subject: Warm Up for Soccer - The Perfect Way [print this page] Warm Up for Soccer - The Perfect Way Warm Up for Soccer - The Perfect Way
Either if you are watching a professional, club, high school, club, or even recreational soccer, there is no coach that shares the same warm up with his/her opposition. Ironically, there is no one, patented routine to a warm up for soccer that only soccer managers can follow. However, football managers from all levels would agree that the proper warm up must prepare, protect, and energize its players for the upcoming game.
A warm up that spans from a half-hour to an hour should leave enough time for coaches to instruct their players on how he/she would like to see them play on the field. For example, most football managers will tell their players around the start of the game the starting lineup and what formation they will be playing in. After such announcements, soccer coaches will provide specific instruction to individual players. For example, a manager can say, "Johnny, as the central midfielder, I want you to look to play through balls behind the opposing full-backs so we can utilize are speed out wide." Another instruction can be, "Mike, as the forward, we need you to check back to the ball to offer an option for our defenders to alleviate pressure in the back." Ultimately, the warm up's preparation consists of basic, general team instruction followed up by more specific, individual instruction.
The next and perhaps even more significant than the preparation is the prevention against injuries. Even though the perfect warm up for soccer cannot completely protect a player from a devastating, career ending injury, most soccer managers should make injury prevention there number one goal in their team's warm up. With the injuries to superstars like Ballack, Drogba, Essien, and Ferdinand jeopardizing their respective chances in competing in 2010 Fifa World Cup, even the most notable players have trouble avoiding injury. The most basic part of a soccer warm up which is widely implemented by youth and professional football managers alike is dynamic stretching. Dynamic stretching involves moving parts of your body and gradually increasing reach, speed of movement, or both. More specifically, dynamic stretching consists of controlled leg and arm swings that take you to the limits of your range of motion. For example, high knees, butt kickers, side shuffles, and arm circles are all examples of dynamic stretching. You have probably heard of ballistic and static stretching before; avoid them at all costs. Ballistic stretching consists of using your bodyweight, by bouncing or jerking movements, to increase the stretch. On the other hand, static stretching is when you stretch your muscles without moving the limb or joint it. Overall, stretching is speed specific. This means that static stretching improves only static flexibility, while dynamic stretching improves dynamics flexibility. It only makes sense in an energetic sport like soccer to incorporate dynamic stretching before a game rather than static stretching.
The last part of a warm up for soccer should create excitement and anticipation for the upcoming match. To do this soccer coaches try to employ different ways to energize their players. One example can be a short, concise and fiery speech in a pre-game huddle just moments before the match begins. Another technique football managers should adopt is setting up a game of possession ten to fifteen minutes before the match begins. This game will allow players to get accustomed to the types of pressure they will be facing in the actual match.
In all, the most thriving warm ups in soccer will allow a team to get off to a quick start in the game.
