| How to Improve Your Game in Soccer Posted: 04 Jan 2019 04:00 PM PST When you play soccer, mental, physical, and technical skills all come into play. If you want to improve your game, it isn't enough to focus on just one of these aspects. The best ball-handling skills won't matter if you're poorly conditioned and get winded just 10 minutes into the game. Likewise, a skillful and well-conditioned player still won't succeed without the right strategy and focus. Create a training program that works on technical skills, soccer strategy, overall fitness, and mental focus to substantially improve your game. EditHoning Technical Skills - Practice juggling to improve your ball control. You don't need a lot of space to work on juggling. While you may not specifically juggle the ball during games, being able to juggle the ball well gives you stronger control and better ball-handling skills.[1]
- Try to juggle for a little longer each time without losing control of the ball. If you can go for 5 minutes consistently, try to go for 10 minutes. Set a timer on your smart phone, or use an analog kitchen timer.
- Juggling also helps you get better at controlling and stopping the ball.
- Set up cones or flags for dribbling drills. You can get cones or flags for drills at any sporting goods store or general online retailer. Even if you don't have a lot of space, you can do drills in a small patch of yard. Set the cones or flags in a row and dribble through and around them as you move forward.[2]
- If you're allowed, you can also practice dribbling inside the house – although you probably don't want to wear your cleats indoors. Dribbling inside gives you plenty of obstacles and opportunities to change direction.
- Kick the ball against a wall to improve your first touch. Find a solid brick or cement wall so it isn't damaged by repeated kicks. Stand about away to start, and kick the ball as hard as you can against the wall. Get in position to receive the ball, control it, and immediately kick it back against the wall.[3]
- As you get better, gradually move further away from the wall. Try to kick the ball just as hard from the longer distance as you did from the shorter distance.
- Create a regular practice schedule. Even if you have regular practice with your team, you also need to practice on your own if you want to really improve your game. Find a time when you can dedicate 20 or 30 minutes every day to practicing your soccer skills.[4]
- Include at least 5 minutes at the beginning and end of your practice for warming up and cooling down to help prevent injury.
- You may want to schedule different drills so that you are constantly training different skills. Think about how you can adapt drills you learn in team practice so that you can do them by yourself.
- If you have a close friend on your team who lives nearby, you might also plan joint practice sessions with them.
- Develop a specialty skill. Think about one aspect of soccer that you really enjoy and can do relatively well, or that seems to come naturally to you. Focus on that skill in your personal practice sessions and turn it into a signature move.[5]
- Perfecting one skill adds value to you as a player and gives any coach a reason to have you on their team. For example, if you're a defender, you might work on your defensive heading.
- Finding an opportunity to use a specialty skill that you've perfected can also enhance your own self-esteem and help you build confidence as a player.
EditIncreasing Fitness and Conditioning - Improve your range of motion with dynamic stretches. Dynamic stretches, such as walking lunges and bodyweight squats, are a good warm-up before a practice or conditioning workout that will also increase the flexibility and range of motion in your joints.[6]
- Before stretching, warm up your muscles by doing jumping jacks or jogging in place. Swing your arms in wide circles to get your blood flowing. Then, allow 5 minutes for dynamic stretches before working out or before a game.
- Use interval training to build endurance. Many soccer players go jogging or running to increase their cardiovascular endurance. However, while it's true that you do a lot of running during a soccer game, it isn't nonstop running. Rather, you're starting and stopping, jogging, sprinting, walking, and changing directions frequently. Interval training prepares you for this.[7]
- Interval training naturally includes high and low intensities of activity, similar to the way you move during a game.
- When choosing interval exercises, focus on those that mimic movements you would be likely to use during a soccer game. During the off-season, a 30-minute interval training session 3 or 4 days a week can help keep you in shape.
- Incorporate compound exercises for strength training. Compound exercises, such as squats, lunges, and push-ups, work more than one joint and muscle group. These exercises automatically balance the strength of opposing muscle groups, which can help prevent injury.[8]
- The majority of your exercises should be bodyweight exercises, or use free weights for resistance. Try to do strength training 2 or 3 days a week in the off-season. During the season you can still get in at least 1 strength training session a week, but don't overdo it.
