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The Importance of Training the Core Muscles

Strengthening the core muscles (abdominals/obliques/low back) is often neglected by several athletes, including soccer players, who equate strength needs primarily for the lower body due to the obvious demands of the sport of soccer. Several athletes do not realize that all force generated by the musculoskeletal system in the upper and lower body either originates, is stabilized by, or is transferred through the trunk and low torso. Given this fact, if soccer players are to develop their full strength and power potential, then a portion of their strength & conditioning program should focus on the abdominals/obliques/low back.

A good example of this are athletes who have a strong, powerful lower body, but do not reach full potential in vertical jumping due to weakness in the core part of the body. Think of how this applies to a soccer player, who is utilizing a vertical jump when attempting a jump header. The exercises for abdominal and oblique muscles can be performed 4-5 days per week. There can be a reduction in this frequency to 3 days per week, once it is determined that a specific strength goal has been achieved. The focus can then shift to maintaining the strength gains, which were recently obtained.

Any discontinuation of training the core section will lead to a loss of the strength gains achieved earlier. Therefore, at least try to stay committed to these exercises two times per week. It is best to work the core body parts in the following order:

1. Obliques
2. Lower Abdominals
3. Upper Abdominals

The reason for this sequence is because it is better to fatigue the weaker muscles first. You should train all these muscles equally. Lower back muscles should be trained on resistance training days when performing all other back exercises (i.e. lat pulldowns, seated rows, etc.). Low back strength exercises using resistance weight machines (i.e. low back extension machine) only need to be performed two days per week. A core training program can start with some basic core exercises.

Once a strong base is achieved, you can add advanced exercises using medicine balls. The New Wave Soccer Conditioning Program offers a variety of exercises to train the core muscles of the body to provide for a balanced strength training program to improve soccer performance.

Michael Rose, MS, CSCS, offers an on-line, soccer specific strength & conditioning program with videos at www.newwavesoccer.com

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Play Soccer With Pele

We at 360 Soccer came into possesion of a "Play Football with Pele", 1976, and honestly believe we needed to share the numerous invaluable soccer lessons provided by "O Rei" in this book. The game of Soccer will become more fun and rewarding if you take the time to learn his lessons about the game and life as presented in these pages. Just click on the Pele image to link to this tremendous training guide.

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