Small Games in soccer are a very good source of knowledge for any player, whether at high levels or at fairer ages. But really, what is a Reduced Game?
This exercise allows us to simultaneously develop the technical and tactical content necessary for the desired development, such as situations of superiority, defensive withdrawal or play with a third man, among many others, along with physical objectives programmed in said training session.
The main advantage of this approach is the actual achievement of an exercise intensity of 90-95% of maximum heart rate (HRmax), which has been shown to improve specific endurance capacity in soccer, develop specific muscle groups involved in game, improve technical and tactical capabilities in specific game conditions, and make an effective transfer to the game.
To get the most out of this format we must know the capabilities of our players and their total development during the exercise.
It is necessary to be aware of some variables such as:
Mobility
Joint mobility exercises prepare the muscles in order to prevent the joints from suffering during the main training. This is one of the reasons why these types of exercises are performed during the warm-up phase.
Proprioception
Proprioception exercises focus on training the body's automatic responses, which means better coordination and the ability to deal with unexpected situations during sports practice. At the same time, they can offer improvements in balance and orientation.
Force
We are going to talk about warm-up as the set of exercises that is carried out prior to any physical activity where the effort requirement is higher than normal in order to start up all the athlete's organs and prepare them for maximum performance.
Plyometrics
It is a routine based on jumps of all kinds and they are at the same time resistance, agility, speed and strength training, while also preventing future injuries. Jumps with one or both feet, rebounds, swings and rapid vertical and horizontal displacements can be combined.
Commuting
They are the movements of the body that are made when moving from one side to another using different motor patterns. Being the body itself the means of transport. When movement is worked on, movement patterns and spatial-temporal perception are perfected.
Running technique
It is a physical effort that can directly influence performance, because in addition to improving running technique (its main objective), it indirectly provides four other benefits: it improves strength in the ankles and legs; improves joint mobility of the foot and ankle; improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the race, which means more performance for the same effort; and greatly reduces the risk of injury (Achilles tendon, periostitis, plantar fasciitis and is more resistant to sprains). Within the running technique I include the Multi Jumps and the Ankle Exercises.
Address changes
Changes of direction are present in most sports, both individual and collective. On the other hand, we are used to training and evaluating speed in a straight line without giving importance to changes of direction, when these happen much more frequently in most sports.
As we mentioned in our blog about the pre-game warm-ups.
The list of goals set has variables in its different applications, we can find from 1vs1 to 5vs5, applying limited aids and new parameters in the game to achieve those results previously set by the coaching staff. Variables such as wildcards, touch limitation or the orientation of the workspace must be taken into account for its full development.
With this element of preparation we will be able to develop in a simplified and comprehensive way by the players, a series of concepts developed by players without the ball, such as marking, unmarking and support, always worked in reduced spaces with a smaller number of players. .
If you want more information about the Reduced Game and all its advantages, do not hesitate to visit our course Master's degree in grassroots football expert.
