speed sessions
introduction
These sessions are guides and can be used by coaches and players to help develop speed and agility. The sessions I run always start with technique drills that are supervised to ensure correct, relaxed technique, these drills are followed by a specific speed session.
The speed session could be very short but intense, working on explosive, high quality speed, or it could be aimed at more speed endurance, where the runs are a little longer, still intense with adequate recovery. At the start of the speed training, early season, the sessions are high quality, but not flat out, with walk/jog recovery.
Once the player has had a few weeks of this level of intensity, the quality of the sprints can increase to flat out effort with longer walk recovery. It is important that a player has adequate recovery to keep the intensity up when trying to develop speed. The sessions should also be done at the start of a soccer training session after a good warmup, or as a session on their own. Do not do these sessions at the end of the training session and do not attempt them if muscles are sore or strained.
examples
All sessions should begin with:
Follow all conditioning sessions with some light jogging before they begin soccer specific sessions. Make sure you finish all sessions with slow jog and stretching.
Most of these drills can be run as competitions by laying out multiple cone/ladder/hurdle combinations and having players run against each other. One caution with this is that when competing, players will often forget about technique. Use competition runs once you are happy with your players tecnique, especially fast feet techniques over ladders and hurdles.
SSA
Fast Feet 1
Use a fast foot ladder technique (eg 2 feet in each rung), then two foot step over each hurdle and sprint to cone.
Early part of speed training phase, do 6-8 runs with a fast walk/jog recover, later in speed training phase, do flat out runs, 2 sets of 4 - 6 runs.
SSB
Agility
Start with a backwards run, sprint forwards at the second cone, at the first witches hat, step side to side across to the other witches hat, around and back around the first witches hat, then sprint to the final cone.
For short, sharp speed work, place cones 2 to 5 metres apart, with 10 metres to the last cone.
Early part of speed training phase, do 6-8 runs with a fast walk/jog recover, later in speed training phase, do flat out runs, 2 sets of 4 - 6 runs.
SSC
Explosive Speed
Sprint to the witches hat on left, go round and run backwards to starting cone, sprint to witches hat on right, go round and run backwards to starting cone, now sprint forwards to last cone.
Place left and right cones 2 to 3 metres away from start cone and last cone 5 to 10 metres from start cone.
Early part of speed training phase, do 6-8 runs with a fast walk/jog recover, later in speed training phase, do flat out runs, 2 sets of 4 - 6 runs.
SSD
Speed and Agility 1
Start on first cone, sprint forwards to third code, side to side left, run backwards, side to side right, then sprint to last cone. Should be facing forwards at all times. Aim is to keep close to cones and not run too wide, move quickly at all times.
Place start cone 2 to 3 metres away from cone square and place all other cones approximately 5 metres apart.
Early part of speed training phase, do 6-8 runs with a fast walk/jog recover, later in speed training phase, do flat out runs, 2 sets of 4 - 6 runs with a very slow jog recovery.
SSE
Speed and Agility 2
Start on first cone, sprint forwards to middle cone, go round the cone (facing fowards all the time), accelerate to last cone.
Place cones approximately 10 to 15 metres apart.
Early part of speed training phase, do 6-8 runs with a fast walk/jog recover, later in speed training phase, do flat out runs, 2 sets of 4 - 6 runs with a very slow jog recovery.
SSF
Wind Sprints
Place cones, 20 metres apart, allow players a slow run in, then fast sprints over 20 metres. Make sure players do not pull up sharply at the end of the sprint and allow time to slow down.
Early part of speed training phase, do 6-8 runs with a fast walk/jog recover, later in speed training phase, do flat out runs, 2 sets of 4 - 6 runs with a very slow jog recovery.
SEA
Speed Endurance
Shuttle runs through first set of cones (place approx. 10 metres apart). Then side to side round witches hats, jog to cone, sprint to last cone, then sharp turn and sprint to final cone. This is a hard session if quality kept up. Aim for 8 repititions with jog recovery.
SEB
Speed Circuit
Place cones around pitch or similar sized area, each station reprsents an area where the player works hard, then jogs to next station. It is important that the player works hard at each station, there should be distinct differences in effort between work done at a station and the jog recovery. Do not run too hard on the jog recovery as it will take away your ability to work hard at the next station.
At early part of speed endurance phase, (pre-season, or early season), aim for 5 mins continuous run with 3 mins walk recovery, repeat 3 times. During later stages of speed endurance phase, during season for example, aim for 3-4 mins circuits, with 3 mins recovery.
