The 25 Best Exercises for Soccer Players Using TheraBand Resistance Bands

Are you gearing up for your soccer season? Adding resistance bands to your workout can help you improve your game and become the best soccer player you can be. Get ready for your season or improve during your season with these resistance band exercises to help increase your speed and power.

Get ready for your next soccer game! Grab a TheraBand resistance band and get started.

You can tie your latex free resistance band into a loop or use a convenient latex loop band.

25 Exercises for Soccer Players

Warm-up with some light stretching, jumping jacks, and running in place. This will get your heart rate up and then you’re ready to start exercising!

Check out the exercises in this video and review the written instructions for each exercise below. You can split the exercises between two days of conditioning or choose exercises from both sections to create your own custom workout!

Suggested amount: Perform 3 sets of 8-10 reps for each exercise.

Resistance Band Training Drills (Speed)

1. The Running Man
   • Place a loop band around your ankles
   • Step one foot in front of you and one foot behind you
   • Jump your feet back and forth as if you are running
   • This improves your sprint speed by conditioning your calves and quads
2. In and Out
   • Place a loop band around your ankles
   • Stand with your feet hip-distance apart
   • Step one foot out to the side and then back to the starting position, repeat
   • Repeat on the other side
   • This improves your lateral movements by strengthening your hip flexors and groin
3. Jumping Jacks
   • Place a loop band around your ankles
   • Perform a jumping jack
     • Stand with your legs together and your arms at your sides
     • Bend your knees slightly and jump your feet out to shoulder-width apart while bringing your arms out and over your head
     • Jump back to your starting position
   • Repeat
   • This improves your explosive power by strengthening your hip flexors and groin
4. Leg Raises
   • Place a loop band around your ankles
   • Lay flat on your back
   • Raise one leg upward, keeping your leg straight
   • Lower the leg until it nearly touches the ground, then raise it back up
   • Repeat
   • Repeat on the other side
   • This improves your stability by strengthening your core and groin
5. Crab Walk
   • Place a loop band around your ankles
   • Stand with your legs slightly wider than hip-distance apart
   • Take half a step sideways against the resistance band
   • Take half a step inward with the opposite leg
   • Repeat
   • Switch directions and repeat
   • This improves your lateral speed by strengthening your hips and groin
   • Repeat the exercise with increased speed to improve your explosive power
6. Ball Striking
   • Place the loop band just below one of your knees
   • Stand on one leg and slide in your opposite foot so the band covers the top of your foot
   • Kick out as if you’re striking the ball
   • Repeat
   • This improves your power shot by strengthening your knees and quads
7. Side Steps
   • Place the loop band just above your knees
   • Start with your feet hip-distance apart
   • Step out to the right side with one foot
   • Step together, returning to hip-distance apart with the other foot
   • Step out to the left side with one foot
   • Step together, returning to hip-distance apart with the other foot
   • Repeat 
   • This improves your power by strengthening your hips, quads, and glutes
8. Horizontal Strike
   • Lay on your back and place the loop band around one leg, just below the knee
   • Slide in your opposite foot so the band covers the top of your foot
   • Kick upward as if you’re striking the ball
   • Repeat
   • This improves your striking power by strengthening the hamstrings and knees
9. Calf Raises
   • Lay on your stomach with the loop band around the ankle of one foot and the foot of the other
   • Below your knees, only the tips of your toes should be touching the ground
   • Bring your foot with the band around it upward as if kicking your butt
   • Straighten your leg and repeat
   • Repeat with the opposite leg
   • This reduces your risk of injury by strengthening and conditioning the hamstrings and quads
10. Ankle Flex
    • Place a loop band around your feet
    • Bend your knee and lift one leg up
    • Point and flex your toes, repeat
    • Repeat on the other leg
    • This reduces injuries by strengthening and conditioning your ankle and Achilles
11. Jump Kicks
    • Place the loop band around your ankles
    • Jump up and kick one foot out in front of you, repeat
    • Repeat with the other leg
    • This improves your jumping and striking by strengthening your calves, glutes, quads, and hamstrings
12. Power Kicks
    • Place the loop band around your ankles
    • Kick out with one foot, repeat
    • Repeat with the other leg
    • This improves your striking by strengthening your quads and hamstrings

Resistance Band Drills for Speed – Part 2

13. Wideouts

• Place the loop band around your ankles
• Stand with your feet hip-distance apart
• Jump your feet out, then jump them back into your starting position
• Repeat

14. Passes

• Place the loop band around your ankles
• Kick as if you’re passing the soccer ball, with your toes pointing out
• Repeat 

15. Speed Shuffle

• Place the loop band around your ankles
• Shuffle back and forth a few paces to the left and then a few paces to the right as fast as possible

16. Hip Raises

• Place the loop band just above your knees
• Stand with your feet hip-distance apart
• Lift one leg out to the side, bring it back down touching just your toe to the ground, and repeat
• Repeat with the other leg
• These should be done at a slow speed

17. Hip Kicks

• Place the loop band just above your knees
• Stand with your feet hip-distance apart
• Lift one leg out to the side, bring it back down touching just your toe to the ground, and repeat
• Repeat with the other leg
• These kicks should be explosive and done with power

18. Wide Squats

• Place the loop band just above your knees
• Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart
• Sit your hips back bending your knees, until your thighs are parallel with the floor
• Keep your back straight as you perform the squat
• Return to your starting position
• Repeat Squat

19. Stepovers

• Place the loop band around your ankles
• Step, swing your right foot out towards your left, and complete the step in front of where your right foot originally was
• Step, swing your left foot out towards your right, and complete the step in front of where your left foot originally was
• Repeat

20. Standing Sprint

• Place the loop band around your feet
• Stand with your feet hip-distance apart
• Swing your arms and bring one knee up towards your chest explosively, repeat
• Repeat with the other leg

21. Donkey Kicks

• Place the loop band around your ankles
• Stand with your feet hip-distance apart
• Kick one leg backwards, keeping your leg straight, bring it back down touching just your toe to the ground, and repeat
• Repeat with the other leg

22. Sprint Holds

• Place the loop band around your feet
• Stand with your feet hip-distance apart
• Swing your arms and bring one knee up towards your chest
• Push your foot forward, and hold the position for 5 seconds
• Return to your starting position and repeat
• Repeat with the other leg

23. Donkey Kick Hold

• Place the loop band around your ankles
• Stand with your feet hip-distance apart
• Kick one leg backwards, keeping your leg straight, hold the position for 5 seconds 
• Return to your starting position and repeat with the other leg
• Repeat the whole sequence

24. Raise Hip Hold

• Place the loop band around your ankles
• Stand with your feet hip-distance apart
• Lift one leg out to the side, and hold the position for 5 seconds
• Return to your starting position and repeat with the other leg
• Repeat the whole sequence

Cool Down Stretches

25. A 5 Minute Stretching Routine for Soccer Players

After your workout, it’s important to stretch your muscles. Stretching at the end of your workout can help improve flexibility, reduce the risk of injury, and decrease muscle tension. Follow along with the video above for a brief stretching routine you can do after you exercise. For a deeper stretch, add a stretch strap.

Start exercising, get your resistance band now!

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More on Soccer

Some of the most common injuries involving soccer players occur to the foot and ankle. Repeated ankle sprains can lead to long term issues including chronic ankle pain, arthritis, and ongoing instability.

Medical Disclaimer: The information provided on this site, including text, graphics, images and other material, are for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other healthcare professional with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.