Warm-ups and cool-downs
Warm-ups and cool-downs are one of the most important aspects of your training and match day routines. It’s vital that your players warm-up and cool-down properly in order to maximise their performance and reduce the risk of injury. We tell you how and why warm-ups and cool-downs work and we suggest some activities that you might try with your team.
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A great warm-up for young players
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One minute to get a ball and dribble back - then steal from the others.
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Warm up with a triangle test
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Whether your team is about to start training or preparing for a match, you can quickly set this up while you are putting up the nets or sorting out the team. It's a good one for away matches because you only need cones and balls.
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Football warm up to perfect passing skills
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A great warm up for training sessions to help passing and shooting technique.
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The man in the middle- a warm-up circle
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One way of getting your players into the right frame of mind for a match is to use good warm-ups. If you are all in a big circle you can talk to them and remind them about their responsibilties towards the team, the opposition and the officials.
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Using a warm up to get your players focused - attackers versus defenders
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This is a great warm-up you can employ during a session to get your players' minds back in focus. After the two games above they will need a bit of fun to get them back into coaching mode. This warm-up is a skills game with a competitive angle but one that is fun to play.