To make this as simple as possible, I’ve put together this guide to show you how it’s done. So, let’s take a look at how you can get back in shape for soccer.

To get back in shape for soccer, you should follow a high-intensity interval training program. This form of exercise is perfect for getting back in shape because it raises your fitness levels to meet the demands of playing soccer. Additionally, you should eat a healthy diet to optimize your progress.

I’ve created this guide to show you the best way of training your body to get you fit again to play soccer. 

To help with this, I will cover four specific areas to focus on for your development.

I’ll also explain why following a HIIT program is the ideal option to see your fitness return in the shortest amount of time possible. And direct you to a 30-day soccer-specific workout program that will walk you through the exact steps you need to take each day.

So, whether you haven’t played for 6 months or 6 years this article is perfect for you.

Let’s start by looking at the main four things you should do to return to your previous level of fitness.

Four Areas to Focus on to Get Back in Shape for Soccer

The importance of getting in shape before you start playing competitive soccer again can not be overstated.

If you’re not fit enough then playing will be hard, you may struggle, and are unlikely to enjoy the game anyway near as much.

There are four areas I recommend focusing on to increase your fitness levels.

• Your diet and nutrition
• Your agility
• Strength training
• And cardio

Focussing on these four areas will give you the best chance of getting back to full fitness quickly.

Just remember, to see success you will need to commit to your goal.

It won’t always be easy, but it will be worth it to play again at the level you used to play.

1. Your Diet, Nutrition, and Hydration

You may be surprised that I’m starting here, but this really is a key area if you want to see progress.

What you put into your body will directly affect the performance you get out of it in training and during a game.

Eating nutritious food and staying well hydrated will help you feel better and perform better.

I realize that what you consume will be different for everybody. It will depend on your current BMI (Body Mass Index), fitness goals, and desire.

But whether you have a high BMI or an average one, the type of food you need will be more or less the same with just some slight differences.

When you are working on getting back in shape for soccer, you will be doing a lot of working out. To properly recover from and supplement the energy you will be burning, you need to eat a good balance of proteins and carbs among other nutrients.

It can help to look at a professional player’s nutritional intake to get an idea of what would be beneficial. [source]

A well balanced nutritional intake for a soccer player should be:

• 15% protein
• 25% fat
• and 65% Carbohydrates

I recommend aiming for 4 meals a day, with one of those meals being fruit or vegetable snacks. Fruits are a great way of getting natural sugars that will boost your energy levels.

If you are starting from an above-average BMI you may need to shed off the excess weight. Unfortunately, this probably means you will have to work harder on your diet.

Just remember what you’re working toward to give you the incentive you need.

For this, you will likely want to decrease your carb intake a little.

Ideally, you want to eat clean carbs.

A few examples of clean carbs are:

• Oats
• Brown Rice instead of White Rice
• Broccoli
• Fruits such as apples and bananas.
• Whole wheat pasta
• Sweet potato instead of regular potatoes.

Hydration also plays a huge role in getting back in shape for soccer.

It is recommended that you drink at least half a gallon (1.9 liters) of water each day.

When you are training you’ll want to consume more than this and drink specifically before, during, and after training.

2. Your Agility

The last thing you want to happen when attempting to regain your fitness is suffering from an injury.

Obviously, this will slow down your progress as you wait to recover. But there are ways to reduce the risk of this happening.

Regular stretching is one option. And it is especially useful because it increases your agility at the same time.

Stretch each day as soon as you get up and before you begin your training. Also, stretch after your workout is complete. This is one of the most effective ways to avoid picking up an injury.

This is really important when you are in training again after a period of reduced activity.

You should go easy on yourself at first. Listen to your body. You need to build up to the level you were at before. You can’t just jump into it.

Warming up before activity will also be vital and I even recommend stretching before your warm-up. For more tips on this, check out my article – How to Warm Up for Soccer: Step-by-Step Process.

Regular stretching will prevent injury and increase your agility, which is crucial for soccer players. You want to be as flexible as possible on the field.

3. Strength Training

Strength training is often underestimated when it comes to soccer players.

If you are serious about getting back in shape for soccer, you should include strength training in your workout sessions.

To help you get back in shape as fast as possible, you need to know how to accelerate your strength training.

Let’s take a look at how it’s done.

Your first step is to do circuit training with machine weights.

This is reasonably straightforward.

Depending on how fit you currently are, I recommend doing 30 to 40 minutes of circuit training 2 or 3 times a week.

The length of time you should rest in between sets will depend on your fitness level. But try to keep the rest times as short as you can tolerate.

If you would prefer to use free weights, then you want to superset your exercises.

A superset is where you do one set on one muscle, and then without taking a break, you immediately go into the next one on a different muscle. After this, you will take a 30-second to 1-minute break.

One set becomes a combination of two sets.

Doing this not only speeds up the entire process, but keeps your heart rate and body temperature up, and increases your lung capacity.

You are essentially doing strength training with a little bit of cardio involved as well.

4. Cardio

When it comes to getting fit, any type of cardio is effective.

You should aim to do cardio five days a week. If at first, that is a struggle, then push yourself to do as many cardio sessions as you can. Just remember, you do need at least 1 or 2 rest days each week.

Although any cardio is better than none, there is one type that stands head and shoulders above the rest

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

HIIT is the fastest and most efficient way to increase your heart rate and body temperature, and increase your lung capacity. All of which helps you get in shape.

HIIT is also by far the best type of cardio you can do when looking to get back in shape, specifically for soccer.

Soccer professionals regularly use HIIT to work on their fitness as it accurately simulates the type of activity you face during a soccer game.

Because following a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) based workout program is ideal for getting fit again, let’s have a closer look at this and I’ll also show you how to access my HIIT-based, soccer-focused, workout guide.

Why HIIT Is the Best Way to Get Back in Shape for Soccer

When getting back in shape, I find it’s best to implement HIIT fitness training because it boosts the particular kind of energy system that the body uses while playing soccer. 

Your body primarily uses the anaerobic system to process energy when playing soccer.

Anaerobic exercise processes energy fast by breaking down glycogen instead of glucose in a player’s blood.

You can find out more about anaerobic vs aerobic exercise in my article – How to get in shape for soccer – or – Why long-distance running is NOT good for soccer players.

The best way to exercise this way is by using HIIT training.

To get back in shape for soccer, you should exercise using this system.

Just think for a moment about how soccer is played at an individual level.

During a soccer game, you are not constantly running. Rather, you are frequently stopping and starting.

Replicating this type of activity is why HIIT is so effective for soccer fitness. 

High-intensity interval training is the closest activity to what it’s like to play a game of soccer. A soccer player regularly undertakes short bursts of intense running with a significant amount of walking and jogging in between. High-intensity interval training is essentially the same.

One thing I really appreciate about high-intensity interval training is that you don’t need a lot of time to reap the benefit of the exercises.

So, instead of being like most people who go to the gym and exercise for anytime between 45 minutes to 2 hours, you don’t need to take that much time out of your day with HIIT.

HIIT is perfect for people with busy schedules because you only need about 30 minutes of training a day to obtain the benefits that regular exercise would give you over a more extended period of time.

If you are trying to get back in shape, HIIT is perfect for you.

To make this as simple as possible for you, I have created a 30-day soccer fitness program that uses HIIT.

This 30-day program takes you, step by step, through daily soccer-focused fitness workouts based around HIIT.

Find out more about this 30-day journey to fitness here, or click the button below.

Soccer Drill to Help You Get Back in Shape

Just before I finish, I want to give you a soccer drill you can use that will help increase your fitness.

I included this in my list of the 10 Best Soccer Coaching Drills as it’s perfect for any level of player.

It’s called Dribble-Sprint-Dribble and it works like this.

Purpose of the Drill

The aim of “Dribble-Sprint-Dribble” is to increase a player’s anaerobic fitness.

The beauty of working on a player’s fitness is that it should improve every area of their performance on the field.

A player’s fitness levels determine how long they can keep playing, how quick they are to the ball, and how effective they are with the ball.

Equipment needed: A ball, and a soccer field or two cones

Step-By-Step Walk Through of the Drill – “Dribble-Sprint-Dribble”

Step 1 – Positioning

For this drill, you should start on the touchline, or sideline, of the soccer field, have the ball at your feet, and be ready to dribble.

If you don’t have access to a soccer field, any field or flat surface around 50 yards wide will do.

Use two cones to mark the spots 50 yards from each other and then one more cone at the halfway point between them.

Step 2 – Run halfway

With the ball at your feet, dribble as fast as you can toward the halfway point of the field, parallel with the center spot.

At this point, leave the ball and sprint as fast as you can to the opposite touchline.

Step 3 – Touch, turn and run

When you have reached the 2nd touchline, you should bend down and touch the line with your hand. After this, turn around as quickly as possible and sprint back to where you left the ball.

Step 4 – Dribble back

When you get back to the ball, dribble back to the original touchline as quickly as possible.

Step 5 – Rest and repeat

When back to where you started, take 30 seconds or 1 minute to catch your breath and then repeat the drill.

Do this 5 times in a row.

As your fitness improves, you may wish to repeat the drill consecutively more than 5 times in one go.

Conclusion

Getting back in shape for soccer is a worthy goal and I’m excited for you to see how far you can go!

If you want to get in shape for soccer, you need to improve your anaerobic ability, and the best form of exercise for that is HIIT training.

Don’t forget to check out my soccer-focused HIIT training program and discover a sure-fire way to get fit fast.

No one ever regretted working on their fitness!

If you want more information on staying fit for soccer, check out one of my previous articles:

• Soccer Fitness Training Workouts
• The Best Soccer GPS Fitness Trackers
• Or How to get in shape for soccer fast

The best way to warm up for soccer is by performing specific activities like lunges, squats, jumps, and running drills to get your body ready for the type of movements you will face during a game. You should also include some stretches in the warm-up to improve your athletic performance.

Warm-ups are essentially a less intense version of the activity you are about to do. They involve targeted activities that resemble the type of activity involved in a soccer game. Knowing the steps to follow in preparation for a game is essential!

So let’s look at how to do it.

Step-by-Step Warm-Up Process For Soccer

Getting ready for a game or even for practice involves warming up. It is necessary, as it’s the way to prepare your body for arduous activity.

I also find it’s a great way of getting your mind focussed and ready for the game ahead.

Just make sure you start the warm-up 15-20 minutes before the game. You don’t want to run out of time before the game begins!

1. Start by Rotating Your Joints

Rotating your joints is a low-intensity way of getting your body moving.

You will want to do neck rolls, shoulder rolls, and ankle rolls.

You can also include:

• Side bends,
• hip swings,
• trunk rotation,
• hip rolls,
• hamstring stretch,
• and quadriceps stretch.

All of these are great for joint rotation.

Don’t rush these. Nice and slow rolls are effective here to get your body moving.

2. Continue With 5 Minutes of Cardiovascular Activity

After you’ve got your joints moving, you should get your heart pumping with some cardio.

This part of the warm-up aims to increase heart rate and blood flow, loosen up stiff muscles and improve oxygen efficiency.

It should consist of around 5-10 minutes of activity.

A simple option here is jogging for 5 minutes, jumping rope, or doing a mix of jumping jacks and burpees.

Any continuous activity that raises your heart rate will work.

3. Next, Do Some Static Stretching

You can then move on to static stretching.

Static stretching involves stretching a muscle to your most able and distant point and then holding that position for 15-20 seconds.

This type of stretching has a limited threat of injury. It helps to lengthen the muscles you will use during the last activity.

The benefit of static stretching is that it increases your flexibility and prepares you for all the stretching involved in any soccer game.

Some great options here that I find effective are::

• Hip/Knee Stretching, with hip flexors, quadriceps (standing), inner thigh/groin, and hamstrings.
• Back Trunk Side Bend, with the single-arm standing.
• Back Mid-Back, with a rotation stretch.
• Piriformis Stretch, with hips stretching.
• Ankle/Foot Stretching, with the gastroc stretch.
• Side reach,
• Shoulder stretch,
• and Runner’s stretch.

Whatever stretches you choose, make sure you hold the position for at least 15-20 seconds.

4. Work Through Some Drills

Once we have got the body moving, heart rate up, and stretched those muscles, it’s time to lift the intensity a little.

At this point, you want to be preparing for the specific activity you’re participating in. In this case – a soccer game.

The aim here is to imitate the same movements that playing soccer involves but at a low-intensity level. You’ll want to use the same body parts at a slower rate.

Just remember not to go all-in straight away. Instead, start slow and increase the intensity. 

Some options you can consider here are:

• running drills;
• sprinting drills;
• change of directions drills with and without a partner;
• running drills while passing the ball,
• or running drills while dribbling with the ball

I like to alternate drills for variety and to keep the warm-up interesting.

If you want a list of my favorite drills to give you more ideas, check out my article – Ten Best Soccer Drills.

Remember, you want to simulate the type of movements your body will be doing soon while playing soccer with any of these activities.

5. Lastly, Do Some Dynamic Stretches

Dynamic stretches involve stretching while moving.

Dynamic stretches are different from static stretches because, with dynamic stretches, the positions are not held for a period of time.

