Weight Training surely has no place in girls soccer!

[Kublah]

Why strength training is important for athletes

 

Should women train differently than men?

 

Check these articles out, they should help put to rest some of the myths being stated.

[kickgrass]

Thanks for sharing these. There were also some other very interesting articles in the right box that I want to share with my daughter.

[what's up]

Every track and field program has wieght training as part of routine. If you talk to a track or running coach- he/she will tell you without upper body stength an athlete will never reach their full potential for distance and speed. As we all know upper body strength takes development - which puts you in the weight room.

And don't forget the advantages of a good throw-in!!

[BlazetoFlames]

Weight training surely has no place in girls soccer (or high school soccer). The Bigger Faster Stronger motto is nonense, more like Bigger Fatter Slower! Having high school pupils "max-ing out" cannot be good for their growth, it probly explains why so many pupils get injured and require knee operations.

 

Does weight training improve perfromance? Improve speed? Doubtful. I know of some girls who play basketball and have to lift on the same day of a soccer game, this is just crazy! I cant see no benefit for soccer at all, is strength really that important in soccer, id say no, id rather have speed and aerobic endurance any day of the week. You want to improve the power of a shot, work on technqiue, want to improve speed, work on "reading of the game" and anticipation or foot drills.

 

Not baiting anyone, my opinion and im just interested in your opinions?

 

 

I think that weight training is crucial in all sports when it is done properly.

For soccer most weight lifting should work the legs.

 

also band exercises are really productive. Our weight trainer has us doing those right now since we are in season.

 

Every college team in America has both men and women lifting weights so the assertion that lifting weights has no benifit to soccer at all is completly inaccurate. You can have the best foot skills in the world but if you get knocked off the ball with ease then your production rate will not be very good.

 

and about the injuries they are not caused by the actual weights. they are caused by improperly lifting weights. plus injuries have always been a part of the game thats just how it is.

just my opinion though

[woodeng]

Every college team in America has both men and women lifting weights so the assertion that lifting weights has no benifit to soccer at all is completly inaccurate. You can have the best foot skills in the world but if you get knocked off the ball with ease then your production rate will not be very good.

 

 

Just because college does weight training, doesnt mean high school athletes have to! I know weight training can improve physical performance, but at an elite level. Weight training for injury prevention / recovery I can understand, but a game of high school soccer has never been decided on whos been in the weight room or who hasnt. Getting knocked off the ball? Happens all the time, id rather have players who has good foot skills.

 

Whats up: "As we all know upper body strength takes development - which puts you in the weight room.

And don't forget the advantages of a good throw-in!!"

 

You can throw a soccer ball far or you cant, nothing to do with weights.

 

Kick Grass: " think your logic is flawed to associate weight training with knee injuries. There is a lot of studies that have been performed on the increased number of knee injuries with girls vs boys."

 

I meant no gender bias, i should have stated high school athletes. Apologies. I never seen so many knee injuries in young pupils as i have in america and the only difference from American and English school coaching is weight training. For me, I want to coach the individual, if they make to the elite level, then weights may be of some use, but not at high school level. Let them develop naturally.

 

But as Big G stated in a prior post, its upto the trainers opinion. And everyone has their's.

[BlazetoFlames]

Just because college does weight training, doesnt mean high school athletes have to! I know weight training can improve physical performance, but at an elite level. Weight training for injury prevention / recovery I can understand, but a game of high school soccer has never been decided on whos been in the weight room or who hasnt. Getting knocked off the ball? Happens all the time, id rather have players who has good foot skills.

 

Whats up: "As we all know upper body strength takes development - which puts you in the weight room.

And don't forget the advantages of a good throw-in!!"

 

You can throw a soccer ball far or you cant, nothing to do with weights.

 

Kick Grass: " think your logic is flawed to associate weight training with knee injuries. There is a lot of studies that have been performed on the increased number of knee injuries with girls vs boys."

 

I meant no gender bias, i should have stated high school athletes. Apologies. I never seen so many knee injuries in young pupils as i have in america and the only difference from American and English school coaching is weight training. For me, I want to coach the individual, if they make to the elite level, then weights may be of some use, but not at high school level. Let them develop naturally.

 

But as Big G stated in a prior post, its upto the trainers opinion. And everyone has their's.

 

 

 

 

but you just stated my point, "weight training improves physical performance" if it does then my not do it?

wouldn't you want your team to perform at an "elite" leval

and finally weights make you bigger, faster, stonger, when done properly and that is just how it is. Obviously if weights did not help then everyone would not be doing them.

