March 11, 2010
Kids Soccer Drills: Tips On Warming Up
It’s sad to know that people fail to appreciate the importance of warming up in kids soccer drills. Being a coach, I’d let it be known that warming up is not only compulsory but is even critical to begin the day’s play at a brighter and healthier note. In youth soccer drills, coaches fail to take this aspect into consideration. The result is injuries to players while performing drills.
In this article, you’ll find some useful tips on warming up the players. Train the team to use the body movements in a way that all the muscles get worked up. This is the correct method of stirring up all the body parts. Rigorous sessions can result in stiffness and cramping of the muscles.
Tip 1: This requires the players to do an easy 5-7 minutes jog. It is advocated that players begin printing only after a light jogging.
This must increase the pulse rate to at least 120 beats per minute. Still, measured growth is preferred. This should be followed by players moving their legs backward and forward for approximately 10 minutes each. Finally, over 20 yards, make them stretch actively.
Tip 2: When we talk about this active stretching over 20 yards, a few warm up exercises of its own must go along with it. For instance, the players should practice hopping forward and backward. The players can also be taught cross stepping. Also teach them high-knee carioca. These can be implemented just like sprinting.
In soccer drills for kids, an extremely helpful warm up drill is backward running. Still, in order to perform it, the proper way to do it is to jerk up the heels to the butt. It’s actually tough to practice it like this but there’s no choice as it’s the single most and right way of doing it.
Tip 3: In kids soccer drills, there are many other warming up exercises that increase the stamina to perform in the practice sessions. You can make the players skip with loops or swings. The skipping exercises get an additional length form these. You can also make them cross-over skip. Although a little advanced, Quick Hip Swings is also a very effective and tested method that warms up the body a great deal.
Then you can tell your players to do long shuffles with rotations in the middle. The players should be made to practice moving their legs backward and forward. This is a highly effective and useful body toning activity. In the same way, high leg forwards and backwards is also very effective.
Tip 4: Stretch adequately and complete it in the approved manner. The legs benefit the most out of stretch hinge. Ensure that every kid works out hamstring, quadriceps, groin and calf without exceptions. The players not only avoid injuries but also get to increase their muscle range by stretching.
Also ensure that in soccer drills for youth, kids are discouraged from overdoing anything. The kids get carried over in excitement and end up injuring themselves for no reason due to this.
In kids soccer drills, it’s for you now to make sure that kids do the warm up exercises before practice sessions as you’ve got all the knowledge on this. Our youth soccer coaching community is the place where you’ll many related news and articles. Register now to enjoy the benefits.
Andre Botelho is known online as "The Expert Youth Soccer Coach" and his free ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Learn how to skyrocket your players' skills and make practice sessions fun in record time. Download your free ebook at: Youth Soccer Drills.
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