It is vital that the stretches performed are related to the activity ahead. For soccer, this can be one of the most critical parts of a warm-up as it can significantly improve performance.

Some dynamic stretches that I include in my warm-up, and you may want to consider are:

• Side shuffle; helps protect against groins and hip injuries;
• Carioca stretches; help with flexibility in the leg muscles;
• The back-pedal jogs; warm up the hip flexors and abs;
• Walking knee to chest; helps with the muscles from the shoulders to the tight area;
• and straight leg kicks to help with the hamstring.

Why Warm-up Before Soccer?

Before playing a soccer game, the body is cold. So it needs to be brought up to the speed of the activity it is about to undertake.

Warming up before soccer is important because it prepares your body for what is ahead. Warming up raises your body temperature, increases your heart rate, and increases blood flow to your muscles. Each of these ensures you are ready for the game from the moment it begins.

If you want to get your body up to speed and ready for what’s ahead, you need to warm up.

Warm-Up Vs. Stretching

Here it’s worth pointing out the difference between warming up and just stretching as people often get warm-ups and stretching confused, thinking that they do the same for the body.

Warming up increases the body temperature, but stretching helps with the body’s range of motion for the upcoming activity.

With warm-ups and stretching, you must do a warm-up activity first, even if it’s not related to the exercise you’ll be performing later on.

Only after you’ve brought your temperature up and the blood flowing can you start stretching.

If you stretch on cold muscles, you risk hurting yourself; plus, not warming up at all can put unnecessary stress on your heart and lungs.

What About Cooling Down After the Game?

Once the game is over, and your team has (hopefully!) won, you feel exhilarated, but more than anything, your body feels completely beat.

The thoughts running through your head at that moment may be to lie down on the grass and do nothing else, but cooling down is part of the overall process—the last step, but part of it nonetheless.

Precisely like the warm-up where you were preparing your body for a strenuous workout at a slower pace, now you need to perform activities simulating the ones you just did, also at a slower pace. 

To warm down after soccer, take a light jog for two laps of the soccer field. Then work through some stretches.

Give the body a chance to cool down and allow the blood to run back to your heart. Your body will feel less sore if you allow it to cool.

Game On: Final Words

Whether you are playing a game in the park or for the soccer season, warming up is mandatory.

A player can avoid many injuries if proper preparation of warm-up exercises and stretches are done before getting into the field.

If you consider you need to work on a problematic area, take more time to warm up that part of your body.

Choose the correct exercises to work the muscles you’ll be using the most. Then, if you start feeling pain, stop and rest before continuing.

Your body starts up cold and then gets warm, don’t forget to cool down once finished!

For more helpful information on soccer fitness, I recommend checking out one of my other articles:

• How to Get in Shape for Soccer
• How Long Does It Take To Get in Shape for Soccer?
• Is Long Distance Running Good for Soccer?
• How to Get in Shape for Soccer Fast

Article References:

https://www.bostonherald.com/

https://www.slideshare.net/

https://www.gethealthystayhealthy.com/

https://web.mit.edu/

https://www.premierhealth.com/

Increasing your stamina for soccer can be a daunting task, especially when you think that you have to run for 90 minutes and still be fine at the end of it. You may also have found that just running doesn’t increase your stamina for soccer. This is because the energy systems at work for soccer are a little more complicated. There are effective ways and not so helpful ways to increase your stamina for this sport.

To increase stamina for soccer, you will have to improve fitness levels for both the anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. Both systems play a crucial role in supporting the other. Incorporating HIIT aerobic workouts would be the best method to increase overall stamina for soccer.

This article will first show you how the body functions and uses energy when playing soccer. Once we know that, we’ll need to understand the energy systems, as well as what types of exercise there is.

I’ll then show you how to combine them to create better overall stamina for soccer and provide you with a soccer-specific fitness plan to follow at home. 

If you take in everything that’s in this article and put it into practice, you will quickly feel your stamina improve and see a dramatic increase in your ability on the soccer field because of it.

A fitter player is a better player!

Why Stamina Is Crucial for Soccer Players

Professional soccer is arguably a sport that requires some of the fittest players on the planet.

For 90 minutes, a player has to sprint up and down a 120m (131 yards) grass field or pitch, zig-zagging, stopping, reversing, kicking, jumping, and outmaneuvering other players. 

Soccer players cover so much ground in a match that it equates to a 10km (6mile) run every time they step out onto the field.

Compared to other professional sports, the only other athletes that come close to professional soccer players are marathon runners, ironman triathletes, pro cyclists, and cross country skiers. 

Soccer players are some of the world’s fittest athletes, but their fitness relies not just on one aspect or factor. Their fitness incorporates both speed, stamina, agility, and strength. 

For the most part, when an individual trains, they will be focusing on one of these aspects of exercise (which we will cover below). However, a soccer player needs to incorporate them all.

To get fit for soccer, one would need to understand what energy processes are taking place within the body to train and exercise utilizing these systems, hence making them fitter and ready for soccer. 

One thing to note is that unlike other sports, soccer is an explosive sport. This means the players must be able to explode with intensity from a stationary position.

Furthermore, they do more sprinting than jogging, making the game quick and the level of fitness more intense.

Soccer players have to produce, at a split seconds notice, intense short bursts of speed, quickly change direction, and conduct very skillful actions.

And they must do all this while moving at high speed. 

What Type of Exercise Is Soccer?

As I just mentioned, there are four factors that will play a role in soccer in terms of fitness:

• stamina, 
• speed, 
• dexterity, 
• and strength 

Let’s look at these exercises to see what categories we would place soccer in. 

Classifying Exercise Into Four Areas

As a whole, we can classify exercise into four main categories. 

They are:

• Endurance
• Strength
• Balance 
• Flexibility

You can probably quickly see that soccer would fall under all of these categories, so what is the best way to build stamina and fitness for soccer?

To find the answer to that, we need to look at what energy systems are at work in soccer.

We can then combine that with one or more of these exercise categories. We will then be able to determine the best way to get fit and build stamina for soccer.

The Energy Systems Soccer Uses

The body uses only two energy systems to produce energy. Those systems are the anaerobic and aerobic systems.

Both of them function very differently from one another, and we have to consider which one soccer utilizes the most. 

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise utilizes oxygen to break down glucose to provide energy to the body. Aerobic exercise is sustained for long periods of time (usually longer than 10 minutes), is continuous, and somewhat slow going from moderate to high intensity.

This type of energy system enhances cardiovascular and muscular endurance. Therefore, this type of exercise will be prevalent when the individual does the same activity at the same intensity level for a prolonged period. 

Hence we can categorize sports such as running, swimming, and cycling as aerobic exercise.

If we want to compare this to soccer, the only comparison we can make is that a soccer player is continuously running for 90 minutes. 

Therefore a soccer player has to be aerobically fit to endure 90 minutes of continuous running.

However, we now know that soccer players must also sustain fast, explosive movements in addition to running continuously for 90 minutes.

Therefore, the aerobic energy system will not be the central energy system that soccer players need to sustain fast, explosive stamina. 

Anaerobic Exercise

Anaerobic exercise means “without oxygen.” This means that this energy system in the body breaks down glucose without the use of oxygen. Anaerobic exercise is more intense yet shorter in duration than that of its counterpart aerobic exercise.

In a little more detail, glucose is converted to ATP via the process of glycolysis. A bi-product of this process is lactic acid, which is produced at an increased rate during this type of exercise.

Placing this description alongside soccer, we can see that the two coincide quite well with one another.

Anaerobic exercise is a fast-paced, explosive exercise sustained for a short duration, and soccer, in regards to its momentum, is the same.

Understanding How to Get Fit and Increase Stamina for Soccer

We now understand that a soccer player has to train, or at least have the capacity to run, for a sustained period of time (90 minutes – the length of a soccer game).

Because of this, one aspect of training should encompass aerobic exercise. 

However, soccer utilizes short, powerful bouts of sprinting continuously.

This requires the understanding that if you want to get fit and have increased stamina for soccer, you will have to train the anaerobic energy system more frequently than you train the aerobic system. 

Therefore to build stamina (or fitness) for soccer, a player must exercise using both energy systems.

Considering the four types of exercise and considering the principles of soccer, we will need to train endurance and strength utilizing the anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. 

What Type of Exercise (Fitness Program) Can We Use to Increase the Anaerobic System?

By utilizing anaerobic exercise, the body can get fitter and stronger more quickly.

However, the caveat is that it is much more taxing on the body, and just because you are fit in terms of your body being able to utilize the anaerobic energy system effectively, this does not mean you will have prolonged stamina over a prolonged period of time.

Take into consideration and keep in mind the anaerobic energy system does not use oxygen to process energy.

When you are fit in this regard, it does not necessarily mean you will be able to do an activity for a sustained period of time.

The two energy systems are different, and even though they overlap, they can never be replaced by the other. 

HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)

In terms of building stamina (endurance) for soccer in terms of anaerobic exercise, the best possible way to do that would be to utilize a HIIT program.

HIIT is based on a strategy where you push your body to the extreme for a short period and then take a break. This type of workout is fast-paced, explosive training. 

For example, sprinting for as long and as hard as you can and then rest for 30 seconds, repeating the process till exhaustion.

In terms of the principles of soccer and the underlying energy systems, using HIIT will aid you in building stamina for the anaerobic energy system. 

To make this as easy as possible for you, I’ve created and included a 30-Day Soccer-focused HIIT fitness program as part of my Soccer Fitness Guide.

This fitness program follows the same techniques that all the great soccer professionals use and lays them out in a clear, daily step-by-step format that you can easily follow and see your fitness and stamina dramatically improve over the course of just one month.

Many soccer players have seen the benefit of following this program and have not looked back.

If you’re serious about improving your stamina and being a better player, then you need to get hold of this and see how much of a difference it can make.

I’ll add a link to this again for you at the end of this article. Or you can click this one here, and it will provide you with more details in a new tab for you to check out later.

Types of HIIT Training Programs to Increase Stamina for Soccer

There are many types of HIIT training programs utilizing calisthenics (bodyweight), actual weights (dumbbells and barbells), machines, and more.

However, we have to keep in mind that soccer requires the power and explosiveness to come from the legs, so basing a HIIT training program where you would use weights and train your upper body would not benefit a soccer player at all.

It would not increase his overall stamina on the pitch. 

Hence the best type of HIIT program would be a program or exercise that uses the legs in an explosive fast manner.

We could then overlook all the other HIIT programs and create HIIT workouts based on sprinting and stopping. 

Here’s an example of a HIIT program that will improve a soccer player’s stamina:

What Type of Exercise (Fitness Program) Can We Use to Increase the Aerobic System?

Even though the anaerobic energy system plays a much larger role in the principles of soccer, you should not ignore aerobic fitness.

If you want overall stamina, you will need to exercise this system so that your body can utilize oxygen properly in order for you to perform (in this case, run) more consistently for an extended period. 

General Aerobic Exercise (running and cycling)

We know from the brief explanation that we should classify aerobic exercise as an individual sustaining the same activity over a period of time. Again, we need to relate this to soccer and its principles. 

There would be two effective forms of aerobic exercise that would increase overall stamina for the aerobic system: running and cycling. 

Types of aerobic programs to increase stamina for soccer (cycling)

Your first thought about this is that cycling does not play a part in soccer, and, obviously, you would be correct.

However, remember that the body adapts very quickly to any fitness regimen you give it, and the ability to get fit is based on how hard your body has to work. 

Therefore, because cycling utilizes the same major muscle groups as running, you can incorporate it to shock the system, increasing fitness levels.

And if you want more information about this, check out my article where I explain how cycling will actually improve your overall running stamina (endurance), which you need for soccer.

Types of Aerobic Programs to Increase Stamina for Soccer (Running)

Without going into too much detail, you will have to run if you want to increase your running stamina.

Furthermore, if you want to improve your overall aerobic systems fitness level for running, you will need to run for an extended time.

Soccer players basically run non-stop for 90 minutes. As we said, they average about 10km (6 miles) every time they step onto the field. 

The first step in being able to run 90 minutes is to exercise being able to run for 90 minutes.

It may seem a bit obvious, but if you can withstand a workout that has you running for 90 minutes, you will be one step closer to being more fit and having more stamina for soccer. 

But be careful with this, because as I showed in my article – Is long-distance running good for soccer? – too much running can actually be detrimental rather than beneficial to a soccer player.

Can You Combine Aerobic and Anaerobic Training, and Does It Relate to Soccer?

I’ve now shown you that soccer uses both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems in its principles of fitness.

Although soccer players use the anaerobic system more, you will need to have a greater overall level of fitness (aerobic fitness) to last for the duration of a game. 

One of the best possible ways to increase your stamina level for soccer would be to implement both types of fitness together, both anaerobic and aerobic. 

One thing to note is that this article covers how to increase stamina levels for soccer and not how to get fit quickly.

If you want to know more about getting fit fast, I covered that in my recent article – how to get in shape for soccer FAST.

Again, stamina is relative in terms of soccer because you require the use of both energy systems.

An individual wanting to increase their stamina must be of a certain fitness level. Some people may only be at the stage where they are able to train the energy systems separately. 

