CHAPTER 2: FLEXIBILITY TRAINING

Flexibility refers to the degree of movement, or range of motion, around a joint such as the knee or hip.
Most movements and actions in soccer require good flexibility to be performed successfully. Take for
instance, a winger running full speed to connect with a ball played over the top: a limited range of motion
in the hamstrings and hip flexor muscles will greatly limit stride distance and therefore sprinting ability.

Indeed, increased flexibility will allow your players to reach those high and awkward air balls, increase
their shooting power, and enable them to stretch a few more inches to make that goal-saving sliding
tackle. Having a greater range of motion also facilitates more efficient movement. Therefore, players with
good flexibility will expend less energy to do the same action than players who have limited ranges of
motion. Importantly, efficient movement also translates to better technique.

In addition to producing quality movement, flexibility training is also essential for injury prevention.
Soccer requires a player to perform repeated high-intensity actions throughout a game. Continuously
performing these actions with tight muscles can lead to strains and more serious injuries such as tears. As
such, coaches should ensure players engage in year-round flexibility training not just for performance
enhancement but also as a method of injury prevention.

DEVELOPING FLEXIBILITY

Flexibility should be a part of any soccer conditioning program and should start from a young age.
Developing flexibility is important for growing children as it helps to develop strong joints and reduces
injury that may occur during rapid growth spurts. Flexibility for very young soccer players should not be
extensive but of a general nature, and should be included as part of a regular training session. Starting
flexibility training at a young age is recommended also because it gets a player into the habit of stretching
before and after games and training. Time and time again, I have observed coaches neglect flexibility in
their training sessions or match routines largely because they don’t make a habit of it.

Flexibility training becomes more important as a child matures. This is because range of motion decreases
with age, especially as muscle mass increases. Adolescent and senior athletes need to allocate more time
to developing flexibility; and, in weeks with multiple intense games, a session dedicated entirely to
stretching may be necessary. Increasing flexibility should be a major goal of off-season training,
especially for players with limited range of motion, whereas maintenance should be the goal for pre- and
in-season phases. However, flexibility training should be a part of all practice sessions, regardless of the
training phase.

Good whole-body flexibility is important for developing a sound fitness base, but flexibility training
should not be overdone as there is a point where further increases in flexibility will not improve soccer
performance.