Does Being Fit Mean the Same As Being Game Fit?

Too often, soccer players describe themselves as being “fit.” Being a fit individual does not necessarily mean you are ready for the rigors of a 90 minute soccer match at a high level. I think there is so much more to being match fit than just the average routing of jogging, running, or sprint workouts. It’s about finding what works for you individually, what position you play, what are your roles on the field, and finding creative ways to focus on those areas to prepare yourself to play a 90 minute game at optimum levels.

There are different ways to prepare for your upcoming seasons. What I hear a lot as a college coach is the norm, “coach, I’ve been running.” “So what does that mean?” is my first response to that statement. So I ask, “What specifically have you been doing?” The typical answer is, “well, I run a few times a week for about 25-30 minutes.” This tells me the player will be in decent shape, but is he/she going to be game fit? Here is the difference; soccer is a game that is played at constant changing intervals. If running 25-30 minutes daily at a constant rate is the preparation method, you will most certainly not be able to sprint, recover, sprint, recover, and eventually rest, and doing all of this with the ball potentially at their feet. It is extremely important for soccer players to understand the difference of “being fit vs. being game fit.”

In order for players to prepare themselves for games, their cardiovascular workouts need to be as similar to playing in a game as they possibly can. Distance runs are good for recovery days, but soccer players need to be able to do 3 things in order to play the game at the highest level they possibly can. First, you need to be able to sprint and recover, sometimes with the ball at your feet, and doing that confidently. Secondly, you need to be able to actively recover, meaning a run or a jog back. This gives you time to recover from the previous sprint, retain your defensive shape if needed, and control your breathing. Lastly, there are moments in the game when you can just plain rest (during goal kicks, throw-ins, anytime the ball is out of play.) Those three things are should be the body of your workout, making the workout as realistic towards the demands of the game as you possibly can.

As I said before, I like distance runs for recovery purposes, but the true test will be your ability to sprint and recover and sprint again; which distance runs don’t prepare your body for. To properly prepare, you need to have your sprint workouts and interval runs in place. Your sprint workouts should be for short bursts of maximum effort (20, 40, 60, and 80 yard increments). It is not as common for a player to make a 100-120 yard sprint or recovery run during a match, but it is a good idea to put a few of those distances in your workout. Recovery can be defined a couple of different ways. You can “actively” recover, which means you jog or run to recover. Or you can simply “recover”, which can mean a walk or “rest” (standing still). I rarely allow my players to recover standing still, if we recover, it is usually with a jog or walk.

I think interval runs are a great tool to measure how fit you actually are. Interval runs consist of just that, having different interval speeds at which you run. The three basic intervals are the run, jog, and walk. You can always add a fourth, which would be a sprint. These intervals are typically done for time. If you decide to go on a 25 minute interval run, vary your intervals of running, jogging, and walking, with some sprints in the mix. The more fit you are, the less “recovery time” you will need before you begin your next interval.

As I stated above, sprint workouts which simulate game situations and interval runs are great preparation tools for you to get ready for upcoming seasons, but there is no better way to prepare than by playing a 90 minute game at a high work rate. This gives you everything: sprinting, recovery, and rest, all while you are touching a ball. In my opinion, playing is the most important ingredient, being very fit is great, but if you aren’t comfortable with the ball at your feet while sprinting forward or even recovering, it’s not the right preparation. If you can not play during your preparation weeks or off months, incorporate some ball work within your sprint workouts. You can easily sprint with the ball and recover with the ball. Or you can utilize a few friends as they play you a variety of services while sprinting and recovering, essentially preparing your body to what the game calls for. If you have any thoughts of your own on this, please feel free to email me at m-batman@onu.edu.