Individuals who have a basic level of fitness can interchange the systems and the workouts that are best suited for them, and this will get them the best results. 

One unusual option you may want to consider is ballet. Find out more in my article – Why Ballet Can Be Great For Soccer Players.

HIIT Aerobic Training 

If you are fit enough and already play soccer fairly regularly, you will benefit most from incorporating both HIIT (anaerobic) with aerobic workouts together, increasing your fitness for both and, therefore, your overall stamina for soccer. 

The principle is relatively simple. 

You would follow a HIIT program, but instead of resting or stopping on your days off, you would incorporate “active recovery” times into your training.

This is precisely what I have done with the 30-day soccer fitness program that is included within my Soccer Fitness Guide that you can get hold of here.

I have specifically designed it for soccer players and the unique demands placed upon them on the soccer field.

This type of approach to fitness implements both energy systems; however, as I’ve mentioned before, the caveat is that it can be taxing at times.

Individuals who don’t have a basic level of fitness may not be able to sustain this type of training. 

These individuals should increase their stamina through anaerobic exercise since they would have to stop and rest. Remember that aerobic exercise is for sustained periods of time (jogging).

The same could be done with cycling.

You would cycle at a moderate to a high-intensity level, breaking out every so often to incorporate HIIT into the workout. This would again increase stamina for both energy systems; it would also increase stamina for running and increase overall stamina for soccer. 

Moving Forward

Soccer is arguably one of the most challenging professional sports in the world when it comes to the demand for fitness on the body and utilizes two energy systems at its core. At the same time that most other sports only use one.

These energy systems are the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. For increased stamina and fitness, the body needs to be fit and effectively use both these energy systems.

Training just one will not effectively train the other, and hence being fit at the one will not make you fit at the other. 

So in terms of increasing your stamina, it would depend on how fit you are and which energy systems you are more fit at.

Understanding this, you would then need to exercise each system accordingly and perhaps one more than the other utilizing specific programs (HIIT or general aerobic exercise). 

If you are fit enough, you should incorporate both HIIT and aerobic exercise, increasing your stamina dramatically, effectively, and quickly. 

The best and most straightforward way to do that is to follow a dedicated fitness program designed specifically for soccer players.

The Soccer Fitness Guide incorporates everything you need all in one place, and you can even begin today!

As I said above, you will never regret improving your fitness or stamina.

For more related articles, check out one of the following:

• How to get in shape for soccer
• How long does it take to get fit for soccer?
• The 2 best GPS soccer fitness trackers
• Soccer ID camps: Are they worth it?

Getting in shape for soccer is entirely possible. If you follow the right steps and routine along with a well-disciplined schedule, you can make it happen.

I wanted to put together this article to help you understand what is involved in getting fit, specifically for soccer. Let’s take a look at how you can do this.

The best way to get in shape for soccer is to combine high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with a focus around groups, including strength, leg, and agility training. This combination is the most efficient and most effective way to get fit for soccer.

This entire article will be focused on how you should train your body to get into shape for soccer.

We will discuss the benefits of high-intensity interval training and why you need to base your training program around this form of exercise if you are serious about getting in shape. 

So, whether you are a beginner who is just starting out or a soccer player getting ready for a new season, this article is perfect for you.

To make this as easy as possible for you, I have put together a 30-day soccer fitness program that takes you, step by step, through a soccer-focused fitness routine based around HIIT.

There is no need to spend months struggling to get in shape when you can take a giant leap forward in just one month.

Find out more about this 30-day program here, or sign up here and receive the first 5 days completely for free.

What Is The Best Workout For Soccer Players?

Whether you are playing high school, college, or league soccer, you want to be in shape to be fully prepared for soccer.

As I just mentioned, combining HIIT with a focus on specific groups is the most effective way to get in shape for soccer. But before we look at why HIIT is so effective, let’s start by looking at why working out in groups.

As I mentioned above, there are four groups that you need to focus on when trying to get into shape for soccer.

These groups are:

1. Legs
2. Strength
3. Endurance
4. Agility

Let’s take a closer look at each of these groups.

Leg Workouts

When it comes to soccer, it may seem pretty obvious that almost everything you do involves your legs. Everything from running to kicking the ball is all done with the lower part of your body. 

That is why it is essential to get your legs into the right condition for soccer training and be ready for any upcoming matches.

What I mean by this is that you need to get them to the point where they are strong enough and also fit enough to endure the entirety of the training and matches. 

To help you with this, here is a list of exercises that you should do for your legs to prepare them for strength and fitness. 

I’ve included workouts that you can do with weights and some that you can do with your body-weight.

• Leg press: Start off by doing light weights. This exercise is a great way to start building strength in your upper legs.

• Calf raises: Again, start light. Calf raises are extremely important. If you have no strength in your calves, your running will be held back.

• Squats: You could do this with or without weights. 

• Lunges: If you choose to use weights, use a dumbbell in each hand.

• Lateral lunges: If you are using weights, use one dumbbell and hold it against your chest.

Strength Workouts

For some people, it may not seem obvious at first that you should work on strength training. It’s not common to see soccer players that look like bodybuilders, right?!

But depending on your position, the importance of body strength can make a significant difference.

Athletic lab states that:

“In soccer, core strength not only can impact the athlete’s ability to move fast and change direction quickly but is vital to the ability to win tackles.”

Strength is vital in soccer because you don’t want another player to easily push you off the ball. 

Many challenges, especially when chasing the ball, can be won by using your body strength. When running shoulder to shoulder with your opponent, often the stronger player will win.

Have a look at my article on using your shoulder in soccer to find out what is and what isn’t allowed.

One of the best workouts you can do for strength training is deadlifts: This is a full-body workout that will increase your core strength. 

Make sure you start off light and do not overdo it. 

Other key areas to focus on include:

• chest,
• arms,
• shoulders,
• back,
• and obviously legs.

Endurance Workouts

What endurance training will do for you is to allow you to manage yourself better when you start to feel fatigued. 

Basically, you could think of this as having “heart.”

Being able to go a full 90 minutes in a match is something that will allow you to truly stand out.

The less tired you are, the more impact you will have on the game. As I point out in my 30-day training, “a fitter player is a better player.”

Sports Science Supports states that one of the reasons a high level of endurance helps a player is that it promotes:

“faster recovery from the high-intensity work during the game’s less intense periods.”

Basically, having a high level allows you to recover quickly when your body has the chance and means you are ready to go again at full throttle when you are needed.

Further down in this article, we’ll look in more detail at high-intensity interval training. But believe it or not, interval fitness and be great for increasing your endurance levels.

Peak Endurance Sport say that:

“In recent years, a growing body of evidence has accumulated showing that performing regular bouts of high-intensity interval training is an extremely effective training tool for endurance athletes seeking to maximize performance.”

You don’t have to spend hours running long distances (as I explain in this article), but a highly specialized fitness program focused on HIIT training, such as this one, will give you everything you need for the soccer field.

For more information on improving your endurance, check out my guide on how to increase stamina for soccer.

Agility Workouts

The fourth training group to focus on is agility.

The Sport Journal states that:

“Agility is the player’s capability to perform rapid whole-body movement with change of velocity or direction in response to a stimulus.”

The Journal also goes on to say that

“Agility is one of the main determinants of performance in soccer. It can be successfully developed if the training is based on the changes of direction, which are done quickly and easily. By working on Agility and improving the balance and coordination, soccer players will be able to move faster and change directions more quickly while maintaining control.”

Improving your agility can make all the difference to your ability on the soccer field.

One way to keep on top of this is to make sure you do a lot of stretching before and after any training and exercise.

Stretching will help with your agility and flexibility. This has the added bonus of also helping prevent any injuries.

And to see how quickly you are improving, you may want to check out my article about the best GPS fitness trackers for soccer players to see why all the pros use them and why you should too.

Why High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Is The Best Way To Get Fit For Soccer

Now we’ve understood what we need to know about groups. Let’s look at HIIT, as interval training deserves its own section in this article.

There are several reasons why HIIT is so good when you are trying to prepare for soccer.

1. It makes your endurance (running) training a lot easier.
2. Increases your lung capacity, which is vital for fitness.
3. Increases blood flow.
4. It is similar to soccer. HIIT is stop and go, so is soccer.

For a moment, I just want you to imagine a game of soccer being played.

When you watch soccer, you will notice one thing compared to other sports that assume running as their fundamental movement. 

Soccer players sprint multiple times during a 90 minute game with intervals of rest or jogging in-between.

A player is not continually running in a soccer game, but instead, they are regularly stopping and going. This is the reason why HIIT is so effective for getting in shape for soccer.

High-intensity interval training is the closest exercise to what it’s like to play soccer. In soccer, a player combines short bursts of intense running with a lot of walking and jogging in between. That is essentially the same thing as high-intensity interval training.

Soccer Is an Anaerobic Exercise at Its Core

Other sports such as triathlons, field hockey, pentathlons, track and field, and cycling also use the legs. But, at their core, these sports are fundamentally different when viewed from the perspective of how the body processes energy for soccer and these sports. 

These sports utilize the aerobic (with oxygen) system of the body to process energy (processes energy gradually). On the other hand, soccer uses the anaerobic system to process energy (it processes energy fast).

Soccer is one of the highest impact sports in terms of high-intensity training for an extended period. Professional soccer players are by far some of the fittest athletes in the world.

Anaerobic vs. Aerobic Exercise, What Is the Difference?

If we are really going to understand why this is so important to get in shape for soccer, we need to understand the differences between anaerobic and aerobic exercise to precisely see how they differ.

Aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise uses oxygen to sufficiently meet the body’s energy demands by breaking down glucose in the blood. (Glucose is sugar at a molecular level that powers the body.) [source]

The body’s heart rate while utilizing the aerobic system is at 70% of its maximum rate.

At this rate, the body burns energy at a moderate pace and can be sustained for very long periods. Regular cardiovascular exercises such as jogging, swimming, and cycling are forms of aerobic exercise. 

Aerobic exercise is also the best way to burn fat.

Once the body runs out of readily available energy, such as glucose, it can break down fat without depleting glycogen levels and turning to protein (muscle), the easiest source of energy to burn and break down.

Anaerobic exercise 

Anaerobic exercise (without oxygen) is where the amount of oxygen taken in is not enough to meet its demand. [source] 

This is fast and intense exercise.

Since the body has to get energy from somewhere and the glucose is not breaking down fast enough, the body turns to glycogen (short-term stored sugar) to break down quickly. When that is gone, it will break down muscle and fatty acids. 

Glycogen can break down and produce energy very fast.

But the downside is that it is in short supply, muscles tire quickly, and a by-product is produced called lactic acid. Lactic acid gets stored in the muscles.

Lactic acid is the sore feeling you get in your muscles the following day after a high-intensity workout. [source]

Anaerobic Exercise for Soccer Fitness

(Ok, so back to soccer!)

Since soccer utilizes the anaerobic system, it can be challenging to get fit, especially seeing that a soccer match’s length is 90 minutes. 

So, how do we get fit for soccer without playing soccer in the off-season, or how do we get ready for soccer?

Fast and intense HIIT exercise is the best way to get fit for a sport, such as soccer, that utilizes the anaerobic system as its energy source. 

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

HIIT training uses the anaerobic system to process energy.

It consists of fast, high-intensity short intervals where you push your body to its max level. You then rest for a short duration, repeating the process repeatedly for a sustained period of time. [source]

The intervals where you push your body are usually between 20 seconds to 1 minute.

During these periods, you will push your body as fast as it can go and to its limits.

The rest intervals could vary in time, depending on how exhausted you are or how hard you want to push your body. The resting intervals could either be a form of aerobic exercise or complete rest, again depending on the workout’s pace and intensity and how your body can cope.

What Types of HIIT Training Programs Are There?

You should keep in mind that all you have to do to achieve this is to pick an exercise and push your body as hard and fast to a point where it does not use oxygen to process energy.

Then you have to take that exercise and repeat it through intervals over a sustained period of time for no less than 20 minutes.  

So, in essence, depending on how you want to strengthen your body, you would do sports-specific fast exercises that target the part of the body you want to work.

These exercises could include:

• weights,
• kettlebells,
• Bosu balls,
• jump ropes,
• resistance bands,
• or they could not include any equipment at all. 

There are multiple examples of exercises that you could do without weights that could fall into a HIIT program and help you get in shape for soccer. 

These exercises would include: 

• jumping jacks, 
• burpees, 
• sprinting in one spot, 
• sprinting short distances, 
• fast push-ups, 
• quick lunges over a short distance, 
• and jump squats. 

For soccer, these exercises are great, and they are compound exercises on top of that (they work multiple muscle groups).

Exercises with equipment could include doing circuit machines and weights to strengthen specific muscle groups.

They could also include:

• jumping rope,
• squatting,
• and lunging on a Bosu ball. 

One last type of program that is HIIT loosely based on is cross fit. Although cross fit has developed into its own form of exercise utilizing gymnastics and Olympic weightlifting movements. 

HIIT training is more based on speed and uses the anaerobic energy system  

How Long Will HIIT Training Take to Get You in Shape?