- Move your whole body to strengthen all muscle groups, but put your primary focus on your lower body and your core.
- Jump rope to build foot coordination and speed. Alternate between two-footed, single-foot, and crossover jumps, gradually increasing the speed at which you jump. Even if you don't have a jump rope, you can mimic the movement.[9]
- Using a weighted jump rope allows you to build strength and balance in your upper body and core.
- Start jumping rope for 15 minutes 3 or 4 days a week. Gradually increase the length of time that you do it. You can also incorporate jumping rope as an interval if you're doing interval training.
- Do plyometric drills for speed and agility. Plyometrics drills use explosive movements such as jumps to build short-twitch muscle fiber, giving you more power and speed. Some basic plyometric exercises include jump squats and burpees.[10]
- In addition to plyometric drills, practice sprinting to improve your speed. A professional soccer player can sprint in about 4 seconds.
- In the off season, do plyometric and speed exercises at least 2 days per week for 20 or 30 minutes. You can cut this session in season.
EditBuilding Tactics and Strategy - Watch professional and national games. Study the moves of elite players closely, and dissect how they maintain possession of the ball and put players in position to score. Think about opportunities when you can use similar strategies in your own play.[11]
- Watch teams with a wide variety of playing styles – don't just focus on one or two teams that you like personally. It can also be good to make a study of a single team playing a lot of different teams. Figure out how they adapt their strategy to capitalize on the weaknesses of the other team.
- Games where an underdog team defeated a top-ranked team can be good games to watch for strategy.
- Use the width of the field on offense. When your team has possession, spread out and use the size of the field to help break up the other team's defense and create opportunities to score. Use short and long passes and runs to keep the ball moving.[12]
- If you keep the ball moving, the defense won't have an opportunity to close in on you and make it difficult for you to pass the ball.
- Pass the ball to players on the outside to stretch the defense thin and open up holes to get a teammate in an advantageous position.
- Tighten up to defend as a unit. When the other team has the ball, your general strategy is the opposite of what it was when you had possession. Move more towards the middle of the field and move together as an impenetrable mass.[13]
- The opposing team will try to stretch you out, but maintain position – especially when they pass the ball to a player on the outside. If the ball is played to the right winger, for example, your whole team should move as a unit to the right.
- Apply your team strategy consistently. Your coach will communicate the overall team strategy to you and your teammates. When in doubt, fall back to this strategy as a default, regardless of the relative skills of your opponent.[14]
- Your team strategy should be one that maximizes your team's strengths and minimizes weaknesses. If you see ways in which your team strategy could be improved, talk them over with your coach and your teammates.
- Work with your coach to understand your role in the overall team strategy, particularly if you switch to a different position.
- Study the strengths and weaknesses of opponents. Before each game, you'll adapt your overall strategy to limit your opponent's strength and exploit their weaknesses. Study their gameplay carefully, looking not just at individual players but at the way the team plays as a whole.[15]
- Understanding how your opponents typically act in various types of situations allows you to anticipate how they'll respond so you can be proactive on the field.
- Communicate with your teammates. Talk to your teammates when you're on the field, and listen to them when they talk to you. Let them know if a player is heading towards them to pressure them, or if you're open. If you have an opportunity, call for the ball and get involved in the game.[16]
- Communicate with body language as well as your voice. Swivel your head as you play so you know where the ball is and are able to anticipate what may happen anywhere on the field.
- You can also use the strength of your pass to communicate. A softer pass typically indicates that the receiver has more time, while a crisp pace might indicate the receiver is under pressure.[17]
EditDeveloping the Right Mentality - Play for the team. Soccer is a team sport, and you will not do well if you're playing only for yourself. Any moves you make on the field should be designed to put the team in a better position to score, not to make you look good.[18]
- If you have a personal problem with a team member, don't take it onto the field. Once the game starts, put aside any personal animosity and focus on the team as a whole.
