5 Ways to Prepare Your Body for Soccer Season

The first few weeks of soccer season are when we tend to see a spike in injuries. Why? Because many athletes go from summer activities (or very little activity) straight into multiple practices, games, and tournaments.

The good news? A little preparation before the season starts can make a big difference.

1. Build Your Fitness Before Practice Starts

Don’t let the first day of practice be your first day of conditioning! Soccer requires repeated bursts of sprinting, quick changes of direction, and high-intensity efforts, so it’s important to gradually prepare your body before the season begins. Start building your fitness 3-4 weeks before preseason by incorporating running, sprinting, agility, and change-of-direction drills…and don’t forget to include the ball whenever possible to make your training more game-specific.

Example: Complete 20–30 minutes of jogging, interval sprints, or small-sided games 2–3 days per week before preseason starts. Add shuttle drills with and without the ball to prepare your body for the quick accelerations, decelerations, and directional changes that happen throughout a match.

2. Strengthen the Muscles That Protect Your Joints

Strong glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and core muscles help reduce stress on the knees and ankles while improving speed, power, and control. Even two strength sessions each week can pay off during the season.

Example: Include exercises like split squats, single-leg Romanian deadlifts, calf raises, planks, and Nordic hamstring curls.

3. Improve Your Mobility

Limited mobility can change the way your body moves and increase stress on your joints. Spend a few minutes each day working on ankle, hip, and thoracic spine mobility to move more efficiently on the field.

Example: Perform ankle mobility stretches, hip flexor stretches, the world’s greatest stretch, and thoracic rotations for 5-10 minutes each day.

4. Prioritize Sleep and Recovery

Training only works if your body has time to recover. Aim for 8-10 hours of sleep each night, stay hydrated, and fuel your body with nutritious meals. Recovery is just as important as practice.

Example: Put phones and tablets away at least 30-60 minutes before bedtime, carry a water bottle throughout the day, and eat a meal containing carbohydrates and protein after training.

5. Make Injury Reduction Part of Every Warm-Up

A dynamic warm-up that includes balance, jumping, landing mechanics, and agility has been shown to significantly reduce lower extremity injuries. Spending just 10-15 minutes before practice can help athletes stay healthy and perform at their best all season long.

Example:  Follow an evidence-based warm-up that includes mobility, strength activation, balance, plyometrics, and agility drills. Refer to OPTI’s NeuroStrong Warm-Up that we teach to local soccer teams.

The Bottom Line

The best ability is availability. Athletes who prepare before the season starts are more likely to stay healthy, perform better, and spend more time on the field instead of in the training room.

At Omaha Physical Therapy Institute, we’re passionate about helping athletes build resilient bodies that can handle the demands of their sport. If your athlete has aches, pains, or wants to be proactive before the season begins, we’re here to help!

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