Soccer Injuries: "Liverpool The Return of the Skipper"

Liverpool will have Steven Gerrard back in their ranks for Tuesday night's Champions League showdown with Lyon after he trained on Monday morning. The Reds' skipper, along with striker Torres, was forced to sit out Saturday's devastating defeat at Sunderland with a groin injury. "Steven is fit," says coach Benitez at a pre-match press conference. "He has been training so hopefully he will be available tomorrow. It is important as we have had some problems with injuries since the start of the season, so having Gerrard fit is a big boost for us."

Benitez is eager to put an end to a poor run which has seen Liverpool lose their last three soccer matches against Chelsea, Fiorentina, and Sunderland and recognizes that he needs his star duo back to full fitness as soon as possible. Benitez, meanwhile, has urged his players to forget about the unfortunate loss on Wearside, courtesy of a Liverpool fan's beach ball, and concentrate on their Champions League task.

"You can guarantee that if we win against Lyon the mood will change, and if we can win against [Manchester] United [Sunday], the mood will be totally different," Benitez told the club's official website. "When you are not winning, to play another game quickly and have the opportunity to change things is the best thing for any soccer club."

"We have some experience here among the staff and some of the players. When you are in the situation we are in, the main thing is to keep calm, analyse what is going on and be ready for the next game," says Benitez.

"The only solution when you have a good team is to stay together and work hard. Again I will say that we got 86 points last year, not because we were lucky, but because we did a very good job," says coach Benitez.

It is clear that The Red's have come to play and have the added boost from the return of their Skipper Steven Gerrard. The soccer club is committed to excellence and the pursuit towards the championship. The soccer club has expressed their desire to come out on top against the French Soccer Club and will produce a squad on match day that will lead them to victory.

" Let's Go Red's"

Rodney Perry

Professional Soccer Trainer

rcpjuiceplus@gmail.com

www.cmcdermottsharesjuiceplus.com

Soccer Technique: Heading The Soccer Ball

The road to becoming a professional begins with proper maintenance of your health and fitness. Incorporating lots of fruits and vegetables in your everday diet will help provide you with the stregth and reduce your oxididative strss levels. (For more info on diet and Soccer Check out Juice Plus.) Heading the soccer ball is a vital and valuable skill in becoming a successful footballer. Many coaches value players that have great heading ability. From a coach’s standpoint, it is extremely valuable offensively and defensively, to have a player on your squad that is extremely strong in the air. There are many drills that you can do to help your heading technique. The key is correct repetition. In other words, repeating the proper technique over and over until it becomes an instinct.

The first thing that you must understand is that the ball should be struck with the upper part of your forehead. This part of the skull will not injure or hurt, because it is comprised of only skin and thick bone. When it comes to heading a soccer ball, many have a natural fear that discourages them from propelling the head straight at a flying object. Just remember don't allow the ball to hit you. You hit the ball!

Young players tend to close their eyes when heading the ball. This is not good and could be very harmful. When doing this, you can't see where the ball is and you can seriously injure yourself. Keep your eye on the part of the ball that you want to head. In your mind split the ball in half like the equator does for the world. Hitting it below its equator will cause it to rise while striking the upper part of the ball will drive the soccer ball to the ground.

When heading the soccer ball, the force that you apply to the ball, should not come from your neck muscles. By bending backwards your entire upper body and propelling your head forward, will produce far more power. Before heading the ball, you must adjust to its flight by taking a succession of short shuffling steps. This helps you avoid tilting to the side after you have leapt in the air. There are different methods of heading the soccer ball:

1. Standard header
: In order to head the ball with a good amount of power, you'll need to arch back and swing your head forward. When using this method, you must keep your shoulders leveled and perpendicular to your aim. Make contact with the soccer ball using the center of your forehead as we talked about previously in this article.
2. 
   Flick header
: This is a very valuable for all players on the pitch, but mainly for midfielders and forwards. This technique is useful mainly because of the surprise factor. It can be used to score goals, put your teammates into scoring position, defensively to get out of a sticky situation, etc. On flick headers, you are actually making contact with the back of your head. As you arch backward, you will direct the ball behind yourself.
   
