programs
 

team warmup

introduction

For details on how to warm up and why, look at the warmup page. There are many ways of warming a team up and most coaches have their favourites. I think it is good to use a routine that players get used to, not only does this mean that they get on with it quickly as they know what to do, but it helps to mentally prepare them for a session or match.

Rather than send players, especially young players off to jog around the pitch a couple of times, I prefer to get them moving and jogging over a small area where the coach can be closer to them and make sure they are listening and concentrating on the activity. Warming up is an important part of any session and should be carried out correctly. Once they are warm, they stretch and work a little harder in preperation for their match or training session.

One example is to use a section of a field marked out into two 20 metre lengths, this is used for older players (14+) and for younger players, or before a match, this area can be split into two 10 metre lengths.

For a training session, an example I use is the following, note there is no break between each jog through

  • jog throughs, 40m, come around outside of last cone and back, repeat 4 times
  • bum kicks 40m turn around and jog back, repeat twice
  • touching inside foot (keeping body upright so raising feet) 20m, jog 20m, turn around and jog back, repeat twice
  • touching outside foot (keeping body upright so raising feet) 20m, jog 20m, turn around and jog back, repeat twice
  • face in, side to side 20m, face out side to side 20m jog back, repeat twice
  • jog out, bending down to "pick up grass", left hand, right hand, both hands, turn around jog back, repeat twice
  • jog throughs, 40m, come around outside of last cone and back, repeat twice

    Once completed they will have covered 1280 metres. For matches or for shorter sessions, reduce the number of repitions of each section and also reduce the distances.