Whether you’re looking to get in shape during the off-season, or looking for ways to improve your fitness level from the comfort of your own home, there are plenty of effective indoor workouts you can do without stress.
You can perform these workouts with little to no equipment and they can improve your athleticism and lower your risk of soccer injuries.
As a result, they are great options for beginners.
Effective Indoor Soccer Workouts
When the cold weather hits and the snow starts to fly, outdoor training or workout loses its appeal faster than a stale fruitcake.
Indoor soccer workouts provide a cozy alternative with benefits that’ll have you feeling more pumped up than a sock stuffed with batteries.
To maximize the benefits, do these workouts:
Bodyweight Squats
Bodyweight squats are one of the most effective exercises for building leg strength and endurance.
It works the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, which are all critical muscles for soccer players.
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, keeping your feet parallel and your toes pointing forward.
- Engage your core and glutes by pulling your belly button in towards your spine and squeezing your glutes.
- Begin the movement by bending your knees and pushing your hips back as if you were sitting in a chair. Keep your weight on your heels and your chest lifted.
- Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go without losing your balance.
- Pause at the bottom of the squat for a moment, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
- As you rise back up, make sure to keep your chest lifted and your core engaged.
- Repeat the movement for several reps, aiming to complete 10-12 reps per set.
- As you become more comfortable with the movement, you can increase the difficulty.
Plank Workout
Plank exercises are a great way to build core strength and stability, which are so important for soccer players.
How to do it:
- Start by positioning yourself on the ground, face down.
- Prop yourself up onto your forearms and toes, keeping your elbows directly under your shoulders.
- Engage your core muscles by pulling your stomach in towards your spine, and keep your back straight and your hips level.
- Hold the plank position for as long as you can, aiming to hold it for at least 30 seconds for a start.
- As you hold the plank position, focus on breathing deeply and evenly, taking slow, controlled breaths.
- Avoid letting your hips sag towards the ground or hiking them up too high, as this can cause strain on your lower back.
- If you feel any pain or discomfort during the exercise, stop immediately and take a break.
- When you feel comfortable with the standard plank, you can increase the difficulty by holding the position for longer periods of time or by adding variations such as side planks or plank jacks.
When it comes to planking, make sure to maintain proper alignment and hold your form like your life depends on it. It’s better to cut your time short and do it right than to do it wrongly and risk getting injured.
Push-Ups
Push-ups are a classic exercise that is great for building upper body strength and endurance. It works the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core, which are all important muscles for soccer players.
How to do it:
- Start in a high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart or slightly wider.
- Position your hands so that if you drew a straight line from your chest or nipple down, it would be directly over your thumbnails. Depending on your strength and experience, you can angle your hands in a way that feels comfortable for you, but a good rule of thumb is to have your middle finger pointing straight away from you.
- Place your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider, making sure your body is in a straight line from the top of your head to your heels.
- Brace your core and glutes, and look a few inches in front of your fingers to lengthen your neck.
- Begin to bend your elbows, making sure they are a few inches from your body and creating an arrow shape when viewed from the top. Avoid flaring your elbows out in a “T” shape.
- Pause when your chest is a few inches from the ground or at a 90-degree angle or less, then push into the floor to return to the plank position.
- Throughout the exercise, keep your core and glutes engaged to maintain proper form.
Burpees Workout
Burpees are a full-body exercise that is great for building strength, speed, and endurance. It improves the chest, shoulders, triceps, quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core, and also helps to improve cardiovascular fitness.
How to do it:
- Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, your back straight, your chest out, and your arms at your sides.
- Drop into a squat by bending your knees and driving them out slightly past your toes while bringing your butt down. Keep your feet flat on the floor and place your hands on the floor (palms down) in front of your feet.
- Kick your legs back into a high plank position, keeping your body in a straight line from shoulders to heels. Lock your arms in place, keep your head straight, and eyes looking slightly ahead.
- Lower toward the ground by bending your elbows and bringing your body toward the floor while keeping your core tight and body straight.
- Rise back to the high plank position, again focusing on keeping your body straight.
- Return to a squat position by jumping your legs forward and making sure your feet are flat on the floor. Your positioning at the end of this move should be the same as in Step 2.
- Finally, jump! Reach your arms up as you explosively launch toward the ceiling, then land in the original standing position and repeat the process from Step 1.
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Side Lunges
Side lunges are an excellent exercise to work on your lateral movement and agility on the field.
How to do it:
- Begin by standing up straight with your feet together.
- Take a wide step with your left leg to the side of you. Both your toes should be pointed in the same direction, and your feet should be flat on the floor.
- Bend your left knee as you step outward and keep your hips back. It should feel like you are trying to sit on just one side of your lower body in a chair.
- Hold the lunge position for a few seconds, then release it by pushing off your left foot to return to the starting position.
- Repeat the side lunges on your left leg for one set, then switch to your right leg.
- Continue alternating between left and right legs for additional sets.
Toe Taps
Soccer players of any age can work on toe taps. Even the youngest players can improve their speed and balance as they work on this skill.
How to do it:
- Stand in front of a box or raised platform.
- Place one foot on the box with the balls of your foot touching it.
- Keep your arms by your side and the other foot on the ground.
- Lift the foot on the ground and bring it onto the box while simultaneously lowering the foot that was on the box onto the ground.
- Keep alternating the movement between both feet, tapping the balls of your feet on the box each time.
- Do standing toe taps for 30 seconds to a minute, then take rest for about 30 seconds.
- If you want to increase the difficulty, increase your pace to your comfort level.
- If you want to reduce the difficulty, do the toe taps exercise on a plain ground instead of using a box or raised platform.
Jump Squats
Jump squats are an excellent exercise to build explosive power in your lower body.
How to do it:
- Begin in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- Bend your knees and lower your body into a full squat position, keeping your back straight and your chest up.
- Engage your quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings and use them to jump explosively up and off the floor, extending your legs fully so that your feet are a few inches (or more) off the ground.
- As you land, control your descent by going through your foot (toes, ball, arches, heel) and lowering your body back down into the squat position.
- Upon landing, immediately repeat the jump again, and continue the exercise for the desired number of repetitions or times.
Benefits of Indoor Soccer Workouts
Convenience
Working out at home is a great way to fit fitness into a busy lifestyle.
You don’t have to waste time and energy packing your soccer bag, driving across town, and heading to the pitch. All you need to do is put on suitable clothes and start exercising in your preferred room.
You can even work out in your pajamas.
Comfort
You can customize your exercise environment at home. You can choose the music, the décor, and the temperature.
You can also stock your fridge with your preferred post-workout snacks and block out distractions like wandering pets and pestering children.
Focus
Exercising at home eliminates distractions, allowing you to focus on your fitness goals without fear of judgment or feeling self-conscious. You can wear what you want and try exercises that interest you.
Brain exercise
Exercising at home requires taking responsibility for your health and safety.
You need to consider your physical limitations, learn proper form, and explore exercises that intrigue you.
This not only exercises your body but also your brain.
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