Conditioning over vacation

[PSsoccer123]

I am an incoming freshman and the ten days before preseason I am on vacation in Colorado. I have been running 2-3 miles a day in the summer as well as swimming laps and practicing soccer. I am looking to make varsity and for varsity we have to get a 13 on the beep test. I think I can do this now but would like to keep fitness up. Does anyone have any ideas about what to do while on vacation? most of the time I won't have much space I am guessing. I won't know where to run because I have never been there and wouldn't know where to go and our relatives have too small a back yard to run there. Does anyone know exercises I could do in place, such as jump roping, because I don't want to not make the team because of lack of fitness because of vacationing. Any input would be greatly appreciated

[dienasty]

just stay on a good diet and you wont have to overdo yourself on vacation. about 3 miles a day will help you maintain. but in order to get better about 5 miles and some sprints. but personally i dont like the american way and i like to get in shape just by kicking a ball around and running after it.

[slurchieuno]

I am not sure if you just want stuff that deals with running, but here are a few things you can do for strength without any equipment. Push ups, sit ups, abdominal twists, lunges, side lunges, calf raises, wall sit, squats, and step ups. I hope this helps.
I also had a question I wanted to throw out there. I am just beginning to play soccer and wanted to know which is more important. Is conditioning or practicing, because I would like to get into shape but I know if I plan on playing in a leagues (mostly recreational to start) I will have to do both some way. Since, I have heard that if you are conditioning, especially, if you are working your muscles conditioning you don’t want to go race around the soccer field too soon. If anyone could give me their opinion on that. Thanks.

[Renegades]

Both practice and conditioning are very vital parts in being a good player, when it comes down to it, practice is more important. If you think about it, even while practicing your doing conditioning of some sort. But while strictly conditioning your not doing any real practice, unless of course while your running you have a ball at your feet. In your case specificly, i'd say practice is more important than conditioning, especialy in pre-season. If you have a good coach, he'll see to it that each of his players are well conditioned...no questions asked. So for now, just practice allot, as well as some conditioning, but make practice a higher priority right now instead of conditioning. Then during the season really focus on staying in shape.

[soccermainiac2003]

where in colorado?

[PSsoccer123]

i am not sure of the name of the town, but it is right outside Denver.
Slurchieno: Thanks for the advice. But what are side lunges and calf raises? Thanks

[dienasty]

if you are playing rec, get your ball skills up and then worry about conditioning. if you have both it makes playing the game so much easier

[PSsoccer123]

The reason I am worrying about conditioning so much is because I have to get a 13 on the beep test to make varsity. I have never taken the beep test but I have heard that getting a 13 is very hard.

[slurchieuno]

Slurchieno: Thanks for the advice. But what are side lunges and calf raises? Thanks[/QUOTE]

Calf raises: Stand with both feet on the ground. Lift up onto the toes, hold, and then slowly return your heels to the floor.

Side lunges: Begin the same way you would for a lunge but instead of stepping forward, you step sideways, while your trunk remains facing forward. This works your hip muscles and your backside.

PS Hopes this helps. BTW, not to make my advice sound crazy but I got these workouts from "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Soccer'. For a book that should be for people with no clue about soccer mostly. It has some good advice in it.

[<<#7-XISCO>>]

Just go to a park and play soccer with friends or strangers from 5:00 PM til the sun goes down, thats what I've been doing on and off during the summer.

[PSsoccer123]

I got back late last night and had a great time in Colorado. I was there 10 days and only ran 4 of them and the workouts weren't extremely rough, but thanks to the altitude (9,500 feet) I didn't lose anything.Thank you all for your input, everything really helped. I was able to get a copy of the beep test and ran it with exactly a 13. Preseason starts Saturday. I probably will be able to get better than that now that I know how to pace yourself in the beginning, etc. Thanks again.