How long it will take you to get fit using HIIT depends on a few factors.

If you are overweight and do not eat correctly, HIIT training, I’m afraid to say, is a bit out of reach until you have reached a normal BMI for your height and age and sufficiently done aerobic cardiovascular exercise.

If, however, you are an average person with a normal BMI, then HIIT training can make you fit fast. 

Very fast, in fact. 

Because you are pushing your body to such extremes very quickly when performing HIIT training, if you take the time afterward to rest and recover, you can get fit within a matter of weeks. 

This is because your cardiovascular system has to adapt quickly to cope with HIIT training strengthening your heart and lungs in a short amount of time.

This is also the reason I created the 30-day Soccer Fitness Guide based around HIIT.

I want to help you increase your fitness fast and enable you to see the results on the soccer field in a matter of weeks. No more endlessly long runs that are not even similar to what you have to do on the soccer field!

If you’re specifically looking to get fit after a period out of the game, check out my article: How to get BACK in Shape for Soccer)

How Long Should You Do HIIT For?

A great aspect of high-intensity interval training is that you don’t need a lot of time to experience the benefits of the exercises.

So, where most people go to the gym or do exercises for up to 1 and 1/2 hours, you don’t need to set aside that much time with HIIT.

HIIT is perfect for people with busy lives because they only need about 30 minutes of training each day to receive even more benefits than regular exercise would have given them over a greater period of time.

In fact, Men’s Journal says that you should not do HIIT for more than 30 minutes a day due to the risk of injury.

Now, although HIIT will play a significant role in your journey of getting fit for soccer, there is another significant area to focus on as well. That is your nutritional intake.

Nutrition Needed for Getting Soccer Fit Fast

The most important aspect of getting fit for soccer fast is understanding that the body uses a different energy system (anaerobic) to the aerobic system. You need to exercise utilizing the anaerobic system if you want to get fit fast.

However, a diet will have a massive effect on your fitness intensity, recovery, and longevity. [source]

Diet plays a role in all forms of exercise and sport, and soccer is no different. 

If you are doing an insane amount of HIIT training, then carbs are your friend (not doughnuts and milkshakes, though) because they give you an abundance of energy that you need for fast HIIT training. 

There are different diets available that you can check out but make sure that you eat enough high-quality carbs for energy and that when you are training, you drink lots of water and perhaps have an energy drink or two (not red bull!).

Conclusion

In conclusion, I just want to add one more thing. I mentioned this in a previous post but wanted to reinforce it again because I believe it is so important. There is a huge misconception that getting in shape for soccer is impossible for people with certain body types.

This misconception plays a huge factor in the number of people who give up before even starting.

With the right program, you could really quickly get in shape no matter what body type you have. You can also get to the point where being in shape becomes natural to you, and you don’t have to work as hard for it anymore.

Follow an appropriate fitness program that utilizes HIIT, and combine that with good healthy nutritional intake (including more carbs than would typically be allowed if you’re doing HIIT!), and you should find yourself getting in shape in no time at all!

Don’t forget to check out my 30-Day Soccer Fitness Guide to give your fitness the boost it needs, and have a look at one of the following articles to increase your knowledge and understanding in this area as well.

• How to get fit for soccer FAST!
• How long does it take to get fit for soccer?
• Is biking good for soccer?
• How to Warm Up for Soccer: A Step-by Step Process

Getting in shape for soccer fast is entirely achievable. If you know what you are doing, take the right steps, and follow the proper routine along with a well-disciplined schedule, you will be fit in no time at all.

To make this as simple as possible, I’ve put together this article to show how it’s done. So, let’s take a look at how to get in shape for soccer fast.

To get in shape for soccer fast, you should implement a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) program. This type of exercise will get you fit for soccer fast because it utilizes the body’s anaerobic system in the same way playing soccer does. You should also eat a healthy diet to optimize your recovery time.

I designed this entire article to show you how to train your body to get into shape for soccer fast. 

To help with this, I will cover four specific areas you should concentrate on to get fit fast. We will also look at how following a HIIT program helps is perfect for speeding up the time it takes to get fit.

So, whether you are a beginner who is just starting out or a soccer player getting ready for a new season, or tryouts, this article is perfect for you. (If you’re specifically looking to get fit after a period out of the game, check out my article: How to get BACK in Shape for Soccer)

Let’s start by looking at the main four things you should do to get fit for soccer in a short space of time.

4 Areas to Focus on to Get in Shape for Soccer Fast

Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time staying fit for soccer. I know that focussing on these four areas can make all the difference when it comes to getting in shape and staying in shape.

Just remember, getting in shape is one thing, but when you need to speed up and accelerate that process, you need to stick to strict routines and schedules.

Let’s get into it.

1. Be aware of your diet

Getting in shape fast for soccer can be made a lot easier if you follow the right diet plan.

I know that this can be very different for everybody, depending on your current BMI (Body Mass Index). Whether you have a higher BMI or more of an average one, your diet will be more or less the same with some slight differences.

When you are trying to get in shape for soccer fast, you will be doing a lot of training. To properly recover from and supplement all the energy that you will be burning, you need to eat a good balance between proteins and carbs.

Let’s take a look at a professional soccer player’s nutritional intake to get a good idea of what the right balance is. [source]

The ideal nutritional intake for a soccer player should be:

• 65% Carbohydrates
• 25% fat
• 15% protein

You want to be taking in 4 meals a day, with one of those being mainly fruit snacks. Fruits are a great way of getting natural sugars.

If you have a higher BMI than average and you need to shed off excess weight, unfortunately, you will have to work harder on your diet.

You will want to decrease your carb intake slightly. For your carb intake, you want to eat clean carbs.

Here are a few examples of clean carbs.

• Broccoli
• Brown Rice instead of White Rice.
• Whole wheat pasta.
• Oats
• Sweet potato instead of regular potatoes.
• Fruits such as apples and bananas.

Water also plays a huge role in getting in shape fast for soccer.

It is recommended that we all drink at least half a gallon (1.9 liters) of water a day.

You want to consume slightly more than this, and you want to drink it specifically before, during, and after training.

2. Work on your strength

When it comes to strength training, we often underestimate how important it is for soccer players.

When you talk about getting in shape for soccer, you need to include strength training, but how do you accelerate strength training so that you can get in shape fast?

Let’s take a look.

Your first method would be to do intense circuit training with machine weights.

This is pretty simple.

Depending on your current fitness level, you could do 30 to 45 minutes 2 or 3 times a week.

Again, your fitness determines how long you should rest in between sets. In most cases, you do not need to rest.

If you prefer using free weights, then you want to superset your exercises.

A superset is where you do one set on one muscle, and without resting, you immediately go into the next one on a different muscle before taking your 30-second to 1-minute break.

Basically, one set becomes a combination of two sets.

This not only speeds up the entire process, but it also keeps your heart rate up, your body temperature up, and increases your lung capacity.

So, you are basically doing strength training with a little bit of cardio involved as well.

3. Improve your agility

It’s all good trying to get in shape fast for soccer, but the last thing you want to happen is getting an injury.

Obviously, this will slow down the process as you have to wait to recover before carrying on with your training. There is a way to avoid this as much as possible.

Stretching every day when you wake up, before your training, and again after your workout is one of the best ways to avoid picking up an injury.

This is especially true when you are pushing yourself to get in shape fast.

It also helps your agility, which is crucial for soccer players. You want to be as flexible as possible on the field.

I also recommend including stretching in your warm-up before a game. Find out more in my article – How to Warm Up for Soccer: Step-by-Step Process.

4. Focus on cardio

When it comes to cardio, any cardio is excellent for getting in shape.

Still, if you are trying to get in shape for soccer fast, then there are a few things that you can do to accelerate your fitness. 

It is important to do cardio at least five days a week. If you struggle to do that, push yourself to do as many as you can. Just remember, you do need at least 1 or 2 days of rest per week.

The best type of cardio you can do when looking to get in shape fast, specifically for soccer, is high-intensity interval training.

HIIT is the fastest and most efficient way to increase your heart rate, increase your body temperature, and increase your lung capacity. 

All of this contributes to your overall fitness, which will help you become fit fast and is crucial to playing soccer.

Because following a HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, based workout program is so essential to getting fit fast, let’s have a closer look at this now.

Why HIIT Is The Best Way To Get Fit For Soccer Fast

When training for soccer, I find it’s best to implement HIIT training because it enables the particular kind of energy system that the body uses while playing soccer. 

Soccer primarily uses the anaerobic system to process energy.

Anaerobic exercise processes energy fast by breaking down glycogen instead of glucose in the blood.

You can find more out about anaerobic vs aerobic exercise in my article – How to get in shape for soccer – or – Why long-distance running is NOT good for soccer players.

The only way to exercise this way is by HIIT training.

To get fit for soccer fast, you need to exercise using this system. 

I want you to think about how soccer is played on an individual level.

When you’re playing soccer you are not constantly running, but rather, you are frequently stopping and starting. That is why HIIT is so effective for soccer fitness. 

High-intensity interval training is the closest exercise to what it’s like to play a match of soccer. In soccer, you are normally doing short bursts of intense running with a lot of walking and jogging in between. That is basically the same thing as high-intensity interval training.

One of the best things about high-intensity interval training is that you don’t need a lot of time to get the benefits of the exercises.

So, where most people go to the gym or do exercises for 45 minutes to 1 and 1/2 hours, you don’t need to take that much time with HIIT.

HIIT has always been perfect for people with busy schedules because you only need about 30 minutes of training a day to receive even more benefits than what regular exercise would have given you over a more extended period of time.

If you are trying to speed up the process of getting in shape, this is perfect for you.

To make this as easy as possible for you, I have put together a 30-day soccer fitness program.

This 30-day program takes you, step by step, through a soccer-focused fitness routine based around HIIT.

Find out more about this 30-day program here, or sign up here and receive the first 5 days completely for free.

Can You Do HIIT Every Day?

Unfortunately, as with every exercise, you should not continue to do it every day.

This is because your body needs a rest, and even the professionals take days off. However, you can do high-intensity interval training every day over short periods of time.

For example, if you are doing a training course designed to be completed over a period of up to 2 months, you could give it your all of those months. The key here is to make sure that you take a rest for a few days afterward.

It is also essential to continue with your training once you are done with that.

However, if you look at it in the long run, if you have been training for a few months, you should definitely take at least one day a week to rest up.

Conclusion

If you want to get in shape for soccer fast, you need to exercise utilizing the anaerobic system, and the best form of exercise for that is HIIT training.

HIIT training is fast-paced, high-intensity interval training that you can do almost anywhere using just the body if no equipment is available.

Don’t forget to check out my soccer-focused HIIT training program here and discover a sure-fire way to get fit fast.

I just want to add that there is a vast misconception that getting in shape for soccer is impossible for certain body types.

This misconception plays a large factor in the number of people who give up before they even start.

With the right program, such as this one, you could get in shape really quickly. You can also get to the point where being in shape becomes natural to you, and you don’t have to work as hard for it anymore.

Check out one of my related articles on staying fit for soccer

• Is biking good for soccer players?
• How pro soccer players train
• How to get in shape for soccer

I recently wrote an article about how to get fit for soccer, but in that article, I didn’t touch on how long it will take. So, I wanted to write this article to show you how long it will take to get fit enough for soccer. And not only for training but also so you will be match fit. Let’s jump straight into it.

You should expect it to take anywhere from one month to six months to get fit for soccer. This will vary depending on your circumstance regarding the intensity of the league you are going to play in and your current level of fitness.

In this article, we will take an in-depth look at how long it will take you to get fit for soccer. I’ll break everything down into sections to make it as easily digestible as possible. I’ve also added a section where we will try and help you speed up the process. So, for everything you need to know, keep reading.

If you want a complete guide on how to get fit for soccer, check out my article – How To Get in Shape for Soccer

How Long Will It Take to Get Fit for Soccer Again?

First, let’s start by explaining how long it will take someone to get fit if they have previously played soccer.

If you have previously played soccer, you can expect it to take at least a month to get fit for soccer again. Your muscle memory will play a huge role in your ability to return to an appropriate level of fitness. And having played in the past, you should be able to return to fitness reasonably quickly.

Other than muscle memory, there are also a few other factors that come into play regarding how long it will take you to get fit again.

These questions are:

• When last did you train? You could also phrase this as “how fit are you right now?” Regardless, your muscle memory will help speed things up, and it will also help with muscle recovery. 

• How long did you play for before? The longer you played soccer, the easier it would be to get back into the training.

• Did you sustain any injuries when you last played? An injury, even if it is old, can play a role in slowing down your progress.

All of these factors can impact the time frame for getting fit. Still, having played before, you already have an advantage over people in other situations as you know what it takes.

To speed up this process, I recommend checking out my 30-Day Soccer Guide.

I created this daily, step-by-step fitness program specifically to help soccer players get fit or give their fitness levels a boost.

The program is formed around a HIIT-based workout program, which is precisely what the professionals use.

In just one month, you could see your fitness levels exponentially increase and significantly increase your impact during a soccer game.

How Long Will It Take to Get Fit for Soccer for the First Time?

