Q & A

ANNOUNCEMENTS –See Two Goalkeeper’s Off-Season Plyometrics Training on the Pics Section. These two keepers have come to me for the added edge. One is playing in England and other is playing in Holland.

Rope Pull

This month's article highlights a great exercise for the goalkeeper position - the rope pull using the sled as resistance. Because of the thickness of the rope at 1¾ inches, it targets the muscles in the forearms and hands. Performing this exercise with heavy weight makes it great not only for grip strength, but overall conditioning as well. Watch the video below and see two Division I goalkeepers getting after it and that is exactly why they are at the top of their games. Grip training is overlooked in goalkeeper training regiments and should be a staple in every workout. A goalkeeper's hands are the most important equipment they have and by strengthening them you will not only help the goalkeeper catch anything in sight, but also it will help prevent jammed fingers and wrists. I can't stress enough that the number one goal of strength training is injury prevention. If you are a goalkeeper coach or a goalkeeper yourself, start grip training as soon as possible. Remember grip training is very taxing to the nervous system and should only be performed two to three times a week.

Q & A

This is a question I received about the tire flipping in my last newsletter

How is this (tire flipping) specific to soccer?

Where or when in a game would you make this kind of movement?

I'd be very interested in your justification of it's use.

Thanks,

Iain

A Iain,
Thank you for the question, I was hoping someone would ask this. Now I know you are paying attention. Would you ever have the need to literally flip a tire in the game of soccer? Absolutely not. But in terms of the rapid and forceful hip extension required in just about any sport, such as sprinting, jumping and changing direction, it's relevance to the sport of soccer becomes clear. I put this article in my newsletter to show that soccer players need to be just as strong as any other athlete, such as the American football player, when it comes to strengthening the muscles required for hip extension. Aside from increasing strength, tire flipping has great benefits in terms of conditioning as well, no need to discuss that relevance to soccer.

I hope this answers your question.

Thanks

Mark

Question and Answer Section:

You can ask Mark any question dealing with Strength and Conditioning for Soccer players and he will address two or three questions each month.

Mark now has his strength training manual Williams Soccer Strength Method available on his website!