The Warm Up

Introduction

For a soccer player of any age the warm-up is vitally important in helping reduce the risk of injury and
preparing the body for exercise, but for the coach it is arguably the most important part of the session.
The warm-up is the first thing that happens in a session and sets the tone for the rest of the practice. As
coaches we must inspire the players from the first moment they arrive at the match or training venue.
The environment must be friendly, fun, energizing and competitive.
This sounds much easier than it actually is and the majority of coaches are always looking for new ideas
and ways in which we can improve ourselves and our players and teams.
In this book I aim to provide you with many different types of warm-up practice that will improve your
players both physically and technically.
Younger players don’t necessarily need to perform all the stretching described here and you might just
give them a ball and let them play various small sided games and exercises.
But does this style of coaching for older players work?

Keep the players moving

No doubt you will spend a little more time developing older players physically but you must not lose sight
of the fact that the players come to the sessions in order to play soccer. In any training session, the
game of soccer is the best learner and the players must spend the majority of their time with the ball.
Try to limit the amount of talking you do as a coach. You may want to pull an individual out of the
practice and advise on technique. If it’s a group drill then use a quick “basketball-style” time out and
then let the players continue working. It’s important to keep the players moving at a good flow and
intensity during the warm-up phase.
I have included a wide range of different warm-ups in order to accommodate various numbers, age of
player, ability of player and levels of intensity. The coach must adapt the size of the area used and the
timing of the practices in order to suit their particular group.
In creating the sessions I have tried to transfer my thoughts to that of a young player and in order to improve
my players’ learning, enjoyment and ability I always make sure that the following statements are true:
• the session is fun
• the session is competitive
• the players have freedom to express their individual ability
• the players have choices in movement and technique
• the players have to think and solve problems
• the session is realistic and challenging
• the game is the leader, not the coach

THE WARM-UP
It is essential to begin every session with a warm-up as this prepares the body for the activity about to
be undertaken, as well as reducing the risk of muscle injuries.
The warm-up is not only about raising your heart rate and then stretching your muscles; it is also about
preparing your mind for the session or match. A good warm-up helps encourage a more professional
approach, builds team spirit and improves performance.
For many professional soccer players the warm-up is about getting a positive mental attitude for the
match by having some fun, building up energy and working on their technical skills.
Warm-ups can include work with or without a ball but in my view it should always include some ball
work. Players are happier when working with the ball and you can work on both physical and technical
aspects at the same time.
The warm-up should always start slowly and gradually build up in intensity.
The following can be used in a warm-up
• jogging and low intensity running
• static and dynamic stretching
• ball work, either individually or in groups
• short, high intensity running and changing of direction
The warm-up should always be designed to the specific needs of your individual players and team.

10 things to remember when warming up

1 Make it fun.
2 Make sure the players understand the reasons for warming up.
3 Make it relative to the theme/activity you are about to undertake.
4 You can work with or without the ball.
5 Start gently and then build up the intensity and heart rate.
6 Provide sufficient time for stretching and ensure that the technique is correct.
7 Provide adequate rest periods and ensure that water is available (taking on water is essential before,
during and after exercise).
8 Time management is important – don’t go on for too long.
9 Distances covered and size of area – make sure these are correct and not unrealistic.
10 Make allowances for the weather.