Ok, so let’s look at how long it will take someone to get fit who is not fit at all. 

I understand that in this section, we could be talking about two types of people. Those who are not fit and not overweight and those that have excess weight and are not currently fit. 

If you fall into one of these categories, I recommend that you keep reading this section so that we can find out how long it will take you to get fit for soccer.

For any non-professional league, It would take you approximately three months to get to a point where you are fit enough to start playing in soccer matches. If you have excess weight, it might take you a little bit longer. Following a HIIT training program should speed things up.

Starting from a point where you will be playing soccer for the first time and are not fit at all will influence the amount of time that it takes you to get fit for soccer.

Unfortunately, it will take a little longer to get to a point where you are ready for the intensity of a 90-minute soccer game.

Several factors will influence how long it will take you to get fit. These factors include: 

• How much you are training: This is probably the most significant factor that comes to mind when talking about the length of time it takes to get fit for soccer. You want to be doing cardio at least 4 or 5 days a week and then circuit or strength training at least 2 or 3 days a week.

• The intensity of your training: The harder you train, the faster it will take you to become fit for soccer. With all of that being said, it is vital to do everything within reason to avoid injuries.

• Your diet: If you are not eating enough while training to get fit for soccer, you won’t have a very good recovery between training sessions. [source] This could increase the length of time it takes you to get there. If you are eating too much, then it will take you longer to shed excess weight.

These are just a few of the factors that will come into play when it comes to the length of time it will take somebody to prepare for soccer for the first time. 

We have already established that it would take approximately 3 months for someone in your situation to get fit for soccer. So, use that as a goal and aim to get as fit as you possibly can within those 3 months. 

Thankfully there is a straightforward way to speed up this process.

Will High-Intensity Interval Training(HIIT) Reduce the Length of Time It Takes to Get Fit for Soccer?

High-intensity interval training is one of the best training routines you can do to get fit when you are preparing for soccer. 

As we have mentioned in previous articles, high-intensity interval training is the best type of exercise to replicates what it is like to play soccer.

HIIT mimics the “stop/start” element of soccer in a way that many other exercises don’t.

There are several reasons why HIIT is so good when you are trying to prepare for soccer season. 

1. HIIT makes your endurance (running) training a lot easier.
2. HIIT increases your lung capacity, which is essential for fitness.
3. HIIT increases blood flow.
4. HIIT is similar to soccer. HIIT involves a significant amount of stopping and starting in a similar way to soccer.

These are just a few reasons why HIIT is so good for you. 

With all of that being said, you might still be wondering how to reduce the length of time it takes to get fit for soccer. So let’s look at that.

With high-intensity interval training, it takes you a fraction of the time to get the same benefits you would from doing a regular cardio workout. 

It is this efficiency that will not only make you fitter in the long run but will also significantly reduce the length of time that it takes you to get fit. This is great for either your next season or for your first soccer training session.

Again, all these reasons had a considerable impact on my decision to create a 30-day soccer fitness program built around HIIT.

I would really encourage you to check out the full program here or download the first 5 days for free here and see what you think.

Why Does It Take So Long To Get Fit For Soccer?

It is important to remember that soccer is one of the most intense sports out there when it comes to fitness.

A soccer player can expect to run approximately seven miles per game, and some players up to 9 miles! [source] Obviously, this depends on your position on the soccer field and whether or not you come on or off as a substitute. 

Soccer players generally need to be extremely fit.

This is why it takes so long, especially for someone who has never played soccer before, to get fit enough to play the game.

This is also true for training. If you are not fit enough, you won’t be able to keep up in training, and you will probably never be selected for the team.

Conclusion

I know that I have mentioned this a few times already in this article, but helping people get fit quickly while following a soccer-specific fitness program is why I created the 30-Day Soccer Fitness Guide. And I really believe you will benefit from it.

Following this program can dramatically increase your fitness, making you a far better player on the soccer field.

Remember, a fitter player is a better player.

That brings us to the end of this article. I hope that you can walk away from it, knowing precisely what it is that you have to do to get fit.

At the end of the day, the length of time it takes somebody to get fit for soccer depends on that person. While it is easy to give a universal answer, as we did, everybody is different, so that number can change depending on you.

Have a look at one of these related articles to find out more information about soccer.

• Is cycling good for soccer players?
• What are high school soccer tryouts ACTUALLY like?

Throughout the history of soccer, coaches have often made players run long distances with the aim of improving their performance during a soccer game.

Although this is commonplace, I wanted to determine if long-distance running is actually good for soccer. Does it really help, or could it even be detrimental? Here’s what I discovered.

Long-distance running is not good for soccer because long-distance running and soccer are two different types of activity. During a soccer game, players mostly make multiple short, high-intensity runs. Long-distance running conditions muscles for long, steady-paced running.

The fact that long-distance running is not suitable for soccer players may come as a surprise to you. I want to show you some alternative ways to increase your fitness and endurance levels for soccer. But first, let’s look at the evidence for why long-distance running and soccer shouldn’t mix.

Differences Between Long-Distance Running and Soccer

When I was younger, my soccer coach would often get myself and the rest of the team to run long distances to improve our stamina or endurance. We would run around and around the soccer field until we were all exhausted!

Now, on one level, this may seem as though it makes perfect sense.

Playing soccer involves lots of running, so improving a player’s ability to run for a long time should help, right? Unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple!

While it has been shown that soccer players often run for 7 miles (12km) during a single soccer game, you will be aware that no soccer player is running non-stop at a slow and steady speed from beginning to end of a game like a long-distance runner would.

Although a soccer player is continually moving throughout a 90-minute game, merely focusing on how long they have to keep moving will give you an incomplete picture.

It is essential to look at the type of movement they are doing.

Different Movements in Soccer vs. Long Distance Running

There are 5 different types of movements that a soccer player does during a game:

1. Walking
2. Jogging
3. Low-speed running
4. Moderate-speed running
5. and high-speed running

The combination of these is what makes soccer so exciting.

It’s not merely a one-paced event, but there’s a variation of pace from different players at different times. In some moments, the game seems to be moving at 100 mph, and at other times it’s slower and more strategic.

Long-distance running isn’t like this. Long-distance running is all about maintaining a steady pace for an extended period.

If a soccer player operated this way, they would be a bystander as the game passed them by!

Different Speed in Soccer vs. Long Distance Running

Long-distance runners also run at a different speed than a soccer player.

RunRepeat recently released a report after collecting the data from 107.9 million race results over the past 30+ years.

They found that a male marathon runner keeps an average pace of 6.43 minutes per kilometer, or 10.34 minutes per mile. And a female marathon runner keeps an average speed of 7.26 minutes per kilometer, or 11.55 minutes per mile.

A long-distance runner will maintain this consistent pace throughout a race.

PlayerTek, a company that manufactures premium wearable fitness trackers and handles vast amounts of data from soccer players, found that professional soccer players reach a top speed of 9.2 meters per second during a game. That converts to 20.6 mph or 33.12 kph. [source]

Unlike a long-distance runner, a soccer player will hit this top speed multiple, separate times throughout a soccer game.

If you are interested in getting a wearable GPS fitness like the one’s the pro’s use, check out my review of your best two options here.

There is a vast difference between the speed of a long-distance runner compared to a soccer player and the type of movements they are doing.

Surely, it doesn’t make sense for a soccer player to train by doing a type of activity that they would never do during a game?

If you’re interested in finding out what supplements can be beneficial for soccer players, have a look at my article – Is Creatine Good for Soccer Players?

Aerobic Vs. Anaerobic Exercise

As I’m sure you are beginning to see, the biggest problem with running long-distance for soccer is that soccer and long-distance running are two different types of exercise.

The technical definition for this is that long-distance running is an aerobic activity, but soccer is an anaerobic activity.

This is a problem because the two types of activity have opposite effects on the body.

Soccer is a majority anaerobic activity. Most of the movements made during a soccer game are short and high intensity. There are certain positions, such as midfield, where higher aerobic ability is advantageous, but overall, soccer is anaerobic.

To give you a definition for these terms, Healthline defines anaerobic exercise as “any activity that breaks down glucose for energy without using oxygen.”

Aerobic exercise is defined as “any type of cardiovascular conditioning”.

Essentially anaerobic activity is anything that involves quick bursts of energy. Activities such as sprinting or sudden movements require maximum energy for a short period.

Aerobic activity is all about maintaining an action over an extended period. Activities such as cycling, rowing, or long-distance running are prime examples of this.

Why This Is an Issue

As I’ve already mentioned, and you already know, soccer involves far more short, sudden bursts of energy (anaerobic exercise) than it contains prolonged continuous activity (aerobic exercise).

If you went out and spent a lot of your time running long distances in preparation for a soccer game, you would be conditioning your body for a different type of activity than what is effective in soccer.

In fact, too much aerobic activity can actually make a player slower. [source]

This is due to the effect long-distance has on your muscles. If you are out running all the time, then your body will be focused on building up your “slow-twitch muscle fibers” at the expense of your “fast-twitch muscle fibers”. [source]

This is great for aerobic activity such as long-distance running. However, for a sport like soccer, you need to be focused on your “slow-twitch muscle fibers.” Focusing on these muscle fibers is what is going to improve your anaerobic activity and make you a better soccer player.

How Much Running Should a Soccer Player Do?

So, now we know that long-distance running isn’t good for soccer, you may be thinking that a soccer player still needs a high level of endurance to keep going for the full length of the game.

This is true.

Endurance and stamina are essential for any soccer player. But regular long-distance running isn’t the way to improve in this area.

To build a good soccer conditioning base, a player should focus on High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

This form of conditioning is used regularly by professional soccer players. It can improve both a player’s aerobic and anaerobic ability.

The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research even did a study that showed that High-Intensity Interval training, otherwise known as HIIT, dramatically improved a group of elite soccer player’s anaerobic endurance.

If you want to know which soccer position runs the most have a look at this article I wrote.

Soccer Running Workout

Pro soccer players and their coaches know this and have been using this type of training for years.

If you’re wanting to improve your “slow-twitch muscle fibers” and are looking for a soccer running workout that enhances your anaerobic abilities, then you should focus on training in the same way that the professionals do.

Their training is based on decades of research and experience that shows them what is most effective and works best.

In my article, “How do soccer players train?” I’ve put together a guide that not only shows precisely how pro soccer players train but also gives you specific workouts that you can follow to increase your own capabilities and see an improvement in your speed and endurance. Click here to go straight to that guide and find those workouts.

If you follow these same workouts that the professionals do, I’m sure that you will see a dramatic improvement in your soccer performance in no time!

Conclusion and Recommendation

Remember, how far, or how often, you run isn’t the most important thing for soccer training.

As a general rule, a soccer player shouldn’t focus on how many miles they should run in a day. Incorporate anaerobic running workouts into daily soccer training routines is the best preparation for any soccer player.

I also recommend signing up for an online workout course such as this one. They offer thousands of personalized workouts that cater to your specific needs and guide you through them every step of the way.

For more helpful training tips, check out one of these related articles I wrote:

• Best GPS fitness tracker for soccer players
• Why cycling is GREAT for soccer players
• The 10 best soccer drills for beginners
• Is Ballet good for soccer players?

One of the best ways to improve your fitness, technique, and movement around a soccer field is to use a GPS tracker vest. However, there are several different GPS trackers out there, and it can be hard to know what one is the best option for you.

In this article, I want to show you what I believe are the best two options. I’ll describe their pros and cons and help you make the best decision for you.

The best soccer GPS trackers are:

1. The Catapult PLAYR SmartCoach System
2. STATSports Apex Athlete Series GPS Performance Tracker

Both these GPS trackers can be game-changing products for you. Keep reading to find out which one I prefer as well as gain confidence that you are purchasing the best one for you.

In this article, we’ll be looking at GPS tracker vests. If you are actually more interested in a watch fitness tracker, then I recommend heading over to my article on the five best fitness trackers for soccer players. Or for one that straps around your cleats, check out my Playermaker review.

Why You Should Get a Soccer GPS Tracker Vest

If you have spent any time recently watching pro soccer players train, you will have noticed that almost all of them use GPS tracker vests. (Although it seems that some people don’t actually realize that’s what they are, but I’ve attempted to explain that here.)

Millions of dollars are spent every year on improving the performance of top soccer players. They know that GPS tracker vests are one of the best ways to monitor how a player is doing.

There are several reasons why using a GPS tracker is advantageous.

1. It can help prevent injury
2. It provides objective data about a player’s performance
3. It can be used to personalize training regimes to the individual player’s needs

Preventing Injury

With a GPS tracker, the coach or individual player can monitor their activity and assess whether they are pushing themselves too hard without allowing time for their body to recover. This increases their risk of injury.

Multiple studies, such as this one, have shown that lack of rest and recovery time after intense activity increases a player’s risk of injury.

The data from the tracker can aid a player in reducing their risk of injury.

Objective Data

A soccer GPS tracker also provides objective data for the player and coach to analyze.

This is a significant modern development. For years, players and coaches have had only their subjective observations and opinions to go on when deciding how a player is doing or how hard they are pushing themselves.

