Gold level CoachUp soccer coach Mirko Trapletti is based out of Kansas City, Missouri, and offers a one of a kind perspective on strength and conditioning training. The process with which he helps athletes build strength on the field doesn’t involve much—if any—basic weight training, and there is nothing basic about the origins of his unique philosophy either.
Coach Mirko spent 16 years playing soccer in Italy and attained his undergraduate degree at university in his home country. For his Masters Degree of Exercise Science, he came to America. The combination of his European athletic experience and intercultural education led him to his position as the Strength and Conditioning Coach at Rockhurst University. It also helped him to develop his approach in implementing connotative training.
A simple breakdown of training with Coach Mirko
Where much of American based training begins with an athlete’s preexisting strength, Coach Mirko sees greater value in building strength specific to soccer motions—or connotative training. He helps athletes build that strength through four principals of training that go into each session.
- Mobility
- Plyometrics
- Agility
- Replication
Mobility training is the first step of warming up with Coach Mirko, and is focused heavily on soccer specific motions. Stretching the lower back and ankles is a focal point.
Plyometrics—such as jumping rope, box jumps, and directional bounces—play an extensive role in working with Coach Mirko. The strength and power that are built through repeated plyometric work is well researched, and is implemented into coach’s sessions mostly through his American influence and study. He believes that strengthening soccer specific motions to build speed and power on the field is essential to success.
Agility, explained by Coach Mirko as his scientific expertise, learned and practiced over years of playing soccer in Europe, is focused on helping players build instincts. By repeating motions commonly used in-game during practice, strength, consistency, and confidence shine through in competition. Building explosiveness within soccer specific moves gives players a step up against their opponents.
Replication, the final step in training with Coach Mirko, is simply applying all of the previous work to competition against another athlete. Directly applying the mobility, strength, and agility that were all individually practiced to a competition against another athlete is essential to translating coach’s workouts to the field.
More focus is placed on replicating competition as sessions progress with Coach Mirko, but building a strong base in each of his athlete’s core soccer strengths is paramount.
