How To Do A Proper Youth Soccer Warm-Up

How to Do a Proper Youth Soccer Warm-Up

A proper soccer warm-up helps the mind, as well as the body, perform at its best. It also lessens the risk of injury. Educate child about a proper warm-up is one of the most important aspects of sports and exercise. Warming up as the term implies, does mean, warming the body in preparation for physical activity. Muscles and joints will perform better when warm and you will be less susceptible to injury. Very young players (U6 to U10) do not have to warm up in the traditional sense.

Warming up doesn't just mean stretching. Stretching should be part of the warm up and then followed by a gentle activity that actually warms the body up. There have been various studies and research on the benefits of stretching and whether or not it has any benefit in helping to reduce injuries. The general consensus however, is that it has some benefit and the whole process of warming the body up and stretching does not only have physical benefits but it also has some mental benefits in helping the individual prepare mentally for the game or activity ahead. Youth soccer stretches improve flexibility, reduce the risk of injury and can improve agility and speed.

Take your time. A proper soccer warm-up takes about 10 minutes for younger children and 10 to 15 minutes for older children. Jog with the ball (dribble) or do other brief soccer activity to get the muscles warm. Keep it brief. The state-of- the-art technique entails stretching for a short time - about 3 to 8 seconds. Stretch to the point of feeling a stretch, not to the point of pain. Make it steady. Never bounce when you stretch. Be gradual. Increase the stretch with each repetition. Use proper form at all times to get the maximum benefits from the stretch. Remember the cool down. Stretches should be done after playing as well as before.

Make Stretching creative.

Use the Ball during stretching exercises.

 Place ball on ground, roll ball with fingers in a circle around feet. Add moving the ball in a figure 8 around feet by moving ball with fingers between legs.

 In player pairs, pass ball standing back to back over head to partner Add passing ball over head to partner thru legs and back over head. Increase speed of passing.

 In player pairs, pass ball standing back to back this time side to side again work to increase speed and also reverse direction.  In player pairs, standing back to back position place a ball between the backs and have partner work together to try to sit down while keeping the ball between partners’ backs.

 In player pairs, standing face to face position place a ball between players’ foreheads and try to get down as a pair on all fours.

 Have players place the ball on the ground and hop over the ball front to back and then side to side.

 Have players sit on the ground placing their ball between their feet and do leg lifts, then sit ups. Add change position of the ball to knees’ and do leg lifts and sit ups. Add player holding ball on chest and do crunches with the ball touching the knees.

General age group guidelines

For six and eight year olds: Warm up should be fun – light activities like tag or knockout. Get a ball to each player as soon as possible.

Stretching is not important at this age in the traditional sense. It can establish a health habit by introducing something for the future, it can increase the development of balance and coordination “for some body parts”, but no formal stretching. Above listed format works well for youth players.

Cooling down is important – this brings kids down from their ‘heightened state’ and gives everyone a chance to help collect gear, review and talk – parents are more likely to listen now. A good time for a little ‘parent education’ by the coach. The cooling down period is also a time to give homework.

For ten year olds: With slightly older kids the warm up sets the tone and pace of training; mental challenges can be introduced too.

Starting in pairs is a good idea for kids at this age – for balance, teamwork and communication. The players ‘start as a team’.

Coaches can bring brief, simple coaching points into warm up; the implicit message is that this is a learning environment, an instructional activity – as well as pure fun.

Playing various forms of keep away in the beginning of practice is a good, consistent way to begin. It puts together the four elements of soccer right away.

For thirteen year olds: Warm up is very important now to set tone, rhythm and climate at training sessions.

Coaches should pay close attention to body language, attitude, alertness, posture, getting the heads up.

Fun is still really important, but coaches can adopt an instructional approach from the beginning: Coerver stuff, easy tactical ideas (like body shape, footwork, changes of direction), isolated technical activities or keep away. As an example of a way to put together the technical and tactical early on, here in the warm up – play keep away with the constant reminder: don’t stop the ball.

This is now physical and mental preparation.

These are adolescents, growing fast, with changing bodies, so stretching is important. Rhythmic, integrated stretching is good – interjected into warm up activities – individually or in pairs, as opposed to bringing everyone together or getting into a circle, etc. Stretching is quiet time, no group chants or anything like that.

Cooling down for these players is easy movements and light running, some talk, and more stretching. At the very end it could be lying down, breathing deeply, relaxing – that’s also time for the coach, with a lowered voice, to ask about injuries, talk tactics, give homework, and reflect on the training session.

This cooling down period is also time to reinforce habits such as drinking plenty of water. The players should be encouraged to drink water before, during and after training sessions, so while they are cooling down they should be replenishing water.

Cooling down is short; review, look ahead, praise them, go home

For Older Player U13 and Above When stretching, teach the proper names of the muscles, such as hamstrings, quadriceps and so forth.

Get the blood flowing. Jog with the ball (dribble) or do other brief soccer activity to get the muscles warm. Keep it brief. The state-of-the-art technique entails stretching for a short time - about 3 to 8 seconds. Stretch to the point of feeling a stretch, not to the point of pain. Make it steady. Never bounce when you stretch. Be gradual. Increase the stretch with each repetition. Use proper form at all times to get the maximum benefits from the stretch. Remember the cool down. Stretches should be done after playing as well as before. Stretching is most efficient when the muscles are warm after playing. Stretch your calf muscle by placing your hands down (like a sprinter on the "set" command) and keeping your heel on the ground. You can also do this stretch by leaning against a wall or tree.

Keeping the above position, slightly bend the knee, which moves the stretch down to the lower calf.

Stretch the hamstring muscle (back of the leg) by lying flat on your back and pulling one leg at a time gently toward your head.

Stretch the quadriceps muscle (front of the thigh) by lying on your side and pulling the foot toward the buttocks.

Stretch the groin area by sitting, putting the soles of your shoes together and pushing down on your knees with your elbows.

Stretch the lower back by lying facedown on the ground, with your hands to each side and palms down (like a pushup position), and slowly pushing down on your hands to raise the top half of the body.

Add other stretches, including those for the upper body, as desired.

Key areas to stretch:  calf  hamstrings  thighs  groin  hips  lower back  shoulders  neck

Other considerations:

Consider the conditions. A warm-up may be shorter during hot weather or on soccer tournament days, which include numerous games.

Incorporate all soccer skills. In addition to stretching, a warm-up should be soccer-specific and should duplicate aspects of the game, such as dribbling, passing and shooting.

Make sure goalkeepers have their own warm-up. It should incorporate all the skills of that position.

Keep warmed up. Do not let the body go cold after the warm-up. Players should be urged to keep moving (for instance, by stretching in place) during the frequent breaks in play. Wear proper clothing. Players should have layers that they can easily shed or put on.

Take it easy. Do not use too much energy during a warm-up, or allow players to compete with one another.