Why Warming-up is Important
Warming up is essential when preparing for both practices and matches. A good warmup is important because it helps improve performance. The danger of skipping a warm-up increases the likelihood of athletes getting sidelined for varying time periods. Tricitymed reports that “Over 30% of injuries seen by sports medicine clinics are skeletal muscle injuries — which can be easily prevented by warming up and stretching”. Starting a workout with a warm-up also puts unnecessary pressure on your heart.
Benefits of a Good Warm-up:
- Reduce the risk of injury
- Increase flexibility
- Improve performance
- Improved focus and confidence
- Activation of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems
How to Structure a Warm-up
It takes 3 phases to complete a well-structured warm-up. The first part of the warm-up should be a low-intensity aerobic exercise. Athletes should follow this up with some stretching. Doing a sports-specific exercise should be the final state of your warm-up routine. Not going through all 3 stages doesn’t count as a proper warm-up routine.
The Warm-Up
Phase 1 – Low-Intensity Aerobic Exercise
The goal in this phase of the warm-up is to increase your heart rate and raise the temperature of your body. Professional teams start with a light jog around the field. Start by running 1-mile (4 laps) around a soccer standard soccer field at a slow pace. The alternative is to map out a short distance of 68 meters (74 yds) and then jog back and forth for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Phase 2 – Dynamic Stretching
In phase 2 of the warm-up, athletes should incorporate dynamic stretches; these functional movements allow the joints and muscles to go through a full range of motion. At this point, the body isn’t warm yet so the stretches aren’t held for long time periods as you would during static stretches.
Dynamic stretches List:
- Lunges with a torso twist
- Hamstring stretch - Walk forward and stop after every step with one leg ahead of the other. Lift your foot while keeping your heel on the ground and point your toes upward
- Quadricep Pull - Walk forward and after every step lift your knee to chest
Phase 3 – Sports-Specific Movements
The final phase of your warm-up will include sports-specific movements. This will get your body ready for all the twists and turns that happen during a soccer match.
Before starting any training plan you should consult your doctor. Use our resources to guide your development. street footie is not responsible for any injuries or harm that may occur during the program. After your undergoing a physical check-up make sure to track changes as you work your way through the process.
