In the game of soccer, it’s important to have a strong core, not just strong abs.
Some might think these terms mean roughly the same thing, but the core includes more muscles than just your abs.
These include your obliques, lower back, and muscles around your pelvis like your hip flexor–all of which come into play over the course of a soccer game.
Developing a strong core will help you accomplish your fitness goals, as well as provide some practical improvements to your game.
Your core is involved in just about every aspect of soccer: jumping up to win a header, shielding and holding off an opponent who is hanging on you, and striking the ball, passing or shooting.
So now that we’ve (hopefully) convinced you on the merits of working on your core, the next question is what exercises to do to strengthen it.
How to Strengthen Your Core (and Abs) for Soccer
For working on abs, some players might think that a healthy diet of crunches is what the doctor ordered.
But enduring endless crunches is repetitive and not a whole lot of fun, and it’s also not very effective when compared to some other exercises you could be doing instead.
Take the following routine as a starting point for a more complete (and interesting) core workout.
The following core exercises are paired together as super-sets to incorporate side to side trunk movements that you use when striking a soccer ball as well as leg movements to strengthen your hip flexors that involve striking the ball.
(A super-set is a series of exercises done back to back to back with little to no rest.)
These super-sets work your whole core, including abs, obliques, lower back, and hip flexors. Another benefit is that you can easily do them either in an indoor or outdoor setting.
Super-Set Core Exercises for Soccer
V-Ups – 25 reps (Use a soccer ball to pass the ball between your feet and your hands.)
Bicycles – 25 each leg pausing for half a second between each rep
REST for 1 minute
Side Plank with Elbow Touches – 15 elbow touches for each side
Alternating Leg Raises – 25 each leg pausing for half a second between each rep.
REST for 1 minute
Seated Side to Side Taps with a soccer ball – 50 total taps
Ab Rows – 25. Pretend that you are heading a soccer ball when you bring your knees to your chest.
REST for 1 minute
Front Plank – 30 seconds
Side Plank plus hip lower and raises – 30 seconds + 10 on each side
Do you have any other exercises that you like to do for working on your core? If so, let us know in the comments below.