How To Get A Better First Touch in Soccer

How should I feel at peak performance?

How should I feel at peak performance?

In short, you should be relaxed yet energized. Your best state for performance is being slightly above your normal level of stimulation. You shouldn’t feel like you just had a double espresso, but you also shouldn’t feel like you just ate a Thanksgiving feast. Don’t mistake the stimulants of energy drinks with your natural own high. You definitely don’t want to be bouncing off the walls and jittery. Think calm, cool, collect with the ability to turn up the heat!

How can I achieve my optimal state?

It takes confidence, focus, control, and enjoyment.

Confidence

When you are confident, you have positive thoughts of success. You know you are going to succeed. There is expectation. You aren’t scared or nervous. Being a little nervous won’t hurt you, but it shouldn’t be your affecting your psyche negatively. Confidence is within yourself, in your teammates, in your coach, in the gameplan. You trust your preparation and you trust yourself. Your instincts are true and your intuition is on point.

Focus

Focus cannot be forced. You have to be it and feel it. It might help if you try hard to be in it, but in the end, it has to be true. You have to be in the now. You are present in the moment with all distractions out of your mind. You could be in a stadium of 100,000 people and you wouldn’t be bothered by it. Having complete focus sends your energy in the right places.

Control

You are in control. What you want to happen does happen. Everything you do is what you want. It almost comes at ease. Every touch, pass, movement is effortless. You don’t want be a robot, but you also don’t want your thoughts or emotions to affect you. It is almost like you are on autopilot.

Enjoyment

You cannot perform at your best if you are not enjoying the moment. You can be withdrawn, bored, or uneasy. When you are having fun, you play your best games. You are in the moment enjoying and taking it in.

These four things contribute to your state of peak performance. Next time you play a game or practice check in with yourself and how you are doing in these departments. If one is lacking, how can you elevate that component? What can you do to feel more confident or why do you lack in confidence? Why aren’t you having fun? Why can’t you focus? What makes you feel like you aren’t in control? By dissecting these issues, you can figure out how to be at your state of peak performance.

Skyrocket your performance in practice TODAY!

Skyrocket your performance at practice TODAY I have just started to roll this out to #teamBMS members in the last few weeks. After reports of players performance at training going from good to great, I wanted to make it available to you guys. Practice. It’s where you go, see your friends, chat to them, warm up and then go through whatever drills your coach has prepared. Hopefully you have an organized coach who has a session planned every time and each drill has a purpose to improve your team. How do you play at practice? WHAT is practice to YOU as a player? The dictionary definition of practice as: “perform (an activity) or exercise (a skill) repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one’s proficiency.” A lot of players I have spoken to have little input as to what drills happen at practice, they don’t know until they show up, and that’s that. So I began to ask our players, ‘Ok, well what do you do to prepare for practice?’ The resounding answer was ‘show up.’ So, in true Beast Mode Soccer style, we changed it! The way we look at soccer development is that it is like a journey. Your teams practices are a HUGE part of that journey. You wouldn’t start a journey without a destination right? You would just be driving around in circles, and nobody wants to do that… So why do with with your soccer development. Every player that we work with are successful because they have MAPPED OUT their journey! They know their destination, they know how to get there… Sure, there will be road blocks, closed exits etc on the way,  but that is the same of every journey… If you plan to succeed, and more importantly, take ACTION on that plan, then you are getting closer and closer to your destination! So now, we have our players look at their team practice as an integral part of the journey. We now have #teamBMS players fill out a simple sheet before practice. It’s true that you cannot control the drills that your coach is going to do etc. However what you can do is control what you ACHIEVE in practice. In only two weeks implementing this sheet we have seen players confidence at practice accelerate, their technical execution in practice go through the roof and so much more! * Here’s how it works: * Print out the BMS Practice Success Planner (PSP) * Fill out WHAT you want to achieve at practice that day * Say HOW you will achieve that * After practice fill out the self analysis box * Keep a folder of all of your PSP’s. You can check back on what you still need to work on etc. * Remember: Success comes with planning! Check this example out:

You can download the blank PSP by entering your email address below. I have made it double sided, so be sure to print on both sides to save paper. Make this part of your routine for practice and you will literally supercharge your performance!

Get The PSP!

