At IFAST, we’re serious about helping soccer players succeed.

Our programs have worked for athletes of all shapes and sizes – from the middle- or high-school age player who wants to make the team, to MLS All-Stars and US National team members.

But if you’ve never heard about IFAST, or you don’t know anything about our programs, let me tell you a little bit about our philosophy when it comes to training soccer players!

#1 – Fun Comes First

While it may sound silly, fun absolutely MUST be a part of the training process. One of the biggest issues we see nowadays is burnout. Imagine a typical Monday for your child… They go to school all day, head to a grueling 2+ hour practice, and when they finally get home for the evening they have to shovel down their dinner so they have time to do their homework.

As a result they go to bed too late, get up too early, and then have to repeat the cycle for four more days that week! The routine alone can get boring – but when coupled with the demands of sports, things can get overwhelming fast. That’s why having fun is such a big part of our program.

Sure we want little Johnny to be faster to the ball, or to have the ability to hold that defender of a second longer, but the process of training has to be fun. Otherwise, it simply becomes another thing they “have to” do on a regular basis.

#2 – Movement Comes Second

While movement training may not sound exciting, let me explain why it’s so important for your child. Over the past year, I’ve consulted with at least 20 parents of high-school age kids who are coming off serious injuries.

• • ACL tears
  • Fractured backs
  • And everything in between

Which reminds me of a famous saying in sports: The most important ability is availability. I can personally attest to this. I’ve worked with budding high school stars up to professional athletes like the Indy Eleven, and I can tell you that if you aren’t healthy, you won’t get better. Period.

So it may come as a shock when a parent drops their child off to train with us and we aren’t killing them their first session in the gym. That’s because every child is different, and we need to make sure that they move well first.

You have to build a movement base before you can start layering in advanced techniques like speed, strength and power.

Now that doesn’t mean we’re going to lie around and do breathing exercises or mobility drills for an hour. That’s not what our training is all about. But our approach is a holistic one – we want your young athlete to move well first and foremost.

To understand what a good squat, lunge or push-up feels like. To understand not only how to be fast, but how to control their speed and their cuts as well. If we build this base early-on, we can not only help them stay healthy in the short-term, but give them a movement base that they’ll be able to use for the rest of their life as well.

#3 – Training Goes Third

When it comes to sport-specific training, soccer is a unique sport. There are certain demands on the athlete – from the changes of direction, to the distance of the runs, to the conditioning – that make it unique.

But to build a better soccer player, we need to build a better athlete first.

Have you (or someone you know) ever said something like this: “That kid’s just a great athlete.” That’s what we want people to say about your kid. That they’re fast, explosive, strong, and well conditioned. But it starts with building a general athletic base first.

Squatting, lunging, push-ups, chin-ups – they don’t look sexy, but when done well, they can build a significant strength base. And while other trainers might use 695 different speed drills that make for a good highlight reel on Instagram, we know the difference between what looks cool and what actually works.

That’s why we use a blend of speed exercises and games to help your athlete build the speed they need to be successful on the pitch. At the end of the day our program may not look like the coolest thing since sliced bread, but it’s brutally effective in the results it delivers.

Summary

So that’s a little bit about our philosophy here at IFAST.

If you want a bunch of smoke and mirrors speed training, if you want brutal, grind-it-out and beat ‘em down training sessions, or if you don’t understand that training is a process, then we’re not the people for you.

But if you can get behind the fact that kids needs to have fun, that they need to move well, and that smart training will impact them both now as well as in the future, then I think we have something to offer you.

Whether it’s our athletic development classes for kids age 10-13, or our semi-private training for the more serious high-school, collegiate or professional athlete, give us a buzz at 317.399.7914 or email us at indyfast@gmail.com so we can tell you a little bit more about our programs!

All the best,

MR

P.S. – If you’re interested in helping your child get faster, stronger or more athletic this off-season we’re hosting an Off-Season Training Seminar at Sogility on Wednesday, October 23rd at 7:30 pm.

If you’d like to learn more about our systems, or how we can help YOUR child this off-season, we’d love to see you there.

Click HERE to Learn More about the Soccer Off-Season Training Seminar!