Below is a list of important guidelines to bear in mind before commencing plyometrics for soccer:

• Warm up with 5-10 minutes of light aerobic activity followed by 5-10 minutes of stretching to all major muscle groups.
• It is recommended that coaches apply common sense to these exercises. For young players shorten the distances, the height of the obstacles, the number of repetitions and increase the rest periods.
• Perform plyometrics for soccer at the start of a training session before endurance training or lots of ball work. Muscles should be fresh.
• Plyometric training will not leave the players out of breath or even feeling particularly tired. There is often the often feel the urge for the players to do more. It is important that you stick to the training program to avoid injury and muscle soreness
• Exercises should be performed at a maximum intensity while maintaining high quality. For example, in jumping exercises, as the feet touch the ground the next action should be to explode upwards rapidly.
• Two minutes of rest between sets of exercises is normal. The objective is to improve power, not to become fatigued.
• One session a week is plenty during the season.
• If a player feels and muscle soreness, pull them out of the session immediately any muscle feels sore during a session, end it immediately.
• The plyometric exercises are very low impact and based upon soccer movements. The coach must use their common sense. It is important that to progress the player must develop a solid, well-balanced strength base. Plyometrics converts existing strength into power. The strength has to be there initially.

Backwards jumping and hopping