What if I told you that stretching as a part of Soccer training tips is highly recommended by professional soccer coaches and is widely practiced by players in almost every sport? As a sport, soccer is growing and developing incessantly in its superiority.

In kid’s training for soccer, there are two types of stretching, dynamic and static stretching that are integrated.

Static stretching requires the kids to extend their muscles as far as they can and hold for a given duration of time. Recurring motions, rebounding, and rhythmic bouncing are performed by the players while doing dynamic stretching. In general, it is not considered as effective as static stretching and more dangerous than static stretching.

This article shares some of the benefits that stretching provides in helping average players become champions.

Soccer training tips

Stretching reduces injuries: Constant stretching by players during the day and continuing it over a period of time helps the growth of their muscles, thus diminishing the risk of injury. Stretching also provides a way of improving the size and strength of muscles.

Stretching influences flexibility: Stretching puts off the loss of flexibility. However, the support is more convincing for a long-term stretching line up than for shorter periods of time.

Performing stretching for a few minutes before starting any playing activity is likely to enhance flexibility. One of the most important soccer training tips is to focus on enhancing the player’s range of motion by spreading out the stretching program over a period of months together.

Stretching improves performance: Stretches, when designed to be soccer specific can greatly improve a player's performance.

Make sure that the kids enjoy stretching: Make stretching fun for the kids by including a variety of soccer drills into your session. Keep changing the warm up activities that are performed before stretching. Try games like the tag game, ball tag, and keep away.

Focus mentally on stretching exercises, feel and recognize each stretch, whilst checking for body soreness.

One 15-30-second stretch for each muscle group is sufficient for most players, but some kids require longer stretches and more repetitions as well.

This is due to the fact that when the temperature of muscles is higher than normal, inflexibility decreases and extensibility increases. Those players who wish to sustain or increase their flexibility can partially attain this goal by stretching. It is better, safer, and more productive to do stretching exercises when the body temperature is higher than normal.

This is why some coaches tend to make their kids perform stretching exercises after a workout as well. After practicing soccer skills, if kids are made to do some stretching for 5-7 minutes, it’ll prevent their muscles from tightening too fast.

Usually, players who practice an active warm-up ahead of stretching get a superior range of motion than those kids who just stretch. So if injury prevention is your aim, stop stretching before exercise and increase the warm up time.

I again reiterate that the most important of all soccer training tips is to remember that hurried stretching does not help kids become flexible, gets monotonous and pointless, so let them take their own time to warm up before stretching. You can get more such tips and tactics by subscribing to our youth soccer coaching community that has several relevant articles, videos, and periodic newsletters.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Andre Botelho is the author of "The Expert Youth Soccer Coaching Guide" and he's a recognized expert in the subject of youth soccer coaching. Learn how to explode your players' skills and make training fun in less than 29 days! Download your free pdf guide at: Free Soccer Drills