   
3. Redirect or Glancing header
: This is a wonderful technique. Wonderful for scoring goals from an awkward angle. When executing a redirect header, you must turn your head in direction of your aim. This motion redirects the oncoming ball to its new destination. You can use the same technique to generate power as in the standard header.
4. 
   The Diving header: Probably the most glorified of all of the heading techniques. It is also the more difficult of the ones that I have expressed. In this technique, you must propel your entire body in the path of the ball. Your arms have to be stretched forward for protection on landing. Keep your eye on the part of the ball that you want to make contact with and follow through by allowing the complete body motion to take place.

Heading the soccer ball with proficiency is crucial for all players to succeed in the game of soccer. A soccer header is one of the most unique and thrilling techniques executed in soccer. When delivered with the power and elegance that it demands. It can be the most efficient weapon in a soccer player’s arsenal. The key to maintaining Vitality, Health, and Good Nutrition is through a diet full of whole food based nutrition Juice Plus is one way to provide your body with 17 fruits, vegetables, and grains and all of their nutrients in an easy and convenient way. Healthy familyz produce great players!

Soccer Conditioning: Soccer ball Control and Soccer Agility

Atlskillz, back again to try and give all of my bloggers and people of interest a little insight into soccer fitness. Remeber that having a diet rich in the added nutrients of fruits and vegetables and proper conditioning can give you the fitness edge. Today I would like to focus on fitness directly related to ball control and agility. Below you will find some training techniques that i use to prepare for the next game:

1. 1-minute jog while dribbling a soccer ball with quick little touches, changing direction and speed. Do this in a confined space where many changes and touches are necessary.
2. 1 minute head juggling.
3. For 1 minute throw ball up in the air, jump and while you are in the air trap the ball with you chest, settle the soccer ball down at your feet, and then sprint of quickly with the ball still in your possession.
4. 1 minute foot juggling with no spin on the ball.
5. 2 minutes starting out in a sitting position, throw the soccer ball up in the air. Try and get up before the soccer-ball hits the ground. Settle the ball at your feet and move of quickly with the ball still in your possession.
6. For 2 minutes, get 5 to 7 yards from a wall and shoot the ball first time at the wall making sure the foot is positioned, knee over the ball, center of your foot is striking the center of the ball, and that all the power is derived from a quick snapping motion of the lower leg.
7. For 5 minutes back off 20 yards and shoot the ball first tie at the wall. strike the ball as hard as you can regardless of the bounce, height, speed, etc. that the ball is coming at you.
8. For 3 minutes get within 5 yards of the wall- toss the ball against the wall to force you to jump to head the ball back at the wall. Catch the soccer ball after you headed it each time. make sure your toss forces you to peak in your jump. Remember the proper heading technique and use power.

I hope that these drills help you with your conditioning and ball control. I know that it can be very hard to get things done when you work out by yourself. But to help out with this i purchased an Ipod. It is great for my work outs cause it keeps me motivated and my mind focused on the task at hand. the ipod also has all sort of accessories that will provided comfort and access while you are on your way to better soccer fitness. But remember everybody, a good diet full of fruits and vegetables and great conditioning will give you the fitness edge that you need to take your game to the next level. For more information on Healthy Familyz or Bridging the gap between what you do eat and what you should eat contact your local juice plus welness consultant .

Soccer Tryouts: Soccer Training: Preparing for Soccer Tryouts

Atlskillz checking in again and i wanted to answer in response to the email: "So how do you get ready for that big tryout"? Whether you are trying out for a high school team, higher-level select team, college team or even a pro team, there are certain do’s and don’ts to love by in order to prepare yourself for the event.  To start, make sure that this team that you are trying out for is a good fit for you.  You want to make sure that the team that you are trying out for meets your needs for a challenge and you want to make sure that you agree with the coach’s philosophies.  In a way you want the team to tryout for you before you try out for them.  Make sure that this team is an overall good fit for you.

