Weekly Programming of Hamstring-Related Training Contents in European Professional Soccer

Abstract

Hamstring injuries in soccer continue to be a challenge for professionals who work with soccer players daily. Although its origin is multifactorial, the proper management of neuromuscular fatigue during the training microcycle is a very important factor to consider. There are no clear guidelines regarding the weekly distribution of certain exercises that demand the hamstrings. The main objective of this study was to describe the usual training practices of professional European soccer teams. An international observational survey design was applied to some of the strength and conditioning coaches of professional soccer teams. The survey included different neuromuscular demanding exercises for the hamstrings. For each exercise, the strength and conditioning coaches had to respond in relation to their frequency of use and timepoint depending on the day of the weekly microcycle. Although there is no strong consensus in this regard, there does seem to be a trend when applying certain exercises, especially on the days matchday-4 and matchday-3.

If You Want to Prevent Hamstring Injuries in Soccer, Run Fast: A Narrative Review about Practical Considerations of Sprint Training

“…Many contextual variables are specific to each team and they will determine the way sprint training is applied. For example, not all methodologies support a similar periodization of content throughout the week [47,48]. It is known that for tactical periodization, there is one day a week (Match Day-2 = MD-2) dedicated to stimulating speed [49].…”

Nordic Exercise Effects on the Explosive and Absolute Strength of Lower Limbs in Different Sports Modalities

“…Several authors have been studied and they emphasize the need to intervene in muscle groups with greater tension, eccentric load, level of activity, and injury levels after high sporting demand. [9][10][11] One of these muscle groups is the hamstrings, for which 2 several programs have been generated that seek to intervene with a specialized or specific protocol, among the most outstanding are: Nordic exercise, the FIFA 11+ program, and Core stability exercises, each of these applied over a period of time and with positive results at a clinical and sporting level. [12][13][14] Eccentric activation induces greater muscle tension, strengthening the muscle and reducing the injuries incidence, the length of its fascicles and asymmetry in the lower limbs.…”