There is no doubt that soccer players need to be fast and agile. Agility training for soccer players is imperative and should be addressed in all team training programs. In this article, we will discuss how developing motor skills will help improve agility.

You have to be scientific about your approach. It’s not enough to simply engage in a bunch of cardio exercises that do nothing to develop the specific motor skills needed to best perform your given position. You have to know what has been shown to work to increase agility. You must first define exactly what motor skills you are trying to improve. Only then can you come up with an efficient program to hone them with agility drills.

Background to the science of motor learning

Motor movements have two classifications: open and closed. Each type requires specific functioning of the central nervous system (CNS). Each also requires very different interpretations of receptor information, efficient response mechanisms, memory retrieval, and neuromuscular stimuli.

Low-level motor movement, closed motor skills, in this execution situation, is quite static. In other words, they remain constant and predictable.

* They have definite start and stop points.

* Neuromuscular feedback to the CNS has a very small role in movement execution. That means there is very little involvement of the muscle proprioceptors for correction once the movement is started.

* A muscle proprioceptor is a signaling mechanism in a muscle or joint that provides information to the CNS about the appropriateness of a given movement.

* The movement is self-directed and initiated from the intention of the athlete.

Some examples of closed motor skills are golf swings, track events, archery, and weight lifting. You see, these stocks are stable and predictable, there’s not a lot of variance involved.

At the other extreme of motor movement are open skills. * These are more complex and require more feedback from the proprioceptors because they occur in non-static situations. * Typically, split-second adjustments are needed to successfully execute these movements. Incorrect body positioning, pressure that announces damage, and of course sharp pain are some of the possible feedback scenarios for incorrect movements.

* There can also be instantaneous reactions in motion from visual and auditory stimuli. For example, a third baseman may spring into motion immediately after a split-second projection of a batter’s contact with a pitched ball. Furthermore, a basketball player can immediately respond to a vocal signal from a point guard.

*Open Motor Skills are called “Forced Rhythm” Skills due to the constantly evolving conditions in which they occur. Instantly precise actions and reactions are required for optimal success.

Obviously, open motor skills require a different and more advanced type of conditioning to develop. It can be a complex science just to discern the sport-specific motor skills that need to be developed. Agility training for soccer varies based on the position played and the natural abilities of the players. Furthermore, it follows that there are an infinite number of possible scenarios that might or might not be task-specific enough to be beneficial when doing agility training for soccer.

At its core, agility is the ability to change direction. This does not simply apply to the entire direction of your body, but also to specific areas or parts of your body. An example would be a wide receiver who leaps into the air, looks back over his own shoulders, watches the ball come his way, maintains his altitude to the maximum, extends his hands up around his right side, all while anticipates and prepares for an imminent collision with an upcoming opponent. This is a constant event.

Agility training for soccer is considered the most important overall element of a player’s training regimen. Agility training should also vary from position to position. For example, a defensive back can cover 10-15 yards on every play in the game, while an offensive lineman can never move more than 5-10 yards on any given play. There are skill stances and power stances in the game and each type must train for agility differently.

Here are some basic agility training drills for soccer:

W – Pattern The cones are placed in the shape of an elongated W (about 10 or 12 meters away). Players run in a straight line from cone to cone. The focus is on quick starts and stops.

Side Mix Take a dozen cones and place them about 5 yards apart, 1 yard across from each other. Perform a side shuffle through the cones at optimal speed. Without crossing your feet. Stay low to the ground.

Figure 8 Shuffle 2 cones are placed approximately 2 yards apart. Moving around the cones, your soccer athlete makes 6 random moves, in a figure 8 pattern. The direction of the scramble is then reversed and the scrambles are repeated.

These are just a few of the limitless varieties of soccer agility training drills. Many other exercises and movement patterns can be used. The important thing to remember is that you are preparing to respond instantly to any number of unpredictable external stimuli. You have to keep your mind open to visual stimuli and auditory commands, as well as physical pressures and cues. Agility training for soccer is one of the most important workouts that players do. It must be practiced throughout the year.