Preparation for match day usually starts a few days before the match. Players are advised to train themselves and practice as much as possible, which sometimes includes watching their opponent and finding any weak spots that may help them to strategise for winning the game.
Many players are very tough and competitive; they practice like crazy and always look forward to new methods, innovative ideas, and best tactics. Besides practicing, there are other things you need to keep in mind. For instance, you need proper diets and supplements to work actively in the pitch, similarly long-lasting and durable grip socks, different types of taping and strapping, an eight-hour sleep, mentally alert, a shin pad, and much more.
Let's dive into some of the valuable tips in preparing for a soccer match:
Starting Early and Preparing both Physically and Mentally
Get your head in the game as soon as possible. If you are done with the old game, it is time to get your head for the next game. To prepare mentally for a soccer match, skills like visualising and eliminating the wrong idea are compulsory; you must always stay optimistic.
Talk with your coaching staff about tactics and expectations. Each soccer game has new opponents who differ from the previous, so it is incumbent to discuss the new techniques and strategies with the coach; otherwise, the match will not be successful. Besides discussing new strategies, you must train hard all week for the upcoming matches.
Monitor your stats and communicate with coaches about your physical status. Tracking your daily physical stats during training sessions allow you and your coaches to understand your physical status, in order to optimise your training plans and to adjust yourself to peak performances for the next match day. This also allows you to manage your physical conditions and to avoid injury risks caused by fatigue.
In the past years, non-professional players lack the resources and budget to access elite-level soccer tracking devices to monitor their performance during training sessions and matches. But now, things have changed with INSAIT JOY Smart Shin Guards.
By integrating elite-level smart soccer tracker technologies and performance analysis algorithms with regular soccer equipment, INSAIT JOY empowers players at any levels to monitor physical loads and trends easily with objective statistics. This allows you to understand their physical status in order to adjust training loads smartly for the upcoming match days. Meanwhile, the original protective feature of "shin guards" is ensured, thus reducing injuries caused by impacts and collisions.
Additionally, these state-of-the-art soccer tracking devices now come with a centralised dashboard called INSAIT JOY TEAM, with features allowing coaches to monitor and analyze loads and performances of the whole squads with data visualisations, comparison tools, trends and more. This allows football clubs at any levels to access elite-level soccer tracker technologies and data-driven insights at affordable budgets, meanwhile facilitating coaches to improve communication with players and even parents by adopting objective stats.
Learn more about INSAIT JOY Smart Shin Guards
here and INSAIT JOY TEAM here, or visit INSAIT JOY store and get yours now.
Prepare for a Soccer Game the Night Before
Eat a healthy meal a few hours before sleep.
Besides good physical and mental practice, you need a proper diet the night before the game. You contain all three significant micronutrients that make up a balanced diet, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, to ensure maximum energy sustain.
Good whole night’s sleep.
As well as a good diet the night before a match, you also need good sleep to allow your body to repair itself. You should at least sleep for 8 hours to stay active.
Prepare Yourself on Game Day
Eat the breakfast for the day’s schedule.
If several hours are left just before the match, make sure you go for the excellent breakfast again with low sugar and rich protein foods that keep you active throughout the match.
Always keep a water bottle full.
Similarly, prepare reusable water bottles to avoid dehydration and some snacks for some mental toughness and extra energy. Just 5% dehydration can lead to a loss of physical capacity of 30%!
Relax and Avoid Negative Distractions
Music. If several hours are left just before the match, make sure you go for the excellent breakfast again with low sugar and rich protein foods that keep you active throughout the match.Many top athletes use a motivational music list just before the competition. This gives a player positive energy and is mentally already 1-0 ahead.
Avoid Negative Distractions. Similarly, prepare reusable water bottles to avoid dehydration and some snacks for some mental toughness and extra energy. Just 5% dehydration can lead to a loss of physical capacity of 30%! It is important to stay away from negative distractions, especially in the last hours before the game. This way all focus remains on the match and the player will perform the best.
Get Ready for Kickoff
Take time to warm up or get in a light workout.
Whether you are jogging or doing some weight lifting, you must warm up yourself so that your muscles can take enough load for an all-day game and focus on the game entirely. Don't let the opponents steal the ball from you. Just focus on what you have practiced and learned before the match.
Finally, the most important thing is to have fun! It’s normal to forget why you’re doing this in the first place so remember to have fun and enjoy the experience.