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They’re great for soccer. Especially when you’re not playing.

While they are not a soccer shoe, MBTs offer plenty of benefits for soccer players of all levels.
Worn in-between workouts or during routine training, MBTs can be particularly useful for soccer by improving endurance and enhancing muscular coordination and balance, which helps with ball handling and protection. And because they strengthen core muscles, they increase stability, which leads to better accuracy when shooting.

MBTs also help strengthen the lower extremity, which stabilizes and reduces the load on knee and ankle joints. This is especially good news for soccer players, as the frequent stop and go movements during a soccer game make them especially vulnerable to injuries related to those areas.

And since MBTs require a more upright movement pattern, just walking in them can lead to a stretching of the hip flexor muscle, reducing the risk they will be shortened. MBTs also enable an efficient stretching of the calf muscles thanks to the soft Masai Sensor which gives you a higher range of motion while stretching.

And for more serious athletes, the benefits only increase. A study from 2008 in cooperation with the junior football high school of SC Freiburg showed that movement and technique training in MBTs sharpened everything from running and jumping performance to agility and explosive power.

Freiburg Soccer High School, Germany

Performance optimization, as well as injury prevention and muscle regeneration, are top priorities for us. We use MBTs for soccer-specific jumping performance training and to improve aerobic endurance. This enables us to train our athletes at a high level and at the same time prevent injuries. We regularly use MBTs for post-game regeneration as well.

K. Neitzel, trainer, SC Freiburg II soccer team

Exercises

  • Slow Running
    Slow running in MBTs prevents injury by reducing stress on joints, can help stretch the hip flexor muscle and speeds recovery by increasing blood flow. With upright posture, take shorter strides than you normally would. Roll from the Masai Sensor through the balancing area to the forefoot. Variation: slow running with “exaggerated” pull-back motion can increase stretching of the hip flexor muscle.
  • Airplane
    Balancing exercises like this “airplane” pose strengthen the small muscles that support the knees and ankles. Start by standing on both feet and lean forward into airplane position. Stabilize body over balancing area of MBT. Hold this position, and then repeat on opposite side.
  • Bridge with Ball
    Stability is key to many actions common in football. The bridge with ball exercise increases core strength, which results in better agility and a stronger, more accurate shot. Squeeze ball between knees and pull bellybut­ton in toward spine. Stabilize the body over the balancing area. Lift pelvis until upper body and legs are in a straight line. Hold this position. Variation: Slowly move pelvis up and down.
  • Single Leg Bridge
    Stability is key to many actions common in football. The one-leg bridge exercise increases core strength, which results in better agility and a stronger, more accurate shot. Start in a bridge position. Straighten one leg so the bridge is held on other leg. On the standing leg, press into balancing area of MBT and hold this position. Roll forward to forefoot, and then back to the Masai Sensor. Variation: even more challenging with a ball under the standing leg.
  • Single Leg Forward Jump
    The ability to move rapidly is crucial in football. Wearing MBTs during exercises increases jump heights and explosive power and improves standing stability. In the squat, roll back and forward over the balancing area of MBT. Jump from forefoot position. Bend your knee of take-off leg while jumping and control landing on forefoot. Then stabilize body over balancing area of MBT.
  • Sparring
    This sparring exercise strengthens the small muscles that support the knees and ankles. Both people begin by standing on left leg over balancing area of MBT. Join right hands and try to unbalance partner. Repeat on opposite side.