Soccer Anatomy

„Soccer Anatomy will show you how to run faster, resist fatigue, and survive the collisions in our contact sport. It’s a must-have resource for every coach and player.“
—Anson Dorrance, Head Coach of University of North Carolina Women’s Soccer (22-Time National Champions)

“Soccer Anatomy is an important book in our field, written by two esteemed soccer scientists. Donald Kirkendall, PhD, and Adam Sayers, PhD, deliver top-notch knowledge in an innovative and straightforward manner.”
—Peter Krustrup, Professor of Sport and Health Sciences at University of Southern Denmark, UEFA Pro License Coach, and Fitness Coach for the Denmark Women’s National Team

Get an inside look at training for the world’s most popular sport. Soccer Anatomy, Second Edition, shows you what it takes to run faster, resist challenges from opponents, be stronger in the tackle, jump higher, delay fatigue, and prevent injury.

In this second edition, elite-level soccer coach Adam Sayers joins Donald Kirkendall—one of the most recognized experts in soccer training and injury prevention—to bring you more than 85 soccer-specific exercises designed to help build and strengthen the athlete.

Full-color anatomical illustrations take you inside each exercise to show you which muscles are involved and how they are fundamentally linked to soccer performance. Strength-building exercises are arranged anatomically: by core, back and hips, legs, shoulders and neck, chest, arms, and legs. Each exercise includes clear step-by-step descriptions. Variations allow you to target specific areas or to modify the exercise based on your age, experience, and training goals.

You’ll also find exercises and advice to help minimize common soccer-related injuries to the head, knees, hips, groin, and thigh and calf muscles, along with exercises taken from FIFA’s warm-up program. Developed by FIFA’s Medical Assessment and Research Centre, the program “The 11+” is proven to reduce the most common injuries.

For coaches and players looking to improve skill and build strength and endurance on the pitch, let the authoritative advice and expert instruction in Soccer Anatomy be your go-to training tool!

Chapter 1. The Soccer Player in Motion
Chapter 2. Injury Prevention
Chapter 3. The FIFA Warm-Up
Chapter 4. Core Training
Chapter 5. Back and Hips
Chapter 6. Legs: Muscle Isolation
Chapter 7. Shoulders and Neck
Chapter 8. Chest
Chapter 9. Arms
Chapter 10. Legs: Complete Power
Chapter 11. Total Body Training for Soccer