 

Games are often won and lost in the weight room as well as on the practice pitch.

[kickgrass]

Just because college does weight training, doesnt mean high school athletes have to! I know weight training can improve physical performance, but at an elite level. Weight training for injury prevention / recovery I can understand, but a game of high school soccer has never been decided on whos been in the weight room or who hasnt. Getting knocked off the ball? Happens all the time, id rather have players who has good foot skills.

 

Whats up: "As we all know upper body strength takes development - which puts you in the weight room.

And don't forget the advantages of a good throw-in!!"

 

You can throw a soccer ball far or you cant, nothing to do with weights.

 

Kick Grass: " think your logic is flawed to associate weight training with knee injuries. There is a lot of studies that have been performed on the increased number of knee injuries with girls vs boys."

 

I meant no gender bias, i should have stated high school athletes. Apologies. I never seen so many knee injuries in young pupils as i have in america and the only difference from American and English school coaching is weight training. For me, I want to coach the individual, if they make to the elite level, then weights may be of some use, but not at high school level. Let them develop naturally.

 

But as Big G stated in a prior post, its upto the trainers opinion. And everyone has their's.

 

Woodeng I respect your opinion, but we will have to just agree to disagree. Many of these players playing High School currently in Tennessee are elite players that play at an elite level and their bodies have matured. They are preparing to play Club in the Spring and then in College as well as their current High School season. They train and play year round. This is the only sport they play .

[Bean0007]

I was going to stay out of this, but some of this discussion will wind up being to the detriment of the athlete. PROPER, SUPERVISED, training will only enhance performance, minimize injury, and keep the athlete on the field longer, and more safely. It is not even an arguable point. I've worked with many trainers, some of the best in the country at the universities, as well as at the high school level. Leading orthopedic surgeons as well, and they all are proponents of training to prevent injury as well as enhancing performance. This is especially true for necks, shoulders and knees. And after an injury what do you think physical therapy is? Most come back stronger than before. There is a big difference in lifting weights vs. weight training. There will also be a difference in the younger, skeletally immature athlete vs. the mature athlete. It is also different depending upon which sport one plays. The problem with 'playing into shape" or allowing natural development is the resulting muscle imbalance which predisposes one to injury. In fact early muscle training has been shown to produce different muscle tissue for either speed or strength. And then flexibility is yet another factor that has to be considered along with the weight training.

[tcamom]

I was going to stay out of this, but some of this discussion will wind up being to the detriment of the athlete. PROPER, SUPERVISED, training will only enhance performance, minimize injury, and keep the athlete on the field longer, and more safely. It is not even an arguable point. I've worked with many trainers, some of the best in the country at the universities, as well as at the high school level. Leading orthopedic surgeons as well, and they all are proponents of training to prevent injury as well as enhancing performance. This is especially true for necks, shoulders and knees. And after an injury what do you think physical therapy is? Most come back stronger than before. There is a big difference in lifting weights vs. weight training. There will also be a difference in the younger, skeletally immature athlete vs. the mature athlete. It is also different depending upon which sport one plays. The problem with 'playing into shape" or allowing natural development is the resulting muscle imbalance which predisposes one to injury. In fact early muscle training has been shown to produce different muscle tissue for either speed or strength. And then flexibility is yet another factor that has to be considered along with the weight training.

 

 

I am a physical therapist, and I agree. There is a difference between lifting weights and strength training. Strength training may involve weights, but for female athletes the functional training approach both enhances performance and decreases incidence of injury. The bigger, stronger faster program is not appropriate. Look at the recent increase in pars (vertebral) fractures in high school sophomores and freshmen since that approach was marketed to our schools. Functional strength training usually combines medicine ball work, stretch bands, and positional strength (bear crawl, etc.). If interested, check the Gambetta Method or similar programs (www.gambetta.com) We all need to remember females never reach an age where they maintain strength effectively without continuing to work at it. Ever wonder why sometimes we struggle toward the end of a season? Could be not maintaining the strength we picked up in off season training.

[soccerdad]

A resource I have found useful regarding this matter is The Centers for Athletic Performance http://www.capprogram.com/index.html Here are some articles: http://www.capprogram.com/newsinfo/wccarticles.html

http://www.capprogram.com/newsinfo/femalesoccer.html

http://www.capprogram.com/newsinfo/increasedacl.html

http://www.capprogram.com/newsinfo/functionaltraining.html