- Use encouraging self-talk to maintain focus. Keeping an encouraging mantra running through your head can improve your confidence and help you stay in the moment. If you feel the urge to criticize yourself, let it go and return to your encouragement.[19]
- For example, you might repeat to yourself "It's okay. You're doing great. Just a simple strike, you've done it before. Good clean strike."
- Visualize your best games. Visualization and meditation can help build confidence and improve your self-image. Set aside 5 to 10 minutes each day to sit quietly and visualize yourself playing your best, or scoring the winning goal.[20]
- Think about how the movements feel, and how your body feels. Put yourself in the moment as you replay your visualization in your mind.
- Try breathing and relaxation techniques to improve your control. Deep breathing exercises can help keep you calm under pressure. Soccer can be an intensely personal game, and opponents often will try to trigger your emotions to distract you.[21]
- Practice positive, helpful reactions to game events that normally would trigger an angry or upset reaction. For example, instead of getting angry or arguing with a referee's call, shake it off and move on.
- Learn from mistakes and let them go. You can't improve your game – in soccer or any other sport – without making some mistakes along the way. When the inevitable happens, take a deep breath and return to the moment.[22]
- You'll have time after the game, or at the end of practice, to analyze your mistake and learn from it. In the moment, put it out of your mind. If you dwell on it, you've taken your mind out of the game and your performance will suffer as a result.
- Drink plenty of water while playing soccer to maintain hydration. Dehydration can lead to fatigue and injury.
- Use proper equipment whenever practicing, including cleats, shin guards, and socks. This will get you used to wearing the right gear and also help prevent injury.[23]
- If you are injured, either in practice or a game, take a few days off to rest and allow your body to recover before you attempt to train again.
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| How to Use Sugar Scrub Posted: 04 Jan 2019 08:00 AM PST Dry, flaky, or oily skin is a major bummer. And while you can find a rejuvenating treatment at the spa, you can also score smooth skin in the shower with a sugar scrub. Applying one properly (and frequently) can help exfoliate your body and remove dead skin cells, leaving skin silky soft. EditChoosing a Sugar Scrub - Look for a scrub with fine particles. A coarse sugar scrub can irritate and even tear sensitive skin. Smaller sugar granules are gentler and less abrasive.
- Brown sugar is one of the softest sugars and works well on your face and body.[1]
- Turbinado sugar (also known as raw sugar) tends to have larger particles so if you see it as an ingredient, be aware that it's a rougher scrub.[2]
- Pick a hydrating scrub if you have very dry skin. While sugar is naturally a humectant (meaning it locks in moisture), some scrubs are more moisturizing than others.[3] Choose one with skin-replenishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, coconut or avocado oil, glycerin, or essential oils if your skin is prone to dehydration.
- Select a scent based on aromatherapy properties. Look for scrubs that include essential oils to match your needs. For example, if you're stressed out, a lavender scent is calming. And if you're feeling fatigued, lemon or peppermint scents are energizing.[4]
- Other popular aromatherapy scents include eucalyptus for clearing your sinuses, patchouli for soothing anxiety, and rosemary for increasing concentration.[5]
- Make your own sugar scrub if you're on a budget. Using basic ingredients from your pantry like olive oil, honey, and brown sugar, you can DIY a sugar scrub at home.
- Whipping up your own sugar scrub means you can control exactly what goes in it, thus avoiding any chemicals or additives that could be harmful to you or the environment.
EditApplying the Sugar Scrub - Wet your skin. Warm water will soften your skin and prepare it for exfoliation. A good rule of thumb is to soak in the tub or stand under the shower for 5 to 10 minutes before you begin scrubbing.
- Water that's too hot can dry out your skin. The optimal temperature for your skin is a lukewarm temperature below (if your skin is turning red, it's too hot!).[6]
- If you're going to shave your legs, do so before using the sugar scrub to avoid stinging and irritation.
- Wash your skin before you scrub to remove sweat, dirt, and makeup. Otherwise scrubbing could push it further into the skin.
- Massage the scrub into your skin. With gentle pressure, rub the sugar scrub into your skin in a circular motion using the pads of your fingers. This not only sloughs off dead skin, it also boosts circulation and stimulates the production of collagen in your body, a protein that helps fight wrinkles and keeps skin looking young.[7]
- Start at the top of your body and work down.
