5 Training Tips for How to Get in Shape for Soccer Fast

If you can run a 6-minute mile, but you can’t make fast, smart decisions in the 89th minute of a soccer game, then you’re not in soccer shape. Soccer is one of the most physically and mentally demanding sports in the world, requiring players to be locked in for 90 minutes or more.

To get in shape for soccer, players need more than just running laps around the soccer field, because in a real game, they sprint, jog, change directions frequently, control the ball, and make numerous decisions based on what is happening on the field. Real soccer fitness means having the stamina to play the entire game at a high level, the agility and speed to beat defenders in tight spaces, and the ability to make smart decisions the entire game.

As a soccer player, trainer, and sports coordinator, I’ve seen over and over again how the best players are those who are able to maintain their technical ability, explosiveness, and decision-making at a high level throughout the entire game, even when fatigue sets in during the second half and their opponents start to slow down. In this blog post, I will be going over 5 training tips on how to get in shape for soccer fast.

How to Get in Shape for Soccer — Image by source

Table of Contents

How do you Get in Shape for Soccer Fast?

Play the Game A Lot

By far the best way to get in shape for soccer is by playing the game itself, not just doing endless technical, conditioning, or agility drills. Experience is the best teacher, and players should be participating in team trainings, league games, and plying small sided games, futsal, or pickup games throughout the week to build true soccer fitness.

When you play the game regularly, your body naturally adapts to the specific demands of soccer, you learn to read the game better, develop the endurance to sprint repeatedly throughout the entire game, and train your body to handle constant changes of direction with and without a soccer ball at your feet. The amount of training per week is going to vary for every player based on their goals, but this is a general guide.

Team Training 1-3 times a week
Pickup Games 2-3 times a week
League Games 1-2 times a week

Follow a Proper Sports Performance Program

A good athleticism and fitness training program for soccer players should focus on improving how efficiently the body creates, stores, transfers energy by training the central nervous system, the cardiovascular system, and the fascia system. When these systems are trained together, the body learns to produce more power with less effort, which means quicker reactions, faster acceleration, and explosive movements that you can repeat all game long, without getting as tired.

This leads to a more effortless playing style where your movements feel natural and you actually gain more energy as the match goes on instead of feeling drained and heavy like players who rely only on muscle-based training and basic conditioning. With a sports performance program, it is also important to perform some tests and assessments to track your progress, identify weaknesses, and set realistic goals.

These are some of the things that a proper sports performance program should include:

Rolling out
Neural / Fascia training – the feet, the hands, and the tongue
Breath work
Quiet eye training
Cross-training with other sports
Balance Exercises
Endurance training
High-intensity interval training
Plyometrics and Agility training
Footwork and agility ladder drills
Bodyweight exercises
Light jogging, long walk, or hiking

Train Your Mindset and Mental Stamina

Soccer fitness isn’t just about physical conditioning; it’s also about having the mental stamina to make quick, smart decisions even when you’re exhausted. The connection between physical and mental performance is crucial because the better your overall fitness is, the clearer and more focused your mind stays late in the game when it matters, instead of just trying to keep up physically.

You can train your mental game by incorporating decision-making into your conditioning workouts or technical drills, through small sided games where you’re forced to think while fatigued, or by using sports psychology techniques off the field, like the ones below.

Maximize your Recovery

When it comes to getting in soccer shape, your recovery is just as important as all of the hard physical work you’re doing because that’s when your body actually adapts, builds strength, repairs muscles, and develops the endurance and speed gains you’re training for. Without proper recovery, you’re just breaking your body down without giving it the chance to come back stronger, which can lead to burnout, overtraining syndrome, decreased performance, and an increased risk of injury.

Proper recovery comes from doing the following things consistently, which will compound over a long period of time and have a huge positive effect on your mitochondrial function and circadian rhythms.

Taking a full rest day weekly
Getting enough high-quality sleep
Staying hydrated
Maintaining a diet rich in local, organic, nutrient-dense foods
Fixing your light environment – Seeing the sunrise and sunset.
Spending time in nature
Getting enough sunlight
Protecting yourself from Non-Native EMF, Such as by wearing blue light blockers

Stay Consistent and Disciplined

Getting in shape for soccer requires consistent training over weeks, months, and years, not just a couple of days or a quick pre-season push. Soccer players must stay disciplined with their fitness routines, practice schedules, and recovery habits to build the stamina, speed, and conditioning needed to perform at a high level for the entire game.

True soccer fitness is developed from showing up day after day, training smart and hard even when motivation is low, and trusting that small improvements compound over time into the explosive, tireless player you want to become on the field.

Final Thoughts

Getting in shape for soccer requires a holistic approach that combines playing the actual game frequently, following soccer-specific training programs, prioritizing recovery, and maintaining consistency over time rather than relying on traditional fitness methods that don’t translate to the pitch. The key is understanding that soccer fitness is about maintaining both physical stamina and mental sharpness for 90 minutes, which means your training must replicate the fast-paced and unpredictable, decision-heavy nature of real games.

FAQs

How long does it take to get out of soccer shape?

As a soccer player, you can start losing soccer-specific fitness in as little as 1-2 weeks of complete inactivity, with noticeable declines in cardiovascular endurance, speed, and decision making, although this exact timeline depends on your baseline fitness level and how long you’ve been training consistently for. Youth soccer players and those with a strong fitness foundation might maintain their conditioning for slightly longer, for about 3-4 weeks, but again, this is all going to vary on the same factors mentioned above in this post.

Does lifting weights improve performance for soccer players?

Contrary to popular belief, lifting weights is not something players have to do to get in shape. Some of the best players in the world developed their world-class talent and fitness as youth players without ever touching weights.

There are some players who enjoy lifting weights and have seen benefits from strength training, but it’s important to understand that getting stronger at lifting exercises doesn’t automatically translate to better performance on the soccer field. If you’re already athletic with strong feet, a relaxed nervous system, good breathing patterns, and fascia-driven movement, then lifting weights may complement your training, but if you don’t have these foundational athletic traits, traditional weightlifting can actually make you less athletic and increase the risk of injury by creating tension, reducing your natural movement efficiency, and taking away from the time you could spend training in a much better way.

What equipment do you need to get in shape for soccer?

To get in shape for soccer, players can use a combination of soccer training gear and equipment like agility equipment, cones, and a quality training ball to improve conditioning while working on different soccer skills. You can also add tools like a soccer rebounder, portable goal, or even a ball pump and ball bag to stay prepared and make your training more efficient anywhere.