I would love some suggestions for a good cross training activities for my 11 close to 12 year old. The season ends at the end of the month and doesn't start again until March. He gets about 6 weeks off from club training, although he will be doing indoor/futsal games once a week, and some indoor/futsal pick up games during the break. But we would like him to do some other activity, preferably that involves running and core strength work, but are open to anything that will encourage use of different muscle groups than those for soccer. Right now we are considering a couple sessions a week of Parkour, in a gym setting, not on the streets! Any other suggestions would be great, maybe pick up basket ball to add to the mix?
Mirzam, my son does plyometrics as part of an academy soccer program. Good for core strength, explosiveness, injury prevention, etc. Check with health care professionals or trainers in your area.
Thanks for the suggestion. The local High School offers sessions for $10 for a 75 minutes which seems very reasonable. My son is only 11, however, do you think it would be too much for him? He is super fit and fast for his age, but I am not sure he would be able to keep up with high schoolers for 75 minutes. Thanks ETA: found another place nearby which does youth training which looks good. We will certainly check it out.
Six weeks of "active rest" would also be good for him. Pick up basketball is a good example of active rest. So is golf, hiking and swimming. The key is to do something different, low stress (mentally and physically), and fun.
I agree, but the boy needs a lot of physical activity or we all go nuts! Hence the Parkour idea, he would like nothing more than to be climbing up walls, jumping off "buildings" and running around. Thankfully, it will be done in a gym with mats. I can take him the the local rec center for youth pickup basketball after schools most days, but the trouble with him is unless he is really good at something, he is reluctant to do it. I would love to have him take break dancing or hip hop, but he just refuses! Last year he rock climbed, but that won't work this year unfortunately.
I would guess he will have no problem. My son (also 11) was mildly sore after the first couple of sessions but mainly because he was using muscles he never used before His sessions are about 60 mins and then regular academy practice in the afternoon. They are such dynamos at that age. He loves doing it too. Have him try it for a couple of sessions and see how he likes it.
Basketball is great! It translates well into soccer tactics, but also works/develops different muscles. A little futsal can be fun, but you need to be certain he's not getting burned out with soccer. Gymnastics is also a good activity, which teaches body control and balance. If he's not confident enough for gymnastics, then maybe he would be up for trying martial arts for a little while, which are also very helpful with balance and control. If you have an option locally, then even tap-dance can be good - fast footwork, body control, high level of activity and fun. rca his the nail on the head though, an active break from the sport is good.
I love the idea of cross training however, it is important to not neglect the development of the basic skills in the off season. Some people may think it's strange but I really love racket sports. I think they are great for developing explosive movements, quick reactions, and good endurance. Badminton, Squash, and Racquetball are great ways to cross train as well as spend some time with your child. On the topic of at home training. Check out these videos: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS20u1bwEI8"]At Home Soccer Dribbling[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwD3p80we5c"]At Home Soccer Passing[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSka0O07ecM"]At Home Soccer Fitness[/ame] Best of luck. Keep me posted on your progress.