- Be careful not to scrub too vigorously as it could damage your skin.
- Rinse with warm water. There's no need to use shower gel or soap following your scrub. For extra hydration and smoother skin, let the scrub sit on your body for a couple of minutes before rinsing thoroughly.
- Dry off. Gently use a towel to pat your body completely dry.
- Finish with lotion or body oil. Once you're dry, apply lotion or body oil to moisturize your newly exfoliated skin. Do this immediately after drying off while your pores are still open and able to absorb the moisturizer easier and faster.[8]
- Have a jar or extra virgin coconut oil laying around? It can double as a cheap yet effective moisturizer thanks to its high level of saturated fats. Only use it if you aren't prone to breaking out.[9]
- Always apply sunscreen after exfoliating as your skin is more vulnerable. Use one that's SPF 30 or higher and has broad-spectrum protection.[10]
- Repeat once or twice a week. Sugar scrubs shouldn't be part of your daily beauty routine. Over-exfoliating can irritate your skin so aim to use a sugar scrub no more than three times per week at most.[11]
- Don't use a sugar scrub on skin that's sunburned or highly sensitive. You should also avoid it after any type of medical or cosmetic surgery or after a chemical peel - in both instances, your body is trying to recover from what is essentially a trauma and any harsh scrubbing could prevent proper healing.[12]
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| How to Identify Original Tiger's Eye Stone Posted: 04 Jan 2019 12:00 AM PST Tiger's eye is a golden-brown stone renowned for its optical effects under light. When light shines on the stone, it may seem like the bands and colors are moving in a cat-eye effect. This effect, known as chatoyancy, happens because the stone is made up of long fibers, or columns, of quartz interspersed with crocidolite fibers.[1] When trying to identify this stone, look for the physical properties, such as color and luster. Then, hold the rock under a light to check for chatoyancy. EditLooking at the Physical Characteristics - Notice golden brown stripes. This stone's main colors are golds, yellows, and browns. You'll see these colors in striations throughout the rock. Striations are just linear bands of rock that form colors. Some of the browns are fairly dark, almost black.[2]
- It can also have reddish-brown bands, though that's sometimes referred to as ox's eye.[3]
- In some tiger's eye, you may notice a few stripes of blue. Hawk's eye is a purely blue form of this rock.
- Examine the stone for a glass-like luster. Tiger's eye is formed from quartz, and quartz has this type of shine. Therefore, when you're looking at tiger's eye, it should look somewhat like glass when you hold up to the light.[4]
- You might also see a silver-toned hue in the luster when you hold it under a light.[5]
- Check to see if it will scratch glass. Since tiger's eye is formed from quartz, it rates a 7 on the Mohs hardness scale.[6] That means that it should be able to scratch glass, which is a softer material on the Mohs scale. Scrape the edge of the rock against a scrap piece of glass. If it scratches the glass, then it registers higher on the Mohs scale than glass.[7]
- All the scale measures is how well the material resists scratching. A "harder" material will scratch a "softer" material.
EditChecking for Chatoyancy - Hold the stone under a light. You need the light to check for the optical effect known as chatoyancy. This word means "cat eye" in French and it's used to describe tiger's eye because of the way it changes color under light.[8]
- You will be able to see the effect better in a polished rock.
- Shine a bright lamp or flashlight on the stone.
- Move the stone back and forth. Hold the stone between your index finger and your thumb. Tip it forward and back in the light. Do it slowly, so you can observe what's going on in the stone.[9]
- You don't want to move too fast, as it will be harder to see the cat-eye effect.
- Look for the changing bands of color. As you move the rock up and down, look for "movement" in the rock. The rock isn't actually moving, but the light will make it look like the bands of color are changing size and shape.[10]
- This movement is known as the cat-eye effect because it resembles the way a cat eye looks when light strikes it.
- Tiger's eye has traditionally been used as protection against ill-wishes, the "evil eye," or curses. It's also said to give you bravery and strength of will.[11]
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