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Studies in the past have shown that the first 10 meters sprints could land you a spot at a professional soccer academy. This is the distance most used during soccer. Beyond sprint, your jump could be of importance. Jumps can be used for heading, control of the ball and overall athletics. Find out how to jump higher for soccer.
Elite Soccer Players Jump Higher
Marco van Basten started as a talented diver. This sport possibly made van Basten a very good header. A study from Italy looked at sub-elite and elite soccer youth players and looked for possible differences. The charismatics of each group are the following.
| Type | Sub-elite | Elite |
| Number Of Players | 22 | 22 |
| Height | 168 cm | 170 cm |
| Age | 14.2 years | 14.6 Years |
| Body Mass | 55.2 KG | 57.1 KG |
| Sessions Per Week | 3 | 4 |
What Did They Find
each group was asked to perform the different task and the averages were noted. The tasks consisted of
- 10-meter sprint; the average sprint was the same for both groups (a little over 2 seconds)
- T-drill with the ball; The players from both groups performed this exercise at the same time (12 seconds)
- MICODT modified Illinois change of direction test; The same average number of seconds was noted for both groups (13 seconds).
- Countermovement jump (CMJ); The only difference that was seen during the different tests was the countermovement jump. In this action, you squat and jump as high as you can. While the sub-elite group jumped almost 30 cm high, the elite group jumped almost 6-7 cm higher.
How Can You Improve Your Jump
The number 1 way to improve your jump is age. Recent studies found that you younger you are the more improvements you can make. Although in the past, training with heavy weights until muscle failure was the standard, recent findings focus on “light loads, few repetitions per set, and maximal voluntary lifting velocities, either alone or in combination with plyometric exercises“.
How Did They Train
The training program consisted of full squats with weights twice a week. Once a week counter jumps 3 sets of 5 reps. Once a week change of directions, and once a week sprints. The program lasted for 6 weeks. The strength training increased from 45% of maximal strength to 60% towards the end of the study.
What Did They Find After 6 Weeks
3 different age groups (under 13, under 15, under 17’s) were divided into a control group and a group that participated in additional exercises. All groups were measured for
- 10-meter sprint
- 20-meter sprint
- Time measured from 10 meters to 20 meters.
- Countermovement jump
- Average velocity attained
- 1RM to measure maximum repetition (strength)
All the students improved in the counte jump exercise. See the improvements below of the strength group versus the control group.
Compared to the control group the extra exercise group improved with jump height at every age group. However, the younger the age group the more relative improvement was seen. The youngest group jump an average of 12% higher, while the under 15’s jumped about 10% higher and the under 17’s jumped about 5% higher.
