How to get fit really fast
 

hello
i need to get fitter for soccer as at the moment i can hardly last a game
I have heard that running at different speeds and stopping and starting like 'shuttles' are good for soccer fitness.
whats a way to get much fitter in a few weeks
thanks
any help will be appreciated

Go to a track, run the "Ladder".

Run 100m. 10 second pause. Run 200m 10 second pause. Run 400 meter 10 second pause. Run 800m 10 second pause. then start over at the 100m.
(that's the end result...you might need longer pauses...we never got them)

I was also a big fan of running 200's back to back to back with a 15 second pause in between. It's rough, but you have to push yourself. It's such a mind of matter issue, its insane. You have to have your mind in the right place.


That's what our track coach did to us. But bear in mind, he was an ex Army guy, and was fucking crazy.

lol

that's the right principle certainly - interval training

i do it in a little less hardcore, non-army kind of way, but it should hurt a little bit or you're not doing it right. I think it's half physiological, i.e. your body gets used to big demands being placed on it, and half psychological, i.e. your mind gets used to the idea that you have the reserves for one more sprint.

i do this:
1) sprint 10 secs
2) jog 15 secs
3) walk 20 secs
4) see (1)

mind you, having a fucking crazy ex-army type screaming at you also works wonders I believe, maybe you could hire one ? ;)

Two weeks isn't a very long time, but you can just run every day. Do interval training, but don't forget that the majority of soccer is just running around, and not necessarily sprinting the whole time. It is a extremely cardiovascular activity that requires lots of endurance. The only way to train for endurance is to do endurance training. This means, start running....you can alternate doing interval training with endurance training. Maybe do interval training one day, and distance running the next day. I remember the soccer team when I was in high school used to run all summer long. They would run 2-5 miles daily. It always pays to be able to run longer than your opponent.

cheers all

Ya good advice above but really, it's going to take longer then a few weeks to see any real improvement. Keep it up though and you will.

I had to lose 5 pounds in a few weeks for a competition, and I did 4 sets of 250 jumping jacks in a steam room at the YMCA. I wasnt in good shape when I started but a couple of days after the competition I ran a very fast 2 miles just because I was bored.

maybe try some steam room jumping jacks along with all your running.

how long should a distance run for endurance last?
at the mo i run for about 35 mins at the gym on the cross trainer and sprint every 30 seconds. I get REAL sweaty

I play pretty high level soccer. I also play out wide in the midfield so i run a shitload. I make sure i do at least one 6km or 30min run a week, plus my normal soccer trainings. Interval training is good aswell, but i would suggest trying to incorporate soccer related activities into your routine, getting touches on a ball etc. A skipping rope (jump rope) is also a great investment for your fitness.

that sounds good, but running outside is way better than running on a machine. try it, and compare.

for instance, a machine won't help you strengthen the muscles in your legs that help you turn suddenly, which must be useful in soccer. also a machine is slightly easier I think.

You also don't get the range of minute movements in the legs to compensate for uneven ground, and on most machines you can't get into a full blown sprint with legs flailing wildley to catch up with the ball.

grass = less chance of injury

Warm up. Then jog. Sprint. Do some push-ups. Then again jog and sprint. Now do some crunches. It's not important that you do lots of exercise, rather do it regulalrly in a desciplined manner for months. That is indeed the real challenge.

<p>This would be a good start. Just be very careful to avoid any injuries, specially back.