You want great footwork? Here you go…

600 Touches in 6 Minutes Soccer Skills

Improve your technique in 6 minutes a day… That’s what we are all about at Beast Mode Soccer. ‘I don’t have time’ is the main excuse we hear. Well, I’m sorry but I don’t buy it. In fact, take that apology back. I’m not sorry! If you want to become an elite soccer player, then you FIND the time. It’s ALL about being organized and planning out your day. Soccer development is a long process. It’s not a video game, its not an amazon order that you receive the same day, it’s a long process (what we call delayed gratification). You have to take it day by day, and you will gradually see yourself improving. Every player on the planet needs to work daily on their technique (yes, even Messi). If you read about any of the greatest players in the world, they all have a similar back story… They all worked extra. Ronaldo still works daily on his free kicks, Bergkamp used to stay after practice, grab a defender and a keeper and practice his 1v1’s… This is true even in other sports. Kobe Bryant is known for taking an EXTRA 300 three pointers everyday. Oh, he just doesn’t take an extra 300, he doesn’t leave the gym until he has HIT 300 three pointers. The best in the world are obsessed with excellence, as are we at Beast Mode Soccer. My goal is to make Beast Mode Soccer the #1 individual development company in the world, and I want to do this organically. How will I do this? I want to give you the tools to become the best player that you can be. To have the best soccer technique. To have the best soccer skills. To be confident on and off the field. To be yourself, but the best version of yourself that there is. This is why I put so much content out there. I want to start creating the first generation of ‘total’ soccer players in America. What about after I hit my goal. Then I will not stop until I help produce American players who are just as good as Ronaldo, Messi and Marta. Is that you? Can you become America’s first truly WORLD CLASS player? If it is, then you should be aware that you have a hard road ahead of you. Anybody who tells you otherwise is a complete liar. Anybody selling you soccer ‘secrets’ is a complete liar. The only thing that you need to know about is hard work and honesty. You want people to be honest with you. Ask questions: ‘What do I need to work on coach?’ Do not accept generic answers! If your coach answers ‘your first touch’, ask them HOW you and improve that! Tell them you want drills, you are hungry to improve! Ask your teammates, ask your parents, ask your teammates parents! Ask random people who are watching your games. Get your weaknesses lined up then start knocking them down one by one every single day working on your technique. This blog post was intended to be all about our video ‘600 touches in 6 minutes,’ but it appears I went on a bit of a rant 🙂 Again, no apologies for it. I want you to hear the truth. I want you to be an elite player. I want you to know that to make it at the elite level you are going to have to make sacrifices. All your friends will be going to parties when you are at home working on your weaknesses… Are you ready for that? Check out the 600 Touches in 6 Minutes video, check out the success guide for it. Just click on the button beneath the video for an INSTANT download!

DOWNLOAD THE SUCCESS GUIDE!

If you want a resource with more than just footwork in, check out our introductory training system, '2 Weeks to Better Soccer' here:

Until next time, remember this always... CHAMPIONS DO MORE!

5 Ways to Become a Better Soccer Player

Not in any particular order, here are five ways to become a better soccer player!

#1 Improve your SAQ. What’s SAQ? Speed, Agility, & Quickness. These three things are important in most sports, especially in soccer. SAQ is needed to compete athletically with other players, but can also be the determining factor in you being successful in beating players. Imagine you are racing to the back post for the cross to score a header, chasing down someone on a breakaway, or maneuvering through defenders to score; speed, agility, and quickness can help you be successful in these actions.

Alex Morgan doing SAQ w/ SKLZ

#2 Be strong and physically fit. The second one is pretty obvious. You have to be able to run for 90 minutes. It’s not just running at one pace either. Start and stop. Sprint, run, jog, and sprint again.  Soccer is nonstop and the pace is always changing.  Unless you are a goalie, you have to be able to keep up with the running (keepers require a different kind of fitness). As for strength, it is important, to once again, compete athletically with players. You need to be able to hold your own. You need strength going up in the air for a 50/50 ball, or when you are holding off a defender and waiting for the rest of your attack to get involved.  You don’t want to be all muscles though. Core strength is key soccer. Instead of bulking up, look to do bodyweight exercises. You still want to be able to be quick and agile; having too much muscle can actually hurt you.

Ali Krieger with SKLZ-> Soccer Strong

#3 Improve your footwork and practice on your own. We don’t do this enough! It’s great to be physically adept at the game, but technique is key. The only way to better your technique is to practice! Find any way you can to get touches on the ball. Take a ball everywhere with you. Or do like Beast Mode Soccer and juggle a tennis ball! You can take that anywhere with you. If you have a wall, use a wall to hit the ball against the wall.

