Today, Fitness Daily welcomes Mati Bishop to our writing staff. Mati plays soccer, volleyball and just about every other team sport known to man with the exception of cricket, which he is dying to try. He is also a martial artist, freediver and runner. He’s known for having so much fun that he forgets he’s getting fit.

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Team sports can take the sting out of fitness

I seem to remember a song from way back when that went something along the lines of “Working out is hard to do.” Ok, maybe I’ve got the catchy tune right but not the exact lyrics, but that’s what goes through my head every time that I try to get in the car by myself to head to the gym. I just don’t get excited about heading out to the gym or putting headphones on and heading out for a long run. A few years back, I did find something that I get really excited about.

Soccer.

I’d never played before, but some friends invited me out to kick the ball around and next thing I knew I was part of a team training twice a week! .

Finding somewhere to play soccer
The key to getting involved with soccer is finding a group of people that are of a similar skill level as you. Search the internet for “recreational adult soccer” in your town and see what you come across. Most leagues will have a variety of skill levels from divisions comprised of former college players to curious players who have never played before.

If you’ve never played before, start at the beginning no matter how good an athlete you are. Soccor is great fun – but you want to learn how to play at the same time others are. There’s nothing fun about running around clueless while your team fumes and the other team chuckes.

Most leagues have a “players looking for teams” list that can you sign up for. (Hint: if you are a woman, sign up for a co-ed team. There are almost always plenty of spots available for girls with cleats.)

The reason for this is a thing called your first touch which we’ll talk about later. If you have some friends to join you in the adventure, all the better. If not, most leagues have a “players looking for teams” list that you can sign up for. If you happen to be a girl, odds are good that you will find a co-ed (made up of boys and girls) team before you know it. Girls with cleats are always in demand.

Here is what you’ll need to join a soccer league

One of the reason that soccer is so popular around the world is requires little more than a ball and a bit of space. But, even though could play barefoot on a parking lot, doesn’t mean you should.

Cleats or Turf Shoes- Nothing says overcompensating like a player that wears $200 soccer cleats and has never played before. I recommend starting with a pair of $50 cleats (for example, these) that are tight fitting, but comfortable. You want to have very little room in the toe of the boot (cool European soccer fans call them football boots instead of soccer cleats) as possible. This will give you a better touch on the ball which is going to be very important.

Shin Guards- Bigger is better when you’re getting started. Experienced players brag about how small their shin guards are. This machismo is great, until you actually get kicked in the shin. I highly recommend a pair of shin guards that also has protection for you ankle. After a match or two, you’ll understand why. (Here’s a good choice.)

Big ‘ol Socks- Find a good pair of soccer socks. Darker is easier to clean.
It’s that easy.

Even though someone on the team is guaranteed to have a ball with them, you’ll still want to get one of your own. You don’t need to spend a fortune on a soccer ball – just get something decent in the $20 range.

Training Before You Play
You are going to be running on the soccer field. A lot. Just showing up, tying your laces, and giving it a go is a great way to get injured. Make sure you

Just showing up to play a soccer game is a bad idea. Here are a few exercises that you should do several times a week for a couple weeks before your first match to help reduce your chance of injury.

Lunges- Simple lunges are important to help build the structural muscles that will allow your legs to avoid injury during the stopping, starting and changing of directions during the course of a soccer match. Do 20-30 lunges with each leg, each workout.

Crunches- I didn’t discover how much of an impact core strength had on my game until well over a year after I started playing. When I got my core in shape, I found that I was faster and had better balance than ever before, give yourself a head start. 100 crunches a day will get you heading in the right direction.

Ski Hops- During a soccer match, your ankles will be under stress every time that you change direction. To do this exercise start with your feet together, like a skier with their skis parallel, and hop at a 45 degree angle to either direction, then hop immediately 45 degrees in the other direction. Move forward about fifteen feet in this manner, rest and repeat at least three times.

Getting Better
So, you’ve paid your league fee, bought your gear and played your first match. Now is the time when you’ve probably realized that you need to get better. The good news is that you can improve considerably, while getting a great workout in a short amount of time. All you need is your ball and a wall.

Improving Your First Touch- Nothing will make you a better soccer player than improving your first touch. A first touch is just what it sounds like, your first touch when someone kicks you the ball. The more control you have the more options to do something productive for your team. Start with the ball at your feet 10 feet in front of the wall. Kick the ball to the wall so that it rolls back to you. Concentrate on touching the ball just enough so it stops perfectly at your feet so you can kick it right back at the wall. It takes some time, but this drill will pay huge dividends.

Striking the Ball- Move a bit further back from the wall and choose a target on the wall. Now, kick the ball at your target. You can increase the distance as you get better. From close to the wall, kick with the inside of your foot. As you move further back, kick the ball with the laces of you boot, focusing on keeping your head down and your weight moving forward over the ball as you strike it.

Moving With the Ball in Your Feet- Getting comfortable with how it feels to have the ball in your feet will slow the game down for you and give you more time to decide who to pass to or whether or not to take a shot. To improve this the simplest way is to practice moving with the ball in different directions. Start slowly, walking is ok, and focus on how you have to touch the ball to control it. As you get more comfortable, increase your speed.

Those three drills will give you a solid 30-45 minute workout with nothing more than a ball and a wall to work with. One last thing, when you work on these drills, use both feet equally. It is extremely important to be able to play with both feet.

Final Tip
Playing 90 minutes of soccer is brutal on a body, especially if you’re out of shape. Make sure that you’re team has extra players so that you can sub out of the match to take a break. It will improve your experience and that of your teammates if your realistic about your ability in the beginning. Winning isn’t everything, but it is fun, so bring a controlled competitive spirit with you on game day and have a great time.