Now that you know this is the team that you want to play for, its time to prepare for the big day.  Remember, coaches are judging you on your performance on the field.  This is not a judgment of you as a person or your personality; so do not take it personally.  Coaches are judging you on your current soccer skills and their opinion of where you fit in there squad.  So for starters, you are going to want to be in tip top shape.  If you cannot run a series of sprints without feeling completely out of breathe, you need to work on your speed and endurance.  You should practice doing 8-10 100-yard sprints in a row, at least 3 tomes a week, in the month preceding the big day.  You will also want to strengthen your endurance.  You should be able to run 3 miles in at least 30 minutes, ideally in 25 minutes or less.  Currently, I am running 3miles in 27 minutes and 38 seconds. I know I am out of shape but I am still coming back.

Secondly, you will want to practice on your ball control skills.  This means practicing on your dribbling and shooting.  I know it’s hard to do some of this by alone, especially shooting but I find it to be extremely helpful in the long run.  Ideally, it is best to have a partner or even better partners to practice with.  Then you can mimic real game situations, and practice movement with a ball and with other player.  In addition to your individual skills, most coaches will want to see how you work with other players throughout the tryout.  Practice passing and movement off of the ball with your friends and you will be ready for playing with others on your tryout.  Remember every second with the ball at your feet counts.

Finally, and maybe one of the biggest points; don’t get hung up on positions.  Even if you have played nothing but defense, you should not limit yourself to a specific position on the field. You may not even realize how good you could be in a different position.  I found this out in first two seasons as a professional.  I have played every position on the field except goalkeeper.  Thank God for that!  But, the point is that I was playing.  So do not get stressed out if the coach puts you in a different position during the course of your tryout.  Perform as well as possible, and don’t worry that you may not be playing the position correctly.  The coach knows that he is moving players around and putting them in new places.  Think of it as doubling your chances of getting selected.

Remember to always keep a positive attitude, a 100% work-rate, be friendly and connect with the other players on the pitch.  Coaches will be evaluating you mental game as well as your physical game.  If it comes down to choosing between two players with equal physical skill, a good attitude can go a long way.  Other than that, when the opportunity presents itself you will be ready to cease the day and put your future in your own hands. I really hoped that this information helped.  I have compiled this information from various sources, but mainly from my personal and other existing professionals experiences.

Soccer Fitness: Aerobic Fitness vs Anaerobic Fitness

"Aerobic fitness" refers to endurance, or the ability to sustain work for prolonged periods. This is usually experienced in the abilities to walk, run, climb uphill, swim, etc. Most forms of sports, work, and recreational and military activities include elements of aerobic fitness. Generally speaking, any activity, which lasts less than 12 minutes, is not fully aerobic. The term "aerobic” implies that the individual takes up the oxygen necessary to accomplish the work during the activity.

In aerobic work, oxygen is obtained from the air and is transferred from the lungs to the blood and then to the muscles via the circulatory system. Maximal oxygen uptake, or maximal aerobic power (Vo2 max) is the indicator of aerobic fitness. Vo2 max is determined by the measurement of oxygen uptake during the performance of maximal work, typically while running on a treadmill or while cycling. Exercising for at least 12-minutes at sub maximal loads does this, after which the maximal effort is performed for one or two minutes. Oxygen uptake during this time is measured, giving the value of Vo2 max. As Vo2 max increases, the level of aerobic fitness also increases.

Aerobic fitness is dependent upon age and sex and it can be improved by training. It is highest at ages 18 to 20 years in males and 15 to 20 years in females, and it decreases with age in adulthood. In general, males have higher Vo2 max than females. The main reason for this is that aerobic fitness is directly related to fat-free body weight, which consists mainly of the weight of muscles in the body, and on the average, males have a higher muscle mass than females. As with other physiological functions, there are large individual differences in Vo2 max of people of the same sex and age. Some people show high Vo2 max without exercising because of genetics and other factors, while other people who exercise regularly do not show high Vo2 max.

Fast runs, lasting 10 to 15 seconds, are mostly accomplished by anaerobic metabolism. With longer exercise time, more aerobic metabolism is involved, and exercise lasting more than 12 minutes is mostly accomplished by aerobic metabolism. Work is performed by the muscles, which use oxygen for the combustion of fat and carbohydrates creating the energy necessary to move the body, or to move objects outside the body.

