{"id":19458,"date":"2021-12-11T16:49:46","date_gmt":"2021-12-12T00:49:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/traceup.com\/?p=19458"},"modified":"2022-09-20T07:52:02","modified_gmt":"2022-09-20T14:52:02","slug":"how-to-build-soccer-speed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/traceup.com\/how-to-build-soccer-speed","title":{"rendered":"Trace Toolkit: How to Build Soccer Speed and Agility"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10px\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0060-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera.jpg?resize=640%2C427&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19467\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Soccer is a game of speed. There\u2019s no two ways about it: fast footwork, fast reactions and <a href=\"https:\/\/traceup.com\/how-and-why-to-improve-your-soccer-vision\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fast decisions <\/a>are crucial skills on the soccer field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But that doesn\u2019t mean only the speediest players are destined for success \u2014 just that their speed gives them a boost in the race to the top. Thankfully (for those of us not born with rockets in their cleats), speed is also something that can be learned. Maybe not Usain Bolt speed, or Alphonso Davies speed, but every aspiring player should strive to get faster and faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-2 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10px\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Alphonso Davies - Best of the Canadian Speedster\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JM8IuzdVCik?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you\u2019re a turbo-boosted winger looking to maintain your edge or a mountain of a centre-back (like me) hoping to gain some ground, the Trace guide to building soccer speed below will help take you one step closer to the top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"speed-over-stamina\">Speed Over Stamina<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-3 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10px\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0289-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera.jpg?resize=640%2C427&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19463\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0289-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera.jpg?resize=750%2C500&amp;ssl=1 750w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0289-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0289-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0289-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0289-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0289-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0289-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera.jpg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0289-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera.jpg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0289-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Stamina and endurance are important, no doubt. But there are different types of endurance, and players who can run ten miles without flinching aren\u2019t necessarily the most prepared for the realities of a soccer game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s because soccer doesn\u2019t require nonstop motion. On the field, you aren\u2019t moving constantly \u2014&nbsp;at least, you aren\u2019t moving the <em>same way <\/em>constantly. Players stop. They walk, they jog, they run, they sprint, and they jump. The pace and the rhythm of the game dictate the intensity of your motion, and you need to be prepared for whatever the game demands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Players often turn to cross-country and long-distance running as a way to get more fit before (or during) their soccer season. But running for a long distance at one speed simply doesn\u2019t translate to the soccer field, and coaches don\u2019t want players who can jog around the field constantly. They want players who can change gears in an instant and turn up the heat, from the first minute until the last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To cultivate <em>that <\/em>endurance, players should incorporate high-intensity bursts of sprinting into their workouts. Sprinting builds fast-twitch muscle fibers, making you more powerful, more explosive, and ready to pounce when the time is right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"agility-over-acceleration\">Agility Over Acceleration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-4 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10px\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0226-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera-1.jpg?resize=640%2C427&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19473\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0226-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera-1.jpg?resize=750%2C500&amp;ssl=1 750w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0226-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera-1.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0226-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera-1.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0226-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0226-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0226-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera-1.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0226-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera-1.jpg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0226-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera-1.jpg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0226-Trace-AI-Soccer-Camera-1.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>There are times on the soccer field where your top speed matters, like sprinting onto a long ball or making an overlapping run. But most of soccer happens in smaller areas, with tighter margins. And that\u2019s where agility reigns supreme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Agility isn\u2019t about how fast you get to your destination \u2014&nbsp;it\u2019s about how quickly you can change directions, with lateral movement. And in soccer, as we all know, change is constant. Increased agility benefits players every second they\u2019re on the field: defending one-on-one, pouncing on loose balls in the box, even playing a one-two in midfield. Being agile means being explosive, with and without the ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are countless ways for players to become quicker (rather than faster \u2014&nbsp;an important distinction). The best, and in my experience most fun, is with speed ladders. Even young players love the challenge and the intricacy of new patterns, and they help cultivate improved balance and coordination. Those benefits also promise to help boost dribbling skills.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-5 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10px\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"15 Fast Footwork Exercises | Increase Your Foot Speed With These Speed Ladder Drills\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tMY5Cj39xN8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Players should also look to incorporate <a href=\"https:\/\/kbandstraining.com\/soccer-practice-lateral-speed-and-jump-height\/\">vertical jumping drills<\/a> \u2014 using anything from jump rope to plyometric boxes \u2014 in their agility workouts. Movement on the soccer field happens in every direction: forward, backward, left, right, up, down, and everything in between. By working to be quicker in <em>every<\/em> direction, you prepare yourself to react to anything that might happen on the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-6 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\" id=\"build-more-essential-skills-with-the-trace-toolkit-shooting-drills-crossing-and-finishing-keeping-possession-creating-chances\">Build More Essential Skills with the <br>Trace Toolkit:<br><a href=\"https:\/\/traceup.com\/trace-toolkit-soccer-shooting-drills\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Shooting Drills<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/traceup.com\/trace-toolkit-creating-chances\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Crossing and Finishing<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/traceup.com\/trace-toolkit-keeping-possession\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Keeping Possession<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/traceup.com\/trace-toolkit-the-art-of-the-rondo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Creating Chances<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Train yourself to be faster, quicker, and sharper on the field with simple methods.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":155722391,"featured_media":19471,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[703414511],"tags":[703414585,703414574,703414584,703414577],"table_tags":[],"class_list":["post-19458","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-player-development","tag-agility","tag-drills","tag-speed","tag-trace-toolkit"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/0060-trace-ai-soccer-camera-1.jpg?fit=500%2C312&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/traceup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19458","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/traceup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/traceup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traceup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/155722391"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traceup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19458"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/traceup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19458\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24835,"href":"https:\/\/traceup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19458\/revisions\/24835"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traceup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19471"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/traceup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19458"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traceup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19458"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traceup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19458"},{"taxonomy":"table_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traceup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/table_tags?post=19458"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}