The tracker removes the guesswork and provides specific numbers and metrics to assess a player’s performance.

Personalized Training

Due to the data the trackers provide on each individual player, a personalized training program that builds on the individual’s specific needs can be created.

Here’s an example of this.

In the past, a coach may have required the whole team to work on their speed because they felt the team, as a whole, wasn’t quick enough around the soccer field.

Now, with the GPS tracker, a coach can see how each individual is performing on their speed metrics and work only with the players who are struggling. This gives time and space for others to work on an area where they may need work.

Getting hold of a wearable soccer GPS tracker vest for yourself, your team, or maybe even your child, has the potential to transform each player’s game completely. The information they provide can take a player’s game to the next level, and after using one of these, I’m confident that you will never look back.

1. Catapult PLAYR GPS Tracker (My Number 1 Recommendation)

My top recommendation for a wearable soccer GPS tracker vest is the Catapult PLAYR SmartCoach System.

Pros

• Lightweight and durable
• Approved by FIFA
• Great data and advice

Cons

• No heart rate monitor
• No live tracking

The Vest

Designed with the athlete in mind, the PLAYR soccer GPS tracker by Catapult is lightweight and made of an elastic material that is surprisingly comfortable to wear for both men and women. In fact, once it is on, it’s easy to forget you are even wearing it.

The vest uses the latest technology, designed to handle high temperatures and humidity, and the heavy sweating that playing soccer can produce. It’s also totally rainproof and can be worn on top or under your soccer jersey.

The GPS Pod

On the back of the vest, between a player’s shoulder blades, there’s a small pocket where you place the GPS pod.

The GPS pod contains a lithium-ion battery that should last for five hours on a single charge. This gives you the option of using it for multiple games without worrying about running out of battery.

One significant bit of attention to detail that I really appreciate about this vest is that the GPS pod will automatically turn on once you place it in the vest. This means that you don’t need to worry about forgetting to turn it on and missing out on your stats. The GPS pod does this for you and will stay on for the entire session.

The GPS also operates as a standalone device, meaning you don’t need your phone or any other device nearby for it to work.

Have a look at the video below to see the PLAYR tracker vest being unboxed.

Once the game or training session is over, the benefit of wearing a GPS tracker becomes really obvious.

Set Up and Metrics

The process of setting the device up is straightforward and user-friendly. You simply download the app, sync it with the GPS tracker via Bluetooth, and watch as the app displays all the essential metrics and stats from your previous game or training session.

Have a look at this video below to see all the metrics and information this GPS tracker vest provides.

As you can see, PLAYR provides a wide range of metrics to assess a player’s performance. These include;

• sprint distance
• total distance covered
• top speed
• power plays
• load and intensity metrics
• a GPS positional heat map

Having all this information at your fingertips is a great place to start. Identifying what is happening out on the soccer field and assessing how the player can improve and reach a higher level than they are already at.

The app also saves your previous sessions so you can see how you’re improving over time. You can also use the previous information as a benchmark to beat the next time you’re playing.

Insights and Advice

Alongside the stats and information, the app also provides insights, advice, and tips from professional coaches on how to improve. The more you use this tracker, the more accurate insights you will receive.

I think this feature is one of the best things about this product.

It is like having access to some of the top coaches in the game. They are not just providing general advice but advice that is specific to the individual and based on the results of the previous training sessions. They even offer advice on the best meals to eat.

The information provided is a great way to keep any player accountable and clearly shows when someone isn’t working as hard as they can. You can see when you’re well-conditioned and also know when you haven’t put in quite as much effort as you should have!

Have a look at an overview of this tracker from soccer performance consultant Chris Barnes.

Because of the connection to a GPS system, the accuracy of the stats is incredible. The GPS device records around 1,200 movements per second! And all of that at an accuracy within about 3 feet.

It’s not uncommon to be able to review the information on the app after a game and be reminded of precisely what was happening at that moment.

Another fun and useful feature is that the app will compare your stats to a professional player’s stats. Although you may not yet be close to pro-level, it does give you something to aim for and an incentive to keep setting personal bests each time you wear the vest!

If you are still unsure, have a look at this video review below.

Overview

I really believe this is a necessary product that any serious soccer player of any age needs if they want to take their game to the next level.

• The vest is comfortable to wear
• The GPS tracker is incredibly accurate
• The GPS tracker and app are simple to use and understand
• The metrics are clear, useful, and objective
• The individually tailored advice given on the app is helpful and insightful
• New features are added regularly
• The entire product is great value for money

If you want to check out the PLAYR GPS tracker, click here or on the button below to go straight to Amazon, where you can purchase it now for a really affordable price.

2. STATSports Apex GPS Tracker (The Alternative)

The STATSports Apex GPS tracker vest is an incredible piece of equipment.

Pros

• Accurate stats
• Great user interface
• Live tracking
• Heart rate tracking

Cons

• More expensive than the PLAYR

The reason the STATSports Apex GPS tracker vest is in second place on my recommendations is that it will cost you around $100 more than the PLAYR GPS tracker, but it does everything the PLAYR GPS tracker vest does with only two notable improvements.

Now, having access to this extra information may be precisely what you are looking for. You may decide this is the GPS tracker for you, but for most amateur players, the PLAYR GPS vest will give them everything they need.

Difference Between the Trackers

The main difference between the PLAYR GPS tracker and the STATSports tracker is that the STATSports GPS tracker gives you access to live tracking and heart rate monitor.

Similarly to the PLAYR tracker, the STATSports tracker gives you stats on:

• Your max speed
• Total distance covered
• How many sprints you did
• Average Pace
• Your heat map to show where you were on the field

However, as well as this, the STATSports tracker provides live tracking and access to a heart rate monitor.

Live Tracking

Live tracking means that anyone, maybe a coach or a parent on the sidelines with a mobile device, can connect to the player’s GPS vest and observe the player’s stats “live” throughout a game or training session.

This can be a beneficial way of monitoring how a player is doing and potentially advising them on how they can improve or be more effective while the game is still underway.

Heart Rate Monitoring

Monitoring a player’s heart rate during a training session or game can be another useful metric to have at hand when assessing a soccer player’s performance. And the STATSports GPS tracker vest is capable of providing this information. But only in connection with an external heart rate monitor. This is important to realize before purchasing this vest!

The STATSports GPS pod does not monitor heart rate independently. 

If you do decide to purchase this GPS tracker and want to monitor your or another player’s, heart rate then STATSports recommend you purchase a STATSports Magnetic HR monitor (chest strap) or a Scosche Rhythm+ BLE HR monitor (arm strap). [source]

They say it is compatible with magnetic & BLE ‘arm-based’ monitors but won’t 100% guarantee any other heart rate monitor will be reliable with their product apart from the STATSports Magnetic HR monitor (chest strap) or Scosche Rhythm+ BLE HR monitor (arm strap).

If you do want to purchase one of these heart rate monitors, then you will find the Scosche Rhythm+ BLE HR monitor on Amazon by clicking here.

I think that tracking a player’s heart rate can be an incredibly useful tool, but you have to be prepared to pay extra for it.

Pro Player Recommendation

In this video below, you will see a short interview with US national soccer player Mallory Pugh.

In the interview, she talks about how the STATSports Apex GPS tracker vest has really helped her and is also great for a soccer player at any level of the game.

You will also have noticed that during the interview, it was mentioned how the app connected to the GPS tracker could help with preventing injuries in players.

Professional Advice and Tips

The STATSports Athlete Series App is excellent at suggesting options for how to recover effectively from a previous workout and help prevent the player from pushing their body too far, risking injury and damage before the next game.

In fact, the Athlete Series App that comes with the tracker provides a wealth of tips, advice, and other information on how to improve your game. And all the recommendations are based on the information that the tracker is providing.

If you’re still unsure, have a look at this video review below.

As I mentioned above, the STATSports GPS tracker vest is a truly great product that I have no doubt would improve the ability of any soccer player.

If you’re willing to pay a bit more money than you would for the Catapult PLAYR, you will receive a superior product. But for most people, the Catapult PLAYR will be more than enough.

If you’re interested in purchasing a STATSports soccer GPS tracker vest or just finding out more, click here or on the button below to go to soccer.com (probably the premium online soccer retailer) and have a look for yourself.

More Information

If you are interested in more soccer information, check out one of my other articles:

• how a pro soccer player trains
• how to improve your ability to score
• or find out everything you need to know about soccer positions

One thing that pro soccer players have in common is that they are in great shape. The reason for this is that they train in very specific ways to get their bodies to a high level of fitness.

And it shows.

Today, I want to show you several fitness workouts that soccer pros do during training.

If you follow them, you may not look exactly like Cristiano Ronaldo (sorry!), but this soccer fitness training based on HIIT workouts will certainly get you into great shape and make you a better soccer player.

The primary way soccer players get fit is by doing high-intensity interval training or HIIT. The idea of this is to do short bursts of intense movement followed by short periods of rest. This is the best way for soccer players to stay at their peak.

The soccer workouts that we are going to go over today are all backed by science and approved by the pros. If HIIT is the best way for professional soccer players to train, then just imagine what it can do for you!

If you want to take your fitness to the next level and reach your potential as a soccer player, then don’t miss out on my 30-day Soccer Fitness Program. By following clearly laid out, step-by-step workouts each day, you could be dominating the soccer field just four weeks from now. Find out more here, and don’t regret not giving yourself the chance to succeed!

First Things First: What Is a HIIT Routine?

HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training. It is a type of exercise that alternates short periods of intense activity with periods of low-intensity movement or rest.

HIIT is one of the most effective ways to train, especially for athletes. 

In a HIIT workout, you will do periods of intense exercise that can last anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes. Then, you will have a brief period of rest before you jump into the next exercise.

One of the awesome things about HIIT is that it takes very little time. You don’t have to spend your whole day at the gym. If you have 15 minutes, then you have time to do this workout. Because of the way that HIIT is designed, you will get the same amount of work in about half of the time of a traditional workout. This makes it ideal for busy soccer players.

You don’t have to go to the gym to do this workout. Some HIIT routines don’t even require any special equipment. So, you can easily do it on the soccer field or right there at home.

Have a look at this video below for more explanation about HIIT.

The Benefits of HIIT

The research shows that HIIT workouts are actually better for your overall health than moderate-intensity exercise.

Some of the benefits include:

• The Reduction of Body Fat

One study showed that HIIT decreased body fat more than traditional exercises like steady jogging.

In another more recent study, HIIT was found to burn more calories than steady forms of exercise for the same time period.

The bottom line is that HIIT workouts burn more fat and calories in less time. I call that a big plus!

• The Improvement of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Health

Another benefit of HIIT is that it helps with your heart health. It also improves your metabolic health, including cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure.

Moderate-intensity workouts produce metabolic and cardiovascular benefits, too. There’s no doubt about that. But studies have found that HIIT workouts provide very similar results, and they do it in a lot less time. 

The health benefits of HIIT include:

• Improved mental health 
• Reduced depression and anxiety
• Decreased body weight
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower resting heart rate
• Decreased BMI

If you’re looking to increase your fitness levels after a period away from soccer, I recently wrote a complete guide on how to get BACK in shape for soccer that may interest you.

The Significant Improvement of Mental Health

The truth is, any exercise will benefit your mental health. However, the research shows that HIIT may be especially helpful. One 2019 study suggests that HIIT provides many benefits for people with mental illness. One of the things it helps with is reducing the severity of depression and anxiety.

In another study from 2015, researchers examined the effects of HIIT on people with chronic schizophrenia. This study found that many people with psychological problems had very little motivation to exercise. These people felt that working out took too much time.

The beauty of HIIT is that it takes very little time. This fact alone can help people who lack motivation.

The Time Factor

As I mentioned, HIIT workouts are incredibly time-efficient. Soccer players must train both on and off the field. So, it’s helpful that this workout doesn’t take too much time.

One study in 2014 found that all you need to do is 30 minutes three times a week to see the benefits. And out of that 30-minute session, you only need to do 10 minutes of intense exercise.

If you begin a HIIT program for soccer players, you will start to notice the benefits in just a matter of weeks.

How Long Are HIIT Workouts?

Most HIIT routines are between 15 and 45 minutes in length. The workouts that we will go over today are each about 30 minutes long. The core HIIT workout is just 10 minutes long.

How Often Should Soccer Players Do HIIT Workouts?

I recommend doing these intense workouts three to four days a week. Be sure to give your body at least one day of rest in between each session.

To find out how long it should take you to get fit for soccer, have a look at this article I wrote that should answer any question you may have.

Exercises the Pros Do to Improve Speed, Endurance, and Agility

I have divided these exercises into three separate HIIT workouts that you can do each week. Because they are so intense, you must give your body plenty of time to rest and recover. As well as a description of how to do each exercise, there is a link to a YouTube video showing you how to do each training activity.

Exercise For Speed

Have you ever wondered how superstar players like Kylian Mbappe can leave defenders in the dust with their astounding bursts of speed? Well, they do it by training for speed.

These next three exercises are designed to increase your acceleration. That means that you will be able to fly past the defense and reach those long passes.

