Spring Into Soccer
Soccer camps are starting up for many local athletes. The game of soccer requires exceptional speed, agility and kicking, jumping and throwing power. The following drills will enhance performance in all components of the game.
Wood Chop Squats:
This exercise is great to develop power for ball throws. Start by standing with your feet slightly wider than your hips and your feet turned out slightly. Hold a medicine ball in front of your body with arms straight to the ground. Set your posture by contracting your abdominals, pressing your chest out and up and your shoulders back and down. Start by squatting upwards while lifting the ball up and backwards over your head. Now quickly squat downwards moving your arms in the same fashion as you would if chopping wood. Continue for 30-90 seconds.
Line Drill:
As a soccer athlete, you need an advanced level of agility. Try this drill to develop your ability to change directions quickly. Position two cones about 20 feet apart. Start by sprinting to the first cone. Then sprint backwards to your starting point. Then shuffle sideways to the first cone and back. Then carioca to the first cone and back (feet move laterally while swiveling hips and feet moving forwards and backwards). Continue for 1-2 minutes.
Medicine Ball Partner Situps:
You and a partner lie on your backs feet to feet with about a foot distance between each other with one of you holding a medicine ball. Have your knees extended as far as you can while still keeping your low backs in contact with the floor. Both of you slowly crunch up, lifting one vertebra at a time off the floor. At about 30 degrees upwards, you’ll reach a “sticking point’ where you’ll feel like you’ve hit a brick wall. At this point, it’s important to be patient and muscle through, using your abdominals to 
overcome the resistance. Don’t bounce or add momentum with your upper body and don’t lift your feet off the floor. Once you’ve almost reached a fully upright, seated position, throw the ball to your partner who will catch the ball while maintaining perfect, stable posture. Now both of you lower down to the starting position. Curl back up and now you catch the ball. Continue for 30-90 seconds. You can purchase medicine balls at your local department store like Target or Sports Authority.
Sherri McMillan
Sherri McMillan, holds a master's degree in exercise physiology and has been inspiring the world to adopt a fitness lifestyle for more than 33 years. She has received numerous industry awards including 2010 CanFitPro International Presenter of the Year, 2006 IDEA Fitness Director of the Year, 1998 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, 1998 CanFitPro Fitness Presenter of the Year and 2005/2006 ACE Fitness Educator of the Year - Runner up. She is a fitness trainer, fitness columnist for various magazines and newspapers, author of five books and manuals including "Go For Fit - the Winning Way to Fat Loss" and "Fit over Forty" and the featured presenter in various fitness DVDs. She has presented hundreds of workshops to thousands of fitness leaders throughout Canada, Australia, Mexico, Jamaica, New Zealand, Germany, England, Spain, South America, Asia and the U.S. She is the owner of Northwest Personal Training in downtown Vancouver, the founder of WHY Racing Events & WHY Community, participates in various community fundraisers and can be found running, biking, or hiking around the community. Find more information at nwpersonaltraining.com.