they run like…well, girls!  Sorry if that is politically incorrect but sometimes we can be honest can’t we?  What I mean is that a lot of soccer players run with elbows out, with minimal arm swing, improper leg alignment, and with their butts sticking out.  Elbows-out is okay if you’re shielding someone away from the ball but you don’t need it when you’re just running flat out.  Proper arm swing helps your overall transfer of power, as does proper leg-torso alignment.  If the old butt is sticking out then there is improper pelvis tilt, which usually means weak hip flexors.  I’ve done biomechanical analyses on a lot of athletes over the years and I hate to say it but soccer players are usually the worst.  This is understandable because we learn to walk as a child and eventually start running and no one analyzes how we do it as long as we don’t break our mom’s furniture doing it.

     Here is just one simple way for a coach to watch his/her players and help them have better form.  And of course better form means faster.

1.  Set up a straight 20-meter running lane along one of the sidelines.  Have your player(s) sprint towards you from one end towards you.

2.   Watch their arm swing.  Each hand should swing from near the chin to their imaginary back pocket.  Arms should not cross paths and elbows should be in tight to the body with hands relaxed.

3.   Observe their feet.  Feet should straddle the sideline as they run and point forward with some minor deviation.  Knees, shoulders and feet should line up as they take steps.

4.   Have them sprint again but you move 90-degrees to the side and watch for the same things.

5.    Watch how far they lift their knees as they sprint and how far their back- side sticks out.  If this is an issue have them focus on lifting their knees and tucking their bottom under them as they run.

6.   Lastly, watch how much the shoulders pivot forward and back as they run.  There should only be minimal movement.

 

As you work with your players to improve their form it is wise to make small adjustments.  If you do too much too fast they risk injury.  I guarantee that with a little form improvement players get faster and that translates to better outcomes.