Home training recommendations for soccer players during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

This pandemic of COVID-19 has a major impact on people's lives, and several governments ordered extended quarantine and requested social isolation to contain the spread of COVID-19 and flatten its contagion curve. Soccer practice was also severely affected by these pandemic effects, including the postponement of several championships, which involve large audiences. In Brazil, the professional leagues restart the official matches (e.g., Brazilian National Fourth, Third, Second, and First Divisions Leagues). However, some youth academies have not yet restarted their professional activities. Therefore, home-based training can be a good option in these cases. Here, we outline the benefits of home workouts using a multidimensional approach. First, we provide practical recommendations for physical, psychological, and tactical training. Next, we propose an example of a home training program spanning one weekly microcycle for soccer players, using load control based on the rating of perceived exertion. We highlighted that is crucial to make all these exercises fun and entertaining during the self-isolation period. The home training recommendations discussed and proposed in this research can and should be adjusted by the coaches according to their own ideas and athletes' access to equipment (e.g., treadmills, flywheel training, virtual reality).