Coaching Principles of the Warm-Up
The habit of warming up and cooling down, especially soccer specific exercises, should be a habit that is formed at the earliest stages of the player’s young life. Before every soccer game or practice, every player must perform warm-up activities that will physically and mentally prepare the body for very strenuous activities.
- Physical (physical motor)
- Psycho (psycho motor)
Both motors can be warmed-up at the same time. A warm-up for a soccer player is not a complicated routine and do not forget that some aspects of “fun” can get the job done.
The function of physical warm-up exercises is simply to elevate the muscle temperature and increase the blood flow. This improves the muscle contraction and reflex time, increase suppleness and helps prevent soreness. Muscle and joint injuries are less likely to occur if training is preceded by a warm-up period.
Like the warm up, their should also be a cool-down session. This period should consist of a light jog and stretching exercises to help remove the lactic acid from the muscles, thus reducing the muscle stiffness and fatigue.
The cool-down is a vital part of the young players training program, and although they may be still going through bone and muscle development, both warm-up and cool-down must be done, if for no other reason but habit forming.