Anaerobic fitness or any training that involves intervals of intense activity and rest (or less intense activity) are very specific to playing soccer. This type of conditioning is also quite effective in burning calories and lowering your body fat. 
Anaerobic activity is more intense (70-100% of your maximum heart rate) than aerobic but shorter in duration. Due to this, it is commonly referred to as quality training. Anaerobic training activity is based on performing work while supplying the body with energy from stored sources such as glycogen. In this process, lactic acid is formed in the muscles thus causing you to feel fatigue or discomfort. Lactic acid buildup is the reason why anaerobic exercises cannot be long in duration and are usually segmented into intervals. 
Anaerobic endurance refers to your ability to sustain intense activity and recover quicker. This is generally dependent upon your body's lactate tolerance and removal. Weightlifters, for example, try to keep the time between their sets of repetitions as short as possible. This way they are developing both their musculature and anaerobic endurance.

 During Anaerobic training, one can only work for a short time at this level before you get too fatigued and go into something called "oxygen debt".  An example of  a great common anaerobic exercise is sprinting. Anaerobic training will make your body more efficient at using glycogen as a stored fuel and also help it deal with oxygen debt. One effect of oxygen debt is the build up of lactic acid, which is felt when your legs for example, feel a burning sensation at the end of an intense long sprint. This lactic acid needs to be removed from muscles as quickly as possible and anaerobic training helps make your muscles more efficient at coping with lactic acid and better at removing waste products from muscles.

Abdominal Muscles: Soccer And Core Muscle Strength

The game of soccer is very much a game of balance.  Being bale to elude defenders, jump over tackles and just control your own body can be at times a very difficult challenge.  By creating a strong center of gravity and building your stomach muscles, you instantly increase your sense of balance and control over movement.  Creating a strong core or mid section, will also benefit your soccer shooting technique.  I work out my abs about 3-4 times a week.  It has become a routine for me.  Here are a couple of abs drills that I use on my daily work outs to help me maintain a solid mid section:

• Bent Knee Crunches-lie flat on your back put your legs up perpendicular to the ground and bend your knees.  With your hands lightly supporting your neck slowly move your head and shoulders up towards the sky.  You want to maintain good form and keep your head facing they sky and not bent into your knees.
  
• Straight Leg Crunches- set up the exact same way, as the bent knee crunches except this time don’t bend your knees.  Your feet should be high in the air. Lightly support your neck with your hands and raise your head and shoulders to the sky.
• Scoops- Sit on the top of a staircase or somewhere where your feet can dangle just a bit.  Rest your hands just behind your but and lean back, raising your knees to your chest.  From this position slowly move your legs, straightening your knees, downward and in a scooping type motion.  As your feet are fully extended and scooping, pull your knees back towards your chest and repeat the scooping rotation.  This takes a little getting used to but it is very effective.  Older more experienced athletes might want to put a light 2-5 pound weights on their feet to increase the difficulty.
• Throw downs- I think we all have seen these at one point or another.  Grab a partner for this and lay flat down on your back.  Extend your arms as far above your head as possible and grab onto the ankles of your standing partner.  Raise your legs to a 90-degree angle, perfectly straight in the air.  Have your partner try and throw your legs to the ground.  You need to use your stomach muscles and keep your legs just inches off the ground and then raise them back up to your partner to repeat the process all over again.  Repeat this at least 10- 30 times depending on your age and strength levels.

Just and article that I found on BCSOCCCER.NET regarding the importance of abdominal muscle and the modern soccer player.  Although it is last in this article it really reiterates what I was talking about in my post. You can read this or check out the real article at bcsoccer.net. Thanks for logging in and checking out ya boy atlskillz one more time. Love, peace and respect.

“Common sense tells us you should train the body the way it’s used in a game.  The majority of movements in soccer demand control of the abdominal muscles while they are lengthening in a multitude of directions.  How then does lying on the ground doing straight ahead sit-ups prepare us for these demands?  It doesn’t.  In fact it often sets us up for injuries either by creating tight muscles and muscle imbalances or by inadequately preparing the torso for the demands of soccer.