1. Single-Leg Squats

The first exercise that you should add to your HIIT workout is the single-leg squat. This exercise will help soccer players build power in their runs. When you set out to sprint, you are putting all of your strength and power into one leg at a time.

Regular squats or jumping squats are beneficial, too, because they activate key muscles like the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. But doing the squats with a single leg allows you to train each leg independently to take on your full bodyweight, just like you do when you take off for a sprint.

To do this exercise, you will begin by standing on one leg. Hold the other leg out in front of you; the higher, the better.

Then, slowly bend your supporting leg the same way you do in a regular squat. Try to keep your bodyweight focused on your heel to activate the glutes. You can hold your arms out in front of you to help with balance.

Go as low as you can and then slowly rise back to the starting position.

For your HIIT workout, you should do the single-leg squats for 45 seconds. Then rest for 15 seconds before you repeat on the other leg.

2. Dumbbell Bench Step-Ups

The next exercise that you should do for speed is dumbbell bench step-ups.

The fitness and conditioning coach of Manchester United, Tony Strudwick, says that this exercise helps develop the muscle groups that you use when you go from a sprint to a jump, like you do when you go for that set-piece header.

Begin this exercise by standing next to a bench and holding a pair of dumbbells by your sides. If you don’t have any dumbbells and need to get hold of some, I recommend these ones from Amazon.

Step on the bench with one foot and bring the other foot up into an elevated position. Hold your balance for one to two seconds and then lower back to the ground.

You should do these step-ups for 45 seconds. Then rest for 15 seconds before repeating on the other leg.

3. Weighted Sled Drag

Weighted sled drags are another exercise that you should add to your HIIT routine. This one is great because it puts heavy resistance on all of the muscle groups that you need to propel forward, including the glutes, calves, core, shoulders, and back.

When you work these muscles hard, you will get a big payoff in acceleration. This exercise will increase your ground reaction forces and power output.

To do this exercise, you will attach a harness to your torso. This one on Amazon is a great option if you’re looking to buy one.

The harness will connect to a weighted sled with two cords. When you first begin, you should go light. If you go too heavy, it will impede your ability to sprint.

Once you’re all hooked up, lean forward and take quick, small steps forward, pulling the sled with you.

As you gain speed, make your strides longer. You should maintain consistent pressure to keep the sled from moving from side to side.

When you add this to your HIIT routine, you will run for about 50 yards, then stop and repeat. Rest no longer than 15 seconds in between sprints.

Exercise For Endurance

This next set of exercises is designed to improve your stamina. Soccer games are 90 minutes long. If you want to be able to play at the highest level for an entire game, then you must have plenty of endurance.

These three exercises will help you build stamina and are great conditioning drills to help you complete a high-intensity game. Training this way ensures that you will have the energy to make it to the final whistle.

1. HIIT on the Treadmill

This first exercise is a HIIT workout all on its own.

One of the reasons that I love HIIT so much for soccer players is that it mimics the rhythms of a real soccer game. In a soccer game, you will vary from walking around the field to sprinting in the box.

Using this soccer treadmill workout will condition your body to be able to switch from anaerobic to aerobic systems and back again quickly. This workout will teach your body to use oxygen more efficiently. That will help you with all of the sudden changes of pace in a game.

If you don’t have a treadmill at home and want to get hold of one, this treadmill on Amazon is both affordable and has over 1500 5-star reviews!

To do this workout, you will begin by setting the treadmill to a one percent incline. Start slow and then build speed as you run moderately for about 10 minutes. Once you’re warmed up, run for 30 seconds at your max speed.

Then, return to a walk or slow jog for three minutes.

You will repeat this exercise four to six times.

2. Burpee Pull-Ups

This next exercise is a favorite of Cristiano Ronaldo’s, and it’s a killer. These burpee pull-ups will push your body to the limit. They work several muscle groups, including your quads, glutes, hamstrings, arms, and chest.

Burpee pull-ups are particularly great for conditioning and stamina. They will quickly increase your heart rate the same way that dashing for the ball does in a real game.

To do this exercise, stand directly under a pull-up bar with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Place both hands on the ground and jump your feet back so that your toes, thighs, and stomach are all touching the floor with your elbows bent.

Next, use your triceps to do a push-up. Allow your hips to lift so that you can jump your feet back underneath you. As you stand up, jump and catch the pull-up bar overhead. In one smooth movement, pull yourself up so that your chin is above the bar.

Then, drop back to the ground to the starting position and repeat.

To add these to your HIIT workout, do the exercise for 45 seconds and then rest for 15 seconds before you repeat.

Have a look at this pull-up bar on Amazon if you need one.

3. Lateral Band Walks

Lateral band walks are another exercise that you should do to work on stamina. This exercise activates the medial glutes. Strengthening these muscles will prevent you from getting injured either from overstretching and muscle fatigue or from the punishing soccer cleat of a flying defender.

To do this exercise, you’ll need a resistance band. These ones from Amazon are a great option.

Start by placing the band either around your ankles or above your knees. Keeping your knees bent and your feet about shoulder-width apart, slowly step out to the side while keeping your toes facing forward.

You will take five to 10 steps to one side and then repeat traveling to the other side. Be sure that you keep your feet at least a few inches apart so that you maintain tension in the resistance band.

To add this exercise to your HIIT routine, do the side steps for one minute and then rest for 15 seconds before repeating.

Exercise For Agility

The soccer players that are the most exciting to watch are the ones who display amazing feats of agility. There’s nothing like watching a player dance around the ball while darting between defenders. Their superhuman agility is the reason that they call soccer “the beautiful game.”

But excellent balance, footwork, and the ability to change direction on a dime don’t just happen by chance. They happen because the pros dedicate time to the gym to work on it.

These next three exercises will help you to perfect your technique. 

1. Medicine Ball Push-Ups

Now I know what you’re thinking. How do push-ups help with agility? Well, these aren’t your ordinary push-ups. The medicine ball push-ups are excellent for building your core strength. A strong core is required for every aspect of the game.

And on top of that, this exercise is great for balance and stability. That means you will be able to make those quick turns and changes of direction without falling flat on your face. Gareth Bale does this exercise for that very reason.

To do the medicine ball push-ups, place both of your hands on the ball. Try to keep your hands as close together as possible. Then, get into a plank position, balancing on your toes and the ball.

Slowly lower your chest until it touches the ball, and then push back up to the starting position. You must use equal pressure on both arms. This will prevent the ball from trolling out from under you.

Have a look at this medicine ball on Amazon if you need one.

2. Lateral Hurdle Sprints

Lateral hurdle sprints are the next exercise that you should be doing to work on agility.

This exercise will help you not only be quick on your feet but also be accurate with your foot placement. We use the hurdles because they force you to pick your feet up higher than normal. If you want to dodge those sliding tackles while not losing your momentum, then you need to do this exercise.

These ones from Amazon would be a great option.

Start by placing mini hurdles on the ground, lined up with about a foot between each one, then as quickly as you can, step over each hurdle with one foot before bringing the other foot along in the same direction.

You should travel both to the left and right. And as you get more comfortable with the movement, you should increase your speed.

To do this exercise in your HIIT workout, you should run back and forth over the hurdles for 45 seconds, followed by a 15-second rest period. Repeat at least five times.

3. Forward-Backward Sprints

The truth about soccer is that you won’t always be in possession of the ball. There will be times when you need to sprint both forward and backward.

Forward-backward sprints will help you to make abrupt changes in direction. This exercise is excellent for training your body to move in any direction quickly.

Sprinting backward particularly helps to build muscle memory. That means that you will be able to keep your eyes on an oncoming striker without losing pace.

To do this exercise, start by placing four or five cones in a line about 20 meters apart. Then, stand behind the first cone. Sprint forward to the second cone. Once you reach the second cone, travel around it and sprint backward back to the starting position. Try to sprint as fast as you can.

Repeat this exercise, sprinting forward to each cone and then sprinting backward to the starting spot. You will travel the furthest distance when you reach the final cone.

One time through all of the cones is one set. Rest for 30 seconds between sets. And do five to eight sets in total.

Have a look at these cones on Amazon if you need some.

10-Minute Core Workout

Now that you’ve worked your aerobic and anaerobic systems, it’s time to focus on your core. As I mentioned, your core is vital to every single aspect of soccer.

Your core involves a lot more than just your abs. Core muscles also include your obliques, back, hips, and hip flexors, all of which are important for soccer players.

We recommend this short, intense 10-minute workout. You will do each exercise for 45 seconds with a 15-second rest in between each one.

1. V-Ups

Start the V-ups by laying down on your back with your arms raised overhead. Then, keeping your core tight, bring both your arms and legs off of the ground in one smooth movement. At the top of the exercise, your body will be balanced on your glutes in the shape of a V, hence the name.

Then, slowly lower back down to the beginning position, keeping your arms and legs straight. 

This is an advanced exercise. To protect your lower back, you must keep your core tight throughout the movement.

2. Up and Down Planks

Up and down planks are the next exercise in this circuit. Planks are excellent for the entire core, plus your arms and chest.

Begin this exercise by getting into a push-up or plank position, balanced on your hands and toes. Be sure that your body is in a straight line from your heels to your head.

From there, you will lower one arm down to your elbow. Do the same with the other arm so that you are in a low plank. Using the same arm you started with, raise back up to your hand and repeat with the other arm.

Each time that you lower to your elbows, you should lead with a different arm.

Like with all of the exercises in this HIIT workout, you should keep your abs pulled in tight.

3. Russian Twists

The next interval will include Russian twists. To do this exercise, you can hold a soccer ball, or you can make it even more challenging by holding a medicine ball.

Start by sitting on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Holding the ball in front of your belly button and leaning back slightly, lift your feet off of the ground so that you are balanced on your glutes.

You will then twist your body side to side, bringing the ball to touch the ground next to your hips. Make sure that you keep the movement in control. You want to move quickly but not so fast that you allow momentum to take over.

4. Side Planks

Side planks are next. This exercise will work your obliques. It’s also great for balance and stability.

Start by lying on the floor on your side with your elbow on the ground directly under your shoulder and your legs extended. Balancing on your foot and elbow, slowly lift your hips and legs off of the ground.

You want your body to be in a straight line from your feet to your head.

You will do the side plank on your right side for 45 seconds, followed by a 15-second rest, and then repeat on the left side.

5. Scissor Kicks

The next exercise in this HIIT workout is scissor kicks. This one will work your lower abs and hip flexors.

Start by laying on the floor with your legs extended and your arms by your sides. Keeping your lower back firmly on the ground, lift your legs up to about a 45-degree angle.

With straight legs, you will then scissor your feet, crossing one leg over the other, repeating on both sides.

6. Bridge with Reverse Crunch

Bridges with reverse crunches will work your lower abs and glutes. This is a compound movement that incorporates two different exercises.

Start by laying on the floor on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Slowly lift your back into a bridge, keeping your core tight and squeezing your glutes. Then, lower back to the starting position.

From there, you will lift your feet and do a reverse crunch. The movement should initiate from your lower trunk.

7. Medicine Ball Throw-Ups

Medicine ball throw-ups are next. You will start this one by sitting with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Hold the ball in front of your stomach. Slowly roll down to lying on your back. 

You will then do a sit-up. At the top of the movement, throw the ball straight up into the air. Catch the ball as you lower down to your back and repeat for 45 seconds.

8. Leg Lift Circles

The next exercise in this HIIT workout is leg lift circles. This one is great for your lower abs and obliques.

Begin by lying on the floor on your back with your arms by your side. If you need some extra support for your lower back, you can place your hands under your glutes.

Keeping your legs straight and together, you will lift them to about 45 degrees. This exercise is similar to leg lifts, but instead of going up and down with your legs, you are going to move them in a circle.

You will do four circles in one direction and then four circles in the other direction and repeat for 45 seconds.

9. Superman

The final exercise in this circuit is the superman. This one works your glutes and lower back.

Begin by laying on the floor on your stomach with your arms raised overhead. Slowly lift your arms and legs as high as you can go and hold for a second before returning to the starting position.

A Final Thought

Because HIIT workouts are so intense, you should only do them three to four times per week. I recommend doing the speed exercises on day one and then taking a day of rest. On day three, do the endurance exercises followed by another day of rest.

Then, do the agility exercises on day five.

You can do the core workout at the end of each HIIT workout.

These are all exercises that the pros do because they have been proven to be effective. If you want to look and perform like them, then you should do them too.

And to make this even easier for you, I created the 30-day Soccer Fitness Guide. This program gives you a new fitness routine each day that builds on the previous day’s activity and guides you along the journey of becoming the best soccer player you can be.

It’s time to stop messing around, join the professionals, and actually follow a fitness program that works. Get your 30-day soccer-focused fitness guide here and start to achieve what you’ve dreamed of.

For more great soccer tips, check out my article 21 soccer tips you need to know!

If you’re interested in the drills pro soccer players do, click here to check out my article on the best 10 soccer drills.

Any good soccer player needs to maintain a high fitness level to perform at their peak. And the best way to know if you are maintaining or even improving your fitness level is to track it.

In this article, I’ve put together a list of what I think are the best fitness trackers available to help you be the best soccer player you can be.