Ally Riley (New Zealand National Team) & Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy) at a Beast Mode Soccer session

Take it from the legend, Dennis Bergkamp:

“There, a worn-out brick wall still stands testament to the innate footballing mind, maturity and drive present even in an 8 year old Dennis. He spent countless hours practicing, kicking the ball against it, experimenting with different ways of how to control it, seeing how it bounced and how many times, how that affected how it came back … things that still don’t occur to most professional footballers. It was here that his technique was refined to such precision that he would aim for a corner of a particular brick, each time with different pace, power and spin to see how the ball’s trajectory changed. That wall is the birthplace of Bergkamp’s obsession with control, the importance he gave to that first touch, the challenges he set himself from a very young age in order to come as near that perfection as possible.”

“It’s not thinking. It’s doing … Most of the time I was by myself, just kicking the ball against the wall, seeing how it bounces, how it comes back, just controlling it. I found that so interesting.”- Dennis Bergkamp

Arsenal’s Dennis Bergkamp

#4 Play Fifa. No seriously, play fifa! How can playing fifa improve your game? In playing fifa you have to make decisions for the players. This helps with your tactical game. You also get of sense of what to do in ALL positions. Playing fifa will help you improve your decision making. Also, you will start to learn about the players and the teams. This will help with #5…

FIFA by EA SPORTS

#5 Watch soccer!!!! This is so important. Watching the game will take your game to new heights. Watch a player in your position and you will really benefit. You can then know what to do offensively as well as defensively. If you were doing #4 and playing Fifa, you will be able to really get into watching as you will know the players and teams.   You can even join a fantasy league picking your own team and players. Getting into soccer in any aspect you can is the true way to become the best soccer player you can be. Beast Mode Soccer completely supports all things soccer. Whether you need to better your touch, better your fitness, or better your brain, we are here to help you achieve your goals. A great place to start is The Soccer Vortex (www.thesoccervortex.com). You will find ways you can work on for your game whether it be technical, tactical, physical, mental, and even information on nutrition.

Watch Soccer!

Go out there and starting working on your game so you can become a better soccer player! #ownyourdevelopment

7 Tips to Prepare for Your Preseason

The Dreaded P-Word… PRESEASON! We know many of our athletes this week are preparing and packing their things for the dreaded P- word.. PRESEASON!! If your fitness isn’t there yet, please don’t kill yourself this week. You want to be going into preseason fresh and NOT SORE! That doesn’t mean you should skimp on the touches though. You can never get enough touches in! And, of course we have the resources for that. Just check out our at-home training systems in our STORE At the very least, try to get 10,000 touches in this week! Here’s a quick way to get 600 touches in 6 minutes! —

Here’s are list of tips to get you ready for preseason! 1) Don’t go too hard this week!! Would you run a marathon the week before your marathon? This is the time to take it easy, but not too easy. Get out and get some light runs in and don’t forget those touches! 2) As we said before.. get those touches in. You want the soccer ball to be your best friend. Take the little guy around with you everywhere… this goes with out saying… NO HANDS. Take him from the living room to your bedroom, lifting the ball over the stairs or obstacles in your way. Juggle, juggle, juggle! Juggling doesn’t necessarily make you an awesome soccer player, but do you know of any awesome soccer players that can’t juggle.. Makes sense. Get comfortable with that ball. Lastly, if you have a wall, brick mailboxes, whatever you can find to hit the ball against without getting in trouble, get some passing and receiving in. You don’t want to go into preseason not having touched a ball in ages. And we hope you have been getting touches in all summer, but we know how it goes. It’s never too late to start… #ownyourdevelopment 3) Hydrate!!! August is usually the hottest month in most places of the USA. So make sure you are drinking plenty. You know the drill. If your pee is yellow, you are dehydrated. If you are thirsty, you are dehydrated. If your pee is neon, well that might be your multivitamin! 4) Speaking of multivitamins!!.. Start taking fish oil if you are not already on that train! Make sure you do your research though and find a good source. Some fish oils have too much filler and you would literally have to take 20 liquid gels to get the benefits. What are the benefits? For the athlete especially, fish oil helps with inflammation on the cellular level. Try to avoid anti-inflammatories such as Advil. Use the natural one- FISH OIL! Fish oil has also been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of cancer. A really good source for fish oil is Pure Pharma 5) Sleep and sleep and sleep. Get the rest your body needs especially because you know what it is in for. Sleep isn’t just for beauty it is for beast!! We had to.. On a serious note, sleep is one of the most important things in athlete performance and recovery–if not the most important. You want to be mentally and physically sharp, so log in at least 8 hours a night! Having trouble sleeping at night? Don’t be all up on snapchat stories and instagram before bed. Stop staring at the screen. Read a book instead. Make sure you are in a cool room with preferably zero lighting when it’s time to fall asleep. Now would be a great time to close your eyes and visualize! This is part of one of our tactics for success, which can be found in “Mastering the Inner Game”

