Soccer training that lasts 90 minutes.
Repeat sprints, sharp cuts and healthy knees. Here's what soccer demands and how to train for it, from a Certified Athletic Trainer.
The short version
- Soccer is intermittent: a big aerobic base with hundreds of sprints, stops and cuts on top.
- ACL, hamstring and groin injuries are the big three, and all respond to targeted training.
- Replace most long, slow runs with repeat-sprint and interval work.
- Injury-prevention work like Nordic curls and FIFA 11+ belongs in every week, all year.
Soccer training has to build the engine to sprint again and again, the strength to cut and stop, and the control to protect the knees and hamstrings. A soccer game is 90 minutes of jogging punctuated by sprints, sudden stops, jumps and changes of direction. The players who stand out late in games are the ones who can still repeat those efforts. With MB, every soccer athlete starts with an assessment by a Certified Athletic Trainer (BOC-ATC), then trains for speed, durability and the injuries the sport is known for.
This guide is for high school, college and adult soccer players, and the parents of younger athletes, who want training built around the sport instead of a generic gym program.
From the coach: Matt has trained collegiate, ECNL and ECRL soccer players. The ACL, hamstring and repeat-sprint work in this guide is what he uses with them.
What soccer demands
Soccer is an intermittent sport: lots of moderate running with hundreds of short, hard efforts layered on top. Training has to build both the aerobic base and the sprint.
Coach's demand profile
Soccer: what the sport asks for
Rated 1–5 by how much each quality decides performance and injury risk in soccer. Position changes the weighting.
A lot of soccer conditioning is long, slow running. That builds the base but ignores the sprints, cuts and landings that decide games and cause injuries.
Where soccer players get hurt
Injury reduction isn't a separate program. It's built into every session, aimed at the injuries this sport is known for.
| Injury | Why it happens | What to train |
|---|---|---|
| ACL tears | Poor landing and cutting mechanics, knee collapsing inward, weak hips and hamstrings. Female players are at notably higher risk. | Landing and cutting technique, hip and hamstring strength, structured warm-ups like FIFA 11+ |
| Hamstring strains | Sprinting at high speed while fatigued, weak eccentric hamstring strength | Nordic hamstring curls, regular top-speed sprint exposure |
| Groin / adductor strains | Kicking, cutting and side-to-side movement with weak adductors | Copenhagen planks and adductor strengthening |
| Ankle sprains | Cutting, landing and contact on uneven footing | Balance, ankle strength and landing control |
| Knee pain (patellar tendon) | Repeated jumping, sprinting and high training volume | Tendon loading and smart weekly training load |
Want this built for your sport and position? MB Online coaching starts with a movement assessment and builds your program around what it finds and your season.
The tests worth tracking
You can't train what you don't measure. These are the numbers that matter most for soccer, retested through the year so progress is visible instead of assumed.
| Test | What it tells us |
|---|---|
| Single-leg hop tests | Shows left-right differences in power and landing control |
| Drop-jump landing screen | Checks for the knee collapsing inward on landing, a known ACL risk pattern |
| Hamstring + adductor strength | The two muscle groups most often strained in soccer |
| 10- and 30-meter sprint | Acceleration and top speed |
| Repeat-sprint or shuttle test | How well speed holds up across repeated efforts |
| Ankle dorsiflexion (knee-to-wall) | Limited ankle range changes how the knee absorbs landings |
| SFMA movement screen | Finds mobility versus control problems behind pain or poor movement |
How to train for soccer
1. ACL and injury reduction, every week
Landing, cutting and deceleration drills plus hamstring, hip and adductor strength. Programs like FIFA 11+ and Nordic hamstring curls have strong research support for lowering injury rates when done consistently.
2. Speed and repeat sprints
Acceleration and top-speed sprinting once or twice a week, plus repeat-sprint conditioning that mirrors the game instead of long jogs.
3. Single-leg strength
Split squats, step-ups, single-leg deadlifts and lateral lunges build strength the way soccer uses it: one leg at a time.
4. Aerobic base, done efficiently
Tempo runs and small-sided game conditioning build the engine without stacking up junk miles.
5. Load management
We plan around club, school and tournament schedules so lifting supports the season instead of competing with it.
The training year
| Phase | Focus | Strength sessions / week |
|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Build strength and aerobic base; fix weak links from the screen | 3–4 |
| Pre-season | Sharpen speed, repeat sprints and cutting; ramp up running | 2–3 |
| In-season | Maintain strength, keep injury-prevention work, protect recovery | 1–2 |
Many soccer players play year-round, between club, school and tournaments. That makes short, consistent in-season strength work more important, not less.
A sample off-season week
- Day 1: Lower-body strength + hamstring and adductor work
- Day 2: Acceleration and top-speed sprints + landing drills
- Day 3: Upper body + core, aerobic tempo runs
- Day 4: Power: jumps, single-leg strength, repeat-sprint conditioning
Each session runs about 60 minutes and starts with a sport-specific warm-up. Exact exercises and loads come from the athlete's assessment.
Who's coaching you
MB is led by Matt Bridges, a BOC-Certified Athletic Trainer, a credential built on injury prevention, rehab and return to play, not just exercise. The same program can handle an athlete coming back from an injury and one chasing the next level.
Athletes Matt has worked with
- NFL players
- MLB players
- Division I swimmers
- Collegiate basketball players
- Collegiate soccer players
- ECNL + ECRL soccer players
- Collegiate tennis athletes
- Collegiate golfers
BOC-ATC · SFMA · Functional Range Release · Graston Technique · Exos Performance Specialist
Coming back from an injury? Read training after physical therapy.
Common questions
Can training really prevent ACL injuries in soccer?
No program prevents every injury, but structured neuromuscular training (landing, cutting, strength and balance work) has been shown in research to meaningfully lower ACL injury rates, especially in female players.
Should soccer players lift weights?
Yes. Strength training improves sprint speed, jumping and change of direction, and makes muscles and tendons more resistant to strains.
How do soccer players improve endurance without losing speed?
Replace most long, slow runs with interval and repeat-sprint work, and keep sprinting at full speed every week.
Is this appropriate for youth players?
Yes. Youth players benefit the most from learning to land, cut and lift with good technique early. Athletes under 18 train with a parent's consent.
Can I do sports performance training online?
Yes. MB Online builds your soccer program in the MB app: video-guided workouts, form-check reviews, check-ins and direct messaging with your coach. Training is planned around your team schedule, games and season.
How do I get started?
Start the free online movement assessment in the MB app. You film a few simple tests, and Matt reviews every one personally before recommending a plan. In San Diego, you can also train 1:1 with Matt in Pacific Beach.
Train for soccer, from anywhere.
Start with the free movement assessment in the MB app. Matt reviews every one personally, then builds your program around your sport, position and season. Athletes under 18 need a parent or guardian's consent.
In San Diego? Train 1:1 with Matt in Pacific Beach.
This guide is educational and is not medical advice. MB provides strength, conditioning and movement coaching and does not diagnose or treat injuries. If you have an active injury, pain that's getting worse or a recent concussion, see a physician before training.