I play for a U 14 team i am a sweeper I am one of the fastest players on my team (proabably 2nd) and there weren't many people on teams in Colorado that could beat me and get on goal. however over thanksgiving when we were in a tournament we played a team where 4 or 5 of the attackers were way faster than me, not just a little. Does anyone know how I can get faster? Thankyou Arsenal Rules
Check out books or training videos on Plyometrics...it will train your muscles become more explosive. It is good for jumping, sprinting, etc... Also, bleacher training and plain ol' sprints will significantly help. The most important thing to remember is that no training program will work if you don't set up a program and STICK WITH IT! Good luck Alex
Speed is something I have been working on myself, especially over the past 12 months, and I have had quite a bit of success. I am a marking back for a U-18 club team (though i played sweeper for my U-14 team back in the day) and at least once a week my team receives speed training from two local professional trainers (one of whom is a veteran soccer player.) I'm not sure if some of the stuff I will metion count as plyometrics or not, but plyometrics will deff help. One of the best drills for increasing speed I find, is called the jump squat. Basically, you put your legs maybe a little more than shoulder length apart, and keeping your upper body straight, lower youself until your butt is almost touching the ground, making sure to keep your heels flat on the ground. Then jump up as high as you can, and come straight down onto your heels again with your butt near the ground, and repeat this in say 3 sets of however many you can do. I'd start with 5 or 10. Lunges are another good exercise for building speed. Keeping your upper body straight, take a big step forward, and bend your lead leg to a 90 degree angle and lower your other knee Almost to the ground, as if you were "taking a knee" for a pep talk without touching the ground. Push off with your lead leg, and then step forward with your other leg and repeat. STRETCHING WELL IS A MUST BEFORE THIS EXERCISE. It can make your hamstrings sore like no other exercise. If you aren't quite sure what i'm talking about, i'm sure your coach would know what a lunge is. Deep water running is a great low impact (on the joints) exercise that helps build leg strength and lung capacity. It's very difficult to describe to you but maybe your soccer coach, or a local track or cross country coach/runner could show you how it's done. It is a great off-season workout. Plain old weight lifting. Although you might be a bit young to start lifting weights, doing squats and leg presses at the local gym will help build your speed. If you decide to take this path, make sure to consult both your team coach, and especially a doctor, and perhaps a representative from your local gym. I started lifting weights at 14, but some kids are developed enough to start at 12, and some shouldn't start till they are even older. You'll have to see where you stand. WhatAKeepah is right though, plain old sprinting will definitely help your speed out. You might want to look into even getting a runner's parachute like many sprinters use, or else look around and see if there is a personal speed trainer available in your area (if you have the available finances) Most of all, keep working hard, and good luck.
I honestly don't know where you could find a parachute, though perhaps you could try looking on the internet. I will look myself when I get the chance later today and hopefully I'll find something for you. If that fails, I once worked with a trainer who had a parachute and I could contact him. Keep up the good work.