6) Eat clean. No need to fatten up before the gauntlet. Just make healthy decisions this week. Your body will thank you! Imagine running your fitness test bloated and sluggish.. no thank you!! Lots of protein, vegetables, and healthy fats this week- and every week for that matter! We do touch on this in The Soccer Vortex with a whole section dedicated to nutrition. Details at the bottom! 7) The last tip we have for you is increase your mobility/flexibility. You will be doing a number on your body as a soccer player. We’ve tracked down a simple, yet effective mobility routine for you to do at home. All you need is a foam roller and a lax ball. Trust us, this might be worst than the dentist, but your body will seriously love you. You can get the whole routine down below! Thanks to Joe Defranco for this amazing routine. The Limber 11 1. Foam Roll IT Band: 10-15 passes 2. Foam Roll Adductors: 10-15 passes 3. SMR Glutes (lax ball): 30sec. – 2min. 4. Bent-knee Iron Cross x 5-10 each side 5. Roll-overs into V-sits x 10 6. Rocking Frog Stretch x 10 7. Fire Hydrant Circles x 10 fwd/10 bwd 8. Mountain Climbers x 10 each leg 9. Cossack Squats x 5-10 each side 10. Seated Piriformis Stretch x 20-30sec. each side 11. Rear-foot-elevated Hip Flexor Stretch x 5-10 reps (3sec. hold) each side

Lastly, a really good resource to invest in is The Soccer Vortex. It will cover everything you need to become a the total soccer player. We include TECHNICAL work (over 400 drills), TACTICAL info (knowing your role/position), PHYSICAL fitness (in season, off season, and preseason), NUTRITION (what to eat and when to eat it), MENTAL (upgraded version of Mastering the Inner Game; MIND ARMOUR), and other bonuses including ACL Prevention. Find out more info here:

So rest up, eat clean, roll out, and get ready to rock your preseason!! This is what you have to look forward to:

Champions Do More.

This past weekend the top youth teams in the nation met in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Over 185,000 players and 10,000 teams competed. Just fourteen teams from U13-U19, boys and girls, were declared National Champions! These champions fought hard. Battling through their perspective State Cups and then wreaking havoc in their regions, they made it to US Youth Soccer Nationals, a series that has been around since 1935 (http://championships.usyouthsoccer.org/nationals/History/).

The takeaway from this… these players worked hard to become National Champions! Some would argue that Nationals is when these champions were made. We would argue differently. These players didn’t just wake up the morning of their final and decide that they were going to win Nationals. They set their goals from the beginning. They put in the extra work. The extra touches, extra sprints, and the extra minutes–all of these things were factors when it came to their time to shine. Not to mention the sacrifices they made. We have all faced those choices… soccer or prom, soccer or friends, soccer or anything!. Soccergrlprobs got it right with their “I Can’t, I Have Soccer” Shirts!

But back to our argument… these players prepared for this! The last year and maybe even longer went into preparing for these championships. When they had to make that clutch through ball, that last second tackle, that big time save, or that wicked rocket shot, they were able to do it! The question is… do you have what it takes to be a CHAMPION? Are you willing to put in the extra work? Champions aren’t made at Nationals. They are made the second you decide to commit yourself to being one! Don’t know where to start? Start with our FREE training program:‘The 12 Essential Footwork Drills To Develop Technique’ #OWNYOURDEVELOPMENT You can check out the 2015 US Youth Soccer National Champions HERE

Welcome to the BEAST MODE SOCCER BLOG!

Welcome to the Beast Mode Soccer Blog!

Here you will find all things soccer.  From updates on what we are up to in the BEAST MODE SOCCER house, to tips and tricks to take you to the top, to just good old soccer knowledge, this blog will serve as another resource for you to #OWNYOURDEVELOPMENT! Feel free to comment and share our posts. Cheers!

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Why having high expectations for yourself is SO important!

Technical Breakdown Part 1: How to get a sublime first touch in soccer

Technical Breakdown Part 2: Learn to thread a killer through ball like Xavi