The best fitness trackers for soccer players are:

1. Garmin Venu
2. Misfit Vapor X
3. Fitbit Versa 2
4. Misfit Vapor
5. CATAPULT ONE Soccer GPS Tracker

In this article, I have kept the review of fitness trackers to those below $500, as that is the price range most people are looking at.

However, if you are looking for something in a higher price range and higher quality, I highly recommend you look at the Garmin Fēnix® 6S (click here to go straight to the Garmin website and check it out or click on the image below to see it on Amazon.)

The Garmin Fēnix® 6S is not just the best Garmin watch for soccer but the best soccer watch on the market. Although you will be looking at upwards of $500 for one of these, you get a premium watch for your money that you can even upgrade to solar to harvest solar energy if you want.

This watch has everything you could possibly want from a fitness tracker and can give you the tools and data you need to achieve a greater fitness level than you ever thought possible.

And, at the other end of the scale, if you are looking for a fitness tracker for around $100, then I would recommend the Fitbit Charge 3 (click here to check it out on Amazon). With over 5,000 5-star reviews, up to 7-day battery life, and real-time stats during your workouts, you could be watching your fitness levels increase as it happens!

Why Tracking Fitness Is Important for Any Soccer Player

If you are going to purchase a fitness tracker, it’s important to know why tracking your fitness is important as a soccer player and how it can make a difference.

The National Institute for Sport and Fitness (NISF) gives seven reasons why you should.

1. It makes it more likely to reach and surpass your goal.
2. It allows you to be more efficient in your time and workouts.
3. Lends accountability to yourself and your goals.
4. It allows for easier modifications and shows when and where changes need to be made.
5. It can be motivating and reinforcing to remind you why you are doing what you are.
6. It helps to drive the focus and direction of your programming.
7. Keeps you committed to your plan.[source]

Being able to track your fitness allows you to see where you are at with your level of fitness where you need to improve, and then it gives you the satisfaction of seeing your improvement each time you work out.

One of the best ways to inspire and help you work harder and get fitter is to follow a fitness program. This is why I created Your Soccer Fitness Guide.

This Soccer Fitness Guide is designed to help you reach your potential as a soccer player by getting you fit fast. The daily step-by-step guide follows the same training that professional soccer players use.

If it works for the pro’s just imagine what it can do for you!

Check it out here or click on the image below.

The 5 Best Fitness Trackers for Soccer

So now we’ve established why, as a soccer player, it’s important to track your fitness, let’s look at what the best fitness trackers are.

1. Garmin Venu – My Number 1 Recommendation

Top Features

• Full AMOLED touchscreen
• 5 days of battery life
• 20 pre-set activities
• A huge amount of stats and metrics
• Sleep Tracking
• Supports popular music streaming platforms

This fitness tracker is, in my opinion, the best fitness tracker out there for any serious soccer player.

The range of stats and metrics it gives you access to through the Connect app is astounding for a smartwatch fitness tracker and is far superior to any other fitness tracker on this list. This alone would arguably make it worth owning, but there is much more to it than just that.

Made of fiber polymer and weighing only 1.64oz (46.5g), the Garmin Venu is lightweight but tough and durable. The 1.2-inch (30.4mm) touchscreen, which offers a 390 x 390-pixel resolution, is a full AMOLED touchscreen, making the text and images on the screen incredibly clear and uncommonly easy to read.

The battery life is also impressive, especially when you compare it to some other smartwatches, which struggle to last 24 hours. This one boasts a battery life of up to 5 days!

You do need to be aware that the 5-day battery life doesn’t allow for the use of GPS or music.

When those two are turned on, you’re looking at up to 6 hours of battery use. However, this is more than enough time for an extensive workout, and when using the fitness tracker in smartwatch mode throughout the day, there is very little need to have the GPS or music turned on anyway.

The Garmin Venu also comes with 20 pre-set activities, from running to swimming, that you can choose from. These can be customized to your preferences and will work well when adjusted to a setting based on what your soccer coach or trainer wants you to do.

The Venu features animations to show you how to do specific activities, such as strength exercises. This is especially helpful when you are just beginning, as you can clearly visualize what is expected.

Although it does feature sleep tracking including monitoring sleep stages, respiration rate, pulse ox, and movement, one area where this tracker is weak is as a health watch. It’s great as a fitness tracker but if you are looking for features such as ECG or heart arrhythmia detection you won’t find them on this watch.

The Garmin Venu is also not as accurate underwater as it is above water, but that is common to most fitness trackers and it still has a lot to offer if you plan on using it regularly for swimming.

The hydration logging tool is another feature that I really appreciate about this watch. It’s easy to keep it updated whenever you hydrate, and it will also give you an estimation of the fluids lost during a workout so you know how much fluid you need to replace.

The last area that really stands out about this fitness tracker is its support of music streaming services such as Spotify, Deezer, or Amazon music. I love having music to work out to, and the Garmin Venu allows me to do this.

This fitness tracker is at the more expensive end of the price range for fitness trackers, but, as with many things in life, you get what you pay for, and in my opinion, what this fitness tracker offers is worth the cost.

This is the fitness tracking watch that every serious soccer player should own.

To check out this fitness tracker on the Garmin website, click on the button below.

2. Misfit Vapor X

Top Features

• Premium look
• Uses Google Fit
• Comfortable to wear
• 1.2-inch AMOLED screen

**Unfortunately, it seems this fitness tracker is currently unavailable online. I recommend you check out my review of the Playermaker Soccer Tracker as an alternative.**

My number 2 recommendation for a fitness tracker for soccer players is the Misfit Vapor X. This fitness tracker is a great tracker and comes a close second to the Garmin Venu.

This is my favorite fitness tracker to look at on this list. The design is better than all the others and it just looks great on your wrist. Unlike the fiber polymer that the Garmin Venu is made of the Misfit Vapor X is made of aluminum alloy with a matt finish and because of this looks and feels like a premium smartwatch.

It could easily be worn all day long and not just for workouts. There are some fitness trackers out there that look too “sporty” to be worn at any other time but this watch would not look out of place at any formal event.

It’s also lightweight and incredibly comfortable to wear. You could easily forget your wearing it throughout the course of a day.

It also has a 1.2-inch AMOLED screen which makes it great to look at, read, and use both outside and inside.

The operating system is really intuitive to use and the physical buttons can be customized to open whatever activity or app you prefer.

The fitness tracking on this device is run by Google Fit (although you can easily add your own third-party apps if you prefer).

Google Fit is a great system to use to track your fitness. It collects a huge amount of data and metrics from the Vapor X that will help you understand where you are in your fitness journey, however, it isn’t quite at the same level as the array of stats and metrics available on the Garmin Venu.

One aspect that does hold this fitness tracker back and dropped it into second place rather than first on my list is the speed at which it works and the battery life.

It does have a tendency to lag occasionally and isn’t the quickest at opening apps. However, for many people, this may not be an issue and they will be happy to wait the extra second or two for it to perform the operation you’ve asked it to. The battery also only lasts a day or two at best.

This is a fitness tracker that when used as it’s designed to be used is both a joy to experience and a joy to look at.

Click on the button below to check out this fitness tracker on the Amazon website.

3. Fitbit Versa 2

Top Features

• 5-day battery life
• Sleep tracking
• Alexa Integration
• Smooth and fast to use
• Dedicated to fitness

No list of fitness trackers would be complete without a Fitbit.

Fitbit is probably the most well-known brand name in the fitness tracker market and for a good reason. They pretty much created the fitness tracker market and, more importantly, they still make great fitness trackers, which over 17,000 great reviews on Amazon for this tracker, which you can check out by clicking here, testify to.

First, let’s start with the look of this fitness tracker. Unlike the classic looking thin rectangle shape Fitbit’s, this one has a square display more like a smartwatch. In my opinion, this looks so much better.

As with the previous fitness trackers on this list, the Fitbit Versa 2 includes a great AMOLED touchscreen protected by Gorilla Glass 3 making it a tough product able to withstand most things a soccer workout will through at it.

The battery life on this tracker is also impressive lasting around 5 days with regular use. Be aware that using the “always on watch faces” will reduce battery life so have a play around with them and see if you prefer them on or not.

One of the things I find most impressive about this fitness tracker is how smooth it is to use. Almost every touch or action has an incredibly fast response time and most of the time it feels as though there is no lag at all. This is rare in many electronic devices.

This Fitbit contains multiple fitness features including:

• Oxygen level monitor
• Total steps,
• Steps per hour,
• Heart rate,
• Sleep stats with sleep tracking done automatically
• Food and water intake monitoring
• Alexa integration

The Fitbit Versa 2 is also a great option for those of you who enjoy using water activities as part of your soccer fitness training as it’s water-resistant up to 50m.

One thing that is not included is GPS. If you want to include that in your tracking you will have to connect and carry your phone.

Although everything that is included with the Fitbit is great, to take your tracking up a level you should consider Fitbit Premium. Costing around $10 a month, or less if you pay annually, Premium will offer you access to personalized insights, resources, and workouts designed to improve your workouts and fitness.

In my opinion, combining Fitbit Premium with the 30-day soccer fitness program is a sure-fire way to increase your fitness and become a better player in no time at all.

Not trying to be a smartphone as many smartwatches try to do, the Fitbit Versa 2 is all about fitness tracking while still offering some smartwatch benefits such as messaging and calendar notifications.

Click here to check out the Fitbit Versa 2 on Amazon or click on the button below to check out this fitness tracker on the Fitbit website.

4. Misfit Vapor 2 – best budget option

Top Features

• Includes GPS and NFC
• Stainless steel case
• Wear OS by Google
• AMOLED display
• Budget Price

This fitness tracker is has everything you want to be able to track your fitness but at a much cheaper price than any of the recommended trackers so far.

It contains a host of features that any soccer player would want to track their fitness. Including an accelerometer, an altimeter, a gyroscope, and a heart rate tracker allow the device to gather all the basic information needed to tell you how you are doing.

And maybe surprisingly the Misfit Vapor 2 includes a GPS which not all budget, or higher range, fitness trackers do. This means that you can happily leave your smartphone behind as you head out to train or go for a run.

The battery life is reasonably average lasting at least 1 day or 2 days at most. For many people, this may not be an issue though and they will happily put it on to charge each day alongside their phone.

Available for around $100 on Amazon this fitness tracker really is a great fitness tracker for any soccer player looking to purchase a good fitness tracker while sticking to a limited budget.

It doesn’t have all the features of a more expensive fitness tracker, but it also doesn’t have the same price tag.

Click on the button below to check out this fitness tracker on the Misfit website.

5. CATAPULT ONE Soccer GPS Tracker

Top Features

• Light and comfortable to wear
• Most accurate GPS data of any fitness tracker
• Can be worn during a game or training

This soccer tracker is a little different than the other recommendations so far as it’s a wearable GPS vest and app rather than a watch. If you’ve watched any pro soccer training sessions in the last few years, you’ve probably seen the players wearing something similar.

These “vests” are worn around the upper body of the soccer player and contain a GPS tracker on the back that tracks, among other things, the player’s movement, speed, position, power, and intensity on the soccer field throughout a game or training session.

I’ve recently written a more in-depth review of the Best Soccer GPS Tracker Vests, including the Catapult PLAYR tracker. If you’re interested in a GPS tracker vest, I highly recommend clicking here to jump over to that article.

There are a few significant advantages to this product over a wrist fitness tracker.

1. One is that it gives you much more precise GPS data than a watch-style fitness tracker
2. It can be worn during either a training game or a real game. Unlike many wearable watch fitness trackers.

After a training session, you simply sync up the device with the app and allow it to compile and give you the data.

The app also contains a feature called SmartCoach. SmartCoach is designed to give you advice on how to improve your game based on the data provided throughout the game. This feature can really make a big difference to a player and help them see a big improvement in how they play.

Battery life is around 7 hours which should give any player more than enough time to switch it on, train, or play a game, and then sync it to the app.

The purpose of the CATAPULT ONE Soccer GPS Tracker is to track all your activity on the soccer field and provide you with clear and helpful data afterward to allow you to improve your game and be a better player the next time you step out onto the soccer field.

Click on the button below to check out this fitness tracker on Amazon.

Conclusion

In conclusion, if you want the best fitness tracker as a soccer player then seriously consider the Garmin Venu (click here to find out more on the Garmin website).

If you want the best-looking fitness tracker then go for the Misfit Vapor X (click here to find out more on the Misfit website).

And if your looking for the best fitness tracker on a budget then the Misfit Vapor will give you everything you need at a low price. (click here to find out more about the Vapor 2 on the Misfit website).

If you want the best fitness tracker solely dedicated to tracking your activity rather than one also operating as a smartwatch then I’d recommend the Fitbit Versa 2. (Click here to check this tracker out on Amazon.)

And if you want the most accurate GPS data in a wearable vest form then you should check out the CATAPULT PLAYR Soccer GPS Tracker. (Click here to go to Amazon and see this fitness tracker.)

Recommendations

If you’re interested in the best soccer drills for improving your skills then click here to go to my top 10 list of soccer drills.

And if you want to know everything you need to know about soccer positions then click here to go to my recent article all about it.