The core is now recognized as much more than just a solid foundation from which the arms and legs move.  It is an integrative centre that produces and controls forces and coordinates movement of the upper and lower body.  This is how it should be trained.  If you watch a player effortlessly strike a ball and it takes off like a rocket it is presumed the strength of his leg has produced this.  In fact he has created this power from the core and pelvic region.

There are many trainers and physiotherapists that can help you design a core program specific to your individual needs.  It is crucial that you are instructed and perform these exercises correctly. If not these exercises will be ineffective at best or leave you on the sidelines on the injured reserve, at worst.”

Shooting The Soccer Ball: The Proper Technique

Taking shots on goal is something that every soccer player loves to do.  If there is a ball and a goal, it is a soccer players’ first instinct is to shoot.  Players don’t want to work on passing or trapping, and you can forget about fitness.  Everybody loves to shoot and score.  There are four key concepts and skills that a soccer player should master in order to have an accurate powerful shot.  They include; keeping your toes curled, knee over the ball, your head down and follow through.  If you can do those for things every time you shoot a soccer ball, you will strike the ball low hard and effectively.

First you should always curl your toes.  It is very important when you shoot that you do not use your toes.  Not only could they begin to hurt over time, but your shots will never go the same place twice.  When shooting the soccer ball you want to use the top part of your foot, where the laces of your shoes are.  This is known as the instep.  It is a much wider surface than your toe, so it will be more accurate and it does not hurt at all.  In order to hit the ball properly with the laces, you must point your foot towards the ground, lock your ankle and curl your toes.  When I say curl your toes, imagine picking up something off of the floor with your toes.  If you curl your toes like that when you shoot, you are ¼ of the way to a successful soccer shot.

Keeping your knew over the ball is vital to keeping your shot on the frame of the goal.  This is a huge problem that soccer players have when shooting on goal.  Not doing this will result in your shot going over the goal.  This is such a major problem because it can mean the difference between winning and loosing a game.  If you kick the soccer ball over the goal you have no chance of scoring, but if you put the ball on frame of the soccer goal, you increase your chance of scoring or creating a rebound for a teammate.  To correct these problems simply concentrate on your form and getting your knee over the ball when shooting.  To practice the proper technique, stand on your left leg and point your right foot and toes to the ground next to the front of your planted foot.  Look down and notice the position of your knee in regard to the position of where the ball would be in a shooting position.  That is what not to do!  Now slide your right foot, which is pointed toward the ground, back towards the heel of your planted left foot.  Now look down!  Notice how your right knee is now over the ball.  When you shoot you want to make sure that your knee is directly over the ball.  This will keep your shot low and increase your power and velocity of your shot on goal.

Keeping your head down is another vital function to strong accurate soccer shooting.  It is very common to want to look at where you are shooting.  You want to make sure that you don’t miss the goal to the right or to the left or shoot right at the goalie.  Unfortunately, by looking up when shooting you actually reduce your chances of hitting the target.  You definitely want to look up and know where your target is before shooting, but during the actual act you want t o have your head down.  If your head is down it will help you focus on getting your knee over the ball. If your head is looking up at the target your knee is most likely behind the ball and your shot is going to go over the goal.  So remember to always keep that head down and watch your foot make contact with the ball.  There will be plenty of time to look at the target after the ball sails into the back of the net. 

Last but not least is the follow through.  The follow through is a very important part of the soccer shooting process.  It may make the difference of 5 to 25 miles per hour shots.  When shooting the soccer ball with your right foot you want to have your left foot firmly planted next to the ball.  You want your right leg to be cocked, foot pointed towards the ground, and your toes curled.  As you swing through the ball your knee should be over it at the point of impact and then your leg should continue to completely follow through the swinging motion.  After contact you want to land on your shooting foot.  You want the force of your motion to throw you off of your planted foot and onto your swinging shooting foot.  This will allow you to generate as much power as you can by applying your body weight and centrifugal force to the function of shooting a soccer ball.