The benefits of strength training in football

Professional football is characterized by changing short high-intensity phases and longer low-intensity phases. The ability to maximize neuromuscular force production is fundamental to success and crucial to achieving a high level of performance and higher speeds in sport-specific movements (Cormie et al., 2011). Power, performance and speed are considered to be essential success determinants in the team sports). In football, for example, the majority of the scored goals precede a linear sprint, a vertical jump or a change in direction of the shooter or the assisting player (Faude et al., 2012).

Relationship between strength and the level of play

For young top footballers, compared to equal players higher repetition maximumm (1 RM) and maximum torque of the lower extremities to be observed (Cometti et al., 2001; Gissis et al., 2006; Kalapotharakos et al., 2006). A current systematic review confirms this result. For higher-class football players, higher levels of strength were observed compared to players on amateur levels. In addition, the authors conclude that the muscular performance is of particular importance when it comes to achieving top performance in footballn (Slimani & Nikolaidis, 2017).

Relationship between strength and speed

The high Correlationbetween the Sprint speed and strength of the lower extremities have been found to indicate the importance of the development of the force of the lower extremities (Loturco et al., 2018; Wisloff, 2004). A further investigation of Lopez-Segovia and colleagues (2011) underpins these results. For U-21 national players, a significant relationship (r=−0.56/–0.79; p≤ 0.01/0.01) between the strengths in the knee bow or in the vertical CMJ and the sprint times of the U21 national players was established (López-Segovia et al.,2011).

Relationship between strength and susceptibility to injury

Through high competition density and accompanying insufficient rest periods between the games – inflammatory processes within the muscles can even be detected up to 72 hours after the game has been tapped (Fatouros et al., 2010; Ispirlidis et al., 2008)– also increases the risk of injury (Dellal et al., 2015; Dupont et al., 2010). Here too it could be shown that a corresponding Strength training positive for the prevalence of injuries of which: Violations could be reduced to a third by strength training (Lauersen et al., 2014). The higher the strength training volume and the intensity, the more unlikely to even become injuries (Lauersen et al., 2018). Strength training thus has a positive effect in the prevention of injury. One Reduction of injury incidence has been proven to affect the placement at the end of the season and should therefore be integrated with training. Teams that are less struggling with injury problems cut both in the Champions League and in the respective national leagues better than teams with higher injuries (Hägglund et al., 2013).

An area of particular interest is fragments or fiber cracks of the rear thigh muscle. These body regions account for 12 % of all injuries and, on average, lead to an absence of 28 days of training and competition (Ekstrand et al., 2011). Total muscular injuries even approx. 35% of all football injuriess (Ekstrand et al., 2011). Higher levels of force contribute to low rates of injury and Improving physical performance in (Beato et al., 2021). It is therefore important to maintain a certain minimum force for the lower body area during the entire season (Rønnestad et al., 2011).

Recommendations for strength training

Strength training is usually carried out with specific resistance training loads in relation to the maximum performance of a person (e.g. 70% of the one repetition maximum (1RM) (Haff & Triplett, 2015). In addition, a certain number of sentences and repetitions are usually assigned to the athletes (e.g. 4 sets with 6 repetitions), based on the desired training target (Banyard et al., 2019). Silva and colleagues (2015) conclude that high-intensity training represents a more effective stimulus for the development of strength and power skills as a moderate-intensive strength training (Hypertrophie). Further recommend two weekly units to further increase performance. A weekly unit is recommended to maintain performance within the season (Rønnestad et al., 2011; Silva et al., 2015).

With an increase in the repetitions during a strength training set, a progressive fatigue also begins, which has an increasing negative effect on the MCV, so that the athlete can therefore carry out the corresponding exercise more and more slowly until finally the muscle is exhausted so that no further repetition can be performed. (J. J. González-Badillo et al., 2017; Sánchez-Medina & González-Badillo, 2011. A Strength training without fatigue effects can be achieved by a speed-based execution (Velocity-Based-Training (VBT))) can be achieved (Pareja-Blanco, Rodríguez-Rosell, et al., 2020) and is therefore interesting for strength endurance sports, since despite lower repetitions and reduced fatigue in Punkto maximum force increase and hypertrophie adaptation the same effects can be achieved in comparison with the strength training al. Even at the same number of repetitions a gspeed-based strength training approach to a traditional approach until repetition failure in terms of fatigue after strength training superior (Held et al., 2022). However, VBT requires the use of valid and reliable measuring instruments which require a certain monetary budget (Held et al., 2021). However, the control of the strength training can also be implemented without additional equipment by means of subjective evaluations (subjective stress sensation (RPE) and repetitions in reserve (RIR)) or cluster approaches (Davies et al., 2021; Helms et al., 2020). In addition to the pauses in the set, pauses are also installed within the set during cluster training (e.g. after each repetition a pause of 10-15 sec.). Overall, both cluster and traditional set configurations show the same effectiveness to positively induce muscular and neuromuscular adaptations. However, cluster set configurations can achieve such adjustments with a lower fatigue development during strength training, which in turn represents a similar advantage as the speed-based strength training (Davies et al., 2021).

The integration of strength training on the day of play is also conceivable. As it can be assumed that muscle damage after football matches occur anyway (Silva et al., 2018), a short strength training session could also be built after the game to further increase the weekly volume.

Conclusion

In summary, it can be said that Strength training an important part of football training is to the muscular Improving performance and Reduce injuries. The higher muscular power and performance of the lower extremities correlates with the speed and level of play for higher-class football players. In addition, a targeted strength training can help to reduce muscle injuries and thus the Increase the success of the team. Football players should be a part of the season continuous strength training to perform sport-specific movements at higher speed and force. An accompanying strength training in the season should be carried out at least once a week to guarantee a maintenance of performance. To further increase, further units are required in the week. In general, High intensity in strength training. By different modern strength training approaches (VBT, RPE, RIR or Cluster) However, keep fatigue within limits during strength training despite the high intensity.

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About the author

Jan-Philip German is co- and athletic trainer in the U16 of Fortuna Düsseldorf. In addition to his co-trainer, he takes care of the physical performance of the U16-juniors as well as the rehabilitation of injured players. In addition to his co- and athletics training, Jan-Philip works at the Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln at the Institute for Training Science and Sport Informatics. After completing his Master's degree, he will also receive his doctorate.

References and further literature

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