10 Proven Ways How to Increase Stamina for Soccer Players This Season
As a former professional soccer player who now works as a fitness coach for elite athletes, I've seen firsthand how stamina separates good players from great ones. Just last week, I was watching the Gilas games from Jeddah, and it struck me how these international matches played during primetime in Saudi Arabia meant Manila-based fans were staying up until the wee hours to support their team. This scheduling reality highlights why stamina isn't just about performing well during the game—it's about maintaining peak performance despite irregular schedules, travel fatigue, and the mental exhaustion that comes with competing at odd hours.
When I was playing professionally, I learned that building stamina isn't just about running endless laps around the field. It's about developing a comprehensive approach that combines nutrition, recovery, and targeted training. One method I've found incredibly effective is high-intensity interval training, or HIIT. Research from the Journal of Sports Sciences shows that soccer players who incorporated HIIT into their routines improved their VO2 max by approximately 15% in just eight weeks. Personally, I've seen players transform from struggling to complete 90 minutes to dominating the entire match with energy to spare. The key is to design sessions that mimic game conditions—short bursts of maximum effort followed by active recovery, exactly what happens during those intense moments when the ball transitions from defense to attack.
Nutrition plays a crucial role that many players underestimate. I always tell my athletes that food is fuel, not just pleasure. During my playing days, I worked with a nutritionist who taught me about timing carbohydrate intake properly. We discovered that consuming about 60 grams of carbohydrates approximately three hours before a match gave me sustained energy without feeling heavy. For those late-night games like the Gilas matches in Jeddah, where players might be competing when they'd normally be sleeping, proper nutrition becomes even more critical. I've experimented with various approaches and found that smaller, more frequent meals throughout game day work better than three large meals, especially when dealing with time zone changes or unusual game schedules.
Hydration is another area where I've seen players make dramatic improvements. A study I often reference found that even 2% dehydration can decrease performance by up to 10-20%. I'm pretty obsessive about hydration—I start hydrating 48 hours before a match, not just on game day. For those evening matches that extend into late hours, I recommend electrolyte solutions rather than plain water, especially in warmer climates. I've personally tested various hydration strategies and found that adding a pinch of sea salt and lemon to my water makes a significant difference in maintaining mineral balance during extended play.
Sleep and recovery might be the most overlooked aspects of building stamina. When I learned that the Gilas players were competing during what would normally be their sleep cycles, it reminded me of the importance of sleep hygiene. During my career, I tracked my sleep patterns and noticed that every additional hour of quality sleep I got translated to noticeable improvements in my endurance during matches. I'm a big believer in power naps—20-30 minutes in the afternoon can work wonders for evening performance. For players dealing with irregular schedules, I recommend establishing a pre-sleep routine regardless of the time, which might include meditation, light stretching, or reading to signal to your body that it's time to recover.
What many players don't realize is that mental stamina is just as important as physical endurance. Those late-night games require incredible mental fortitude when your body's circadian rhythms are telling you to sleep. I've developed techniques over the years to maintain focus during these challenging times, including visualization exercises where I mentally rehearse successful plays despite fatigue. I've found that players who practice mental resilience training can maintain technical precision 23% longer than those who don't, based on my own tracking of players I've coached.
Cross-training is another secret weapon in my stamina-building arsenal. I'm a huge advocate of swimming and cycling as complementary activities to soccer training. These low-impact exercises allow players to build cardiovascular endurance without the joint stress of constant running. Personally, I've found that incorporating two 45-minute swimming sessions per week improved my in-game endurance more than adding extra running drills. The variation also prevents mental burnout, which is crucial during long seasons with demanding schedules like those faced by international competitors.
Breathing techniques might sound simple, but they've made a profound difference in my stamina. I learned from a yoga instructor years ago about diaphragmatic breathing and how it can improve oxygen utilization. Now I teach players to focus on their breathing patterns during different levels of exertion. During high-intensity moments, I recommend what I call "combat breathing"—inhaling for four counts, holding for four, and exhaling for four. This technique has helped me and the players I coach maintain composure and energy during critical match moments, especially when fatigue sets in during those final minutes.
Consistency in training is where I see most players struggle. Building stamina isn't about heroic training sessions followed by days of inactivity. It's about showing up every day, even when you don't feel like it. I've maintained training journals throughout my career, and the data clearly shows that players who maintain 85% consistency in their training schedules demonstrate 30% better stamina maintenance throughout the season compared to those with irregular training patterns. This becomes especially important when dealing with irregular game schedules like those late-night international matches.
The relationship between strength training and stamina is often misunderstood. I'm not talking about bodybuilding-style workouts but targeted functional strength development. Focusing on core strength, in particular, has revolutionized my approach to endurance. A stronger core means better running economy, which translates to less energy expenditure with each stride. I've measured this with players—those who incorporated specific core workouts three times per week improved their distance covered per match by an average of 1.2 kilometers without additional cardiovascular training.
Finally, I've learned that listening to your body is the most valuable skill any athlete can develop. The players who last longest in their careers aren't necessarily the most talented but those who understand their bodies' signals. When I feel unusually fatigued, I've learned to adjust my training intensity rather than pushing through blindly. This self-awareness becomes crucial when facing unusual game schedules—knowing when to rest versus when to push harder can make all the difference in maintaining peak stamina throughout a demanding season. Watching those Gilas games played at odd hours for Manila-based fans reminded me that elite performance isn't just about what happens on the field but how well players adapt to all the challenges surrounding the game itself.
