Best way to build strength for soccer

He doesn't need massive muscles. Do the basics: squats, burpees, calf lifts. And then focus on other stuff like balance and agility, sprints and endurance (should be able to do a mile in about 6 mins). But mostly focus on developing technique and IQ in my opinion.

 

If your kid, boy or girl has hit puberty and they're serious about the sport they need to be in the weight room.
Strength,agility, and conditioning are separate and all important.
In my day as an endurance athlete we did a lot of low weight high rep stuff which didn't improve us.
Several years later as a coach we pushed our swimmers to focus on developing strength which made measurable improvement.
To me, strength makes everything better.
I got my kid in the weight room at 15. First year we focused on a smooth transition then proper form, doing Olympic type lifts- squat,deadlift,bench, and single legged variations. Only late that first year(3 month winterplan,) did we start to maximize lifts.
Year two, transition, then maximize gains, then more power movements with faster bar speed.
Year three, less focus on Max strength, and focus on ballistic lifts focusing more on power and power to speed. Started to combine this into agility movements and plyo.
This winter, he was focused as much on upper body. It's making a difference. We were starting to get into contrast training but have been lucky enough to meet a pro level performance coach. Since the kid is already a beast focus is now on soccer specific coordination and economy.
Probably should have been working on that all along but not sure if I have the knowledge to be detailed enough.
This is a physical game, players need to prepare to the best of their ability.
Do not trust your club coaches to provide any guidance for what to do individually. We never got one suggestion. Just those stupid videos during Covid.
Getting stronger can prevent injuries and is a good confidence booster.
My kid is playing against guys who are all older with college careers under their belts. Because of his strength my kid has no fears when he steps on the field.
There are many routes to take here and I think it depends on what your kid needs, what they will enjoy working on, perhaps relative to their position and how they like to play.
Technical- Tactical-Physical-Mental.
You need a complete plan and remember your club and lazy DOC and coach are only part of that

 

You don't necessarily need weights. It's possible to perform basic muscle conditioning without them. Although having dumbbells help.

For me personally, Tony Horton's P90X was a godsend.

https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/p...referralprogramid=P90X&trainername=TonyHorton

You can technically download these videos online illegally if money is a problem, but if you can afford it, do the decent and honest thing.

 

This has always frustrated me. I'd add HS coaches in there, too, since they have access to weight-training facilities but, in my son's experience, did next to nothing with it. I'd guess the short HS season and the need to get a roster of kids who don't all play soccer full time up to some kind of game speed are the reasons, but frustrating nonetheless.

 

I get it, but I'd always hoped the summer practices ahead of the fall season here would include some weight training and a little more every week once they started playing. It always seemed like a missed opportunity.

But from the perspective of the coaches, I'm sure the half of the roster that showed up for summer practices out of shape and/or lacking soccer experience needed running and touches above all else.

 

Sorry if my mention of weight training created confusion. I say weights mainly because the school coaches always had access to decent weight-training equipment. And I'm by no means an expert -- my son likes resistance bands quite a bit after working a little with an outside trainer.

FWIW, based on watching a lot of soccer through his teen years, any kind of core work for balance and the ability to take (and deliver) contact seems smart to me.

 

Mostly UPSL will be a much higher level than a high school team. So most likely the HS coach is a typical one who really doesn't understand the game very deeply. Or he is more traditional American and values physicality over technique.
Personally I believe in focusing more on technique. But of course you must have good speed and stamina. As far as being "buff" or whatever... not too necessary. Look at Pulisic, the best American player, he's kinda skinny, at 5'10" and weighing about 160 lbs.
And he's playing in the Premier League and for the National Team.

Even some of the USA's best players of the past, like Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey, where somewhat diminutive in stature (Donovan was not skinny I would say, but short, and Dempsey was tall but thin).
The more thicker or muscular Americans aren't exactly the best. Eg Gyasi Zardes or Jordan Morris.

If you look more globally then you'll see a very wide range of bodies but certainly a large number of thin players like Iniesta, Phil Foden, Dembele, or Neymar, etc etc. Too many to list.

 

Also it depends on his position and their style. A striker or a goalie for example would benefit from some mass. A winger less so.

 

That's good advice for a kid expecting considerable growth ..
For the rest, forget about what you think phil foden is or isn't doing.
Let ok at what can give your kid the advantage now or getting to the next level.
Go check out some top tier D1 games. It's fast physical and balls out.
99.9 percent of your kids teammates have jelly arms and can't do 3 quality push ups ..
It is a low hurdle to be better than everyone else.
Any plan will help your kid

 

Most likely the UPSL coach is a better evaluator of talent than the HS coach.
A lot of top clubs don't even let their kids play HS soccer.
That said some weightlifting won't hurt. Can take supplements and eat more to add mass.

 

I saw this video on twitter and thought it was appropriate here. It's this kid who "is barely 13 yrs old" who plays on the Philly Union academy. In the vid apparently he's playing with the 17s against 19s if I'm understanding the caption. Apparently his older brother plays for the MLS Union team.
The kid is the short one with blond hair. You can see he's small but he has high technical ability and good iQ. finding the space to dribble into, using agility, or releasing the ball quickly. Gets pushed around a bit but this shows you don't need to be physically massive to compete.

My little brother Cavan Sullivan barely 13 years old, promoted to the 17s, and playing against 19s. Still ballin’ 💫💫@sullivan_cavan pic.twitter.com/TOIhsPyYd8

— Quinn Sullivan (@QuinnSullivan33) February 20, 2023

I personally was a more physical player in HS but I also did not learn good technique. I will teach my kid technique as the main priority. The way to go against bigger opponents is to use your agility advantage (due to lower) and to use your body to shield ball. If you get knocked down then you earn the free kick.

 

More anecdotal outliers ...
It's not either or... Need to have max focus on all aspects of preparation.
I'm not talking gaining mass... And if it was that easy everyone would look like Arnold.
But suit yourselves