Sport-Specific Warm Up Sample
Many of you have been involved in an individual or team sport/activity at some point in your life and have likely been exposed to a sport specific warm-up routine to help prepare your body for activity. The principles of the warm-up are the same in trying to gradually raise the heart rate, blood flow, muscle temperature, and range of motion. In addition to this however, many sport specific warm-ups add components that rehearse skills used in game situations or the specific activity upcoming. Here is an example of a basic warm-up routine prior to a soccer game.
Name of Activity / Basic Description/Purpose/Focus / DurationLight Jogging / With your teammates lined up along the sideline of the field, jog lightly across the field at the same pace as others. / One trip across and back
Side Stepping / Same setup as previous but you will sidestep facing one of the nets. The idea is not to cross your legs on each step but rather to focus on the co-ordination of shuffling. This will be applicable to the movements used in jockeying a defender for example. On the way back across the field, face the same net so you will reproduce the same movement in the other direction. / One trip across and back
Up and Downs / Again a similar setup to the previous exercises, as you are jogging across at the same pace, a leader will call “Up!” in which you will attempt to jump in to the air to potentially head the ball. The leader may call “Down Right!” or “Down Left!” to signal you to touch the ground with the appropriate hand and return to jogging. / One trip across and back
Skip and Shake / Same setup, as a team, skip lightly across the field while trying to lightly shake out the arms and legs. This ballistic movement continues to warm up the body and loosen up all of the limbs / One trip across and back
Fartlech Runs / Same setup, as a team, start jogging across the field, a leader will call out a % such as 50% to indicate what percentage of speed to move at. They will vary this as you cross the field…such as 50%, 20%, 70%, 40%, etc. This speed is somewhat subjective but allows the body to prepare for changes of pace and bursts of speed. / One trip across and back
Keepaway / With a small group of players, cone off a grid perhaps 15yds by 15 yds. and play keepaway with a ball. It might be 3v1 or 4v2 or perhaps even numbers like 4 v 4. The idea is to keep possession of the ball away from the other team. If the ball travels out of the grid or is intercepted, the guilty parties go in to the middle / 5 -10 minutes
Major muscle group stretches / Sometimes this is led by someone or done individually. The purpose is to provide some static stretching of major muscle groups used in soccer such as the quads, hamstrings, groin, calves, and the back. Others could be used as well. Make sure if you have two sides, do them both. / Hold each for 15 sec or so
Group Juggling / With a small group of players perhaps 3-4 in a circle with one ball, try to keep the ball in the air as long as possible keeping it up by using legal methods in soccer…i.e. no arms / 4-5 minutes
General Warm Up Sample
In class, we usually stick a very simple cycle of movements that graduate in intensity from start to finish as we warm up increasing our heart rate, muscle temperature and range of movements. This is a very common type of warm-up that is used in many fitness programs. Here is an example of a general warmup.
Name of Activity / Basic Description/Purpose/Focus / DurationSpot Walk / Just walking on the spot. Very lightly with the feet just leaving the floor on each step / 10-15 sec
Spot March / Marching on the spot so the knees become parallel to the hips. There is no need to march quickly, just enough to have some dynamic movement and light stretching of the glutes and hamstrings. Warming up the body and getting blood flowing. / 15-20 sec
Wide Legs Spot March / Same idea as previous movement except that the knees are raised to the side of the body to hip height. This still loosens the glutes and hamstrings but also involves some leg abductors and adductors / 15-20 sec
Spot Jogging / Just lightly jogging on the spot so the pace is increasing gradually as we continue to raise the heart rate, increase blood flow, and warm muscle temperature. It is not hard running on the spot, just a nice jog. Some people may prefer to bounce a little like a boxer in a ring. / 15 sec
Knees Up Spot Jogging / Same idea as the spot march but the pace is increased and the knees do not need get as high as the march either. This is where you will likely start to notice that you are beginning to work a little harder / 15 sec
Knees Wide Spot Jogging / Again, this is similar to the Wide Legs Spot March. The pace is increased and the knees to not need to get as high. This basically does the same job as the previous exercise but in a different plane of movement and modifies muscle use. / 15 sec
Heels Up Spot Jogging / Another variety of jogging where the focus becomes the dynamic extension of the quadriceps and flexion of the hamstrings. Some people will try to flick their heels to the glutes or perhaps their hands placed behind them. By the end of this, your respiration and heart rate should be noticeably increased / 15 sec
Jumping Jacks / This is another basic aerobic activity that brings the arms into action as well as the legs. From the midline, the first phase of the jumping jack is to jump and spread the legs to just around or slightly beyond shoulder width while doing the same sort of movement with the arms abducted so the elbow reach shoulder height. The second phase of the jack on the second jump is to return all limbs to the midline.(adduction) Repeat. Again we are gradually building intensity in our movements. / 30 sec
Stride Jumps/Lunges / This movement involves a series of light jumping movements. The first phase is to split the legs from front to back while doing the same movement with the arms. The leading arm and leg will be on opposite sides. The second phase is to switch the lead arm and leg on the next jump. Some people may wish to return to neutral position in between. This exercise changes the movement focus to include the hip flexors and extensors as well as varying the shoulder movement. / 20 sec
Head Rolls / Taka a deep breath. Nod the head down and roll it to the right to side and hold on that side. (Do not roll back) Try to stretch your fingertips toward the floor and avoid shrugging the shoulders up. Hold for 5 seconds and roll to the front and over tot eh other side. Hold for 5 seconds. / Repeat about 3 times on each side.
Shoulder Rolls / With the arms at the side, try to roll the shoulders to the front, up, back, and down completing a circle. You can also reverse the direction of the circles. This does not need to be done quickly but rather focus on the dynamic stretching of the neck and shoulders. / 5 in one direction,
5 in the reverse direction
Palm to Palm - Front / Place both palms together in front of you and try to round the back/shoulders to the front. Some people will get a better stretch rotating the hands by crossing the arms in front and touching palm to palm. This will stretch some the major back muscles such as the rhomboids and trapezius / Hold for 15-20 sec
Palm to Palm - Back (Swimmer’s Stretch) / Same idea as the front except behind the back. You may want to clasp the hands together. Start at the height of your lower back and try to gradually push toward the floor. This will involve flexion of some of the upper back muscles and gradual stretching of the deltoids and pectoralis muscles. Can try to bring your shoulder blades as close together as possible / Hold for 15-20 sec.
Chest Expansions / Legs a little beyond shoulder width. Abduct your arms at elevate the fingers to