pre game warmups competitive

[AABestor]

I was looking for some input for warm ups on game day. I've seen certain warm ups where the players run in short straight lines and then turn around and go back. I was wondering what this was all about?

[BigGuy]

Brazilian Warm up

Players form pairs and do a
warm-up run. They follow the lead pair (usually captains) in 2 lines.
The leaders initiate various activities that help prepare the team for play.
The distance covered can vary to fit your needs but it should be at least a
full lap around the outside of the pitch. For some reason an image of a
Brazilian team running on a beach comes to mind. Here is a list of those we have done that I can think of
at this time:
1. Jogging
2. High knees
3. Long stride (like a drum major leading a band on the field)
4. Backwards run (encourage long stride and arm action)
5. Skip (low and high)
6. Touch Ground (touch hand to ground to side as you are jogging)
7. Karaoke (sideways - trail foot alternates between steps in front and in
back of lead foot)
8. Shuffle (sideways, lower body, feet don't touch)
9. Hip Flexes (player lifts and moves knee so it does a big circle)
10. Hops
11. Sprint
12. Jump and simulate a header

It promotes team unity and
pride, can speak to your opponent about your team's organization and
commitment, actually warms up muscles, and helps players focus.

You want to look professional in the warm up.

[goyoureddevils]

It's actually about even more than looking professional, a proper warmup is essential for preparing the body of a young soccer player for the punishing workout that a soccer game can be. Google information about "Functional Dynamic Soccer Warmups". I have a book that is fantastic.... but I loaned it out and for the life of me can't remember the name!

A good friend of mine coaches the U14's at Preston North End, and sent me a copy of their SAQ warmup. These Speed, Agility, and Quickness movements have completely replaced the normal warmup runs and stretching that many top clubs are doing. Personally, I put my teams through about 10 minutes or less of these movements, then begin ball work. If you do them right, in the correct order, it warms and loosens the muscles up in the proper order, to the point that even older players (I coach two U23 mens teams as well), need only a minimum amount of stretching.

The other considerations, like looking professional, feeling like a team, and getting focused on the game, are just icing on the cake as far as I'm concerned. Important, but secondary to the needs of the indiviual kids to be prepared from head to toe to endure the hard physical cauldron of a game.

[ctsoccer13]

Ditto to everything "goyoureddevils" said. I attended a coaching clinic hosted by Tony Dicicio and Ray Reid about 4 years ago and the UCONN soccer fitness coach did a nice presentation on this and actually ran through their whole dynamic warmup. It is hard to get the players to sometimes accept it fully because they are so used to doing static stretching but eventually they understand. For youth teams you can add clapping or a chant and they'll get into it more.

[uniteo]

7. Karaoke (sideways - trail foot alternates between steps in front and in
back of lead foot)


or Carioca - we wouldn't want them breaking into song

[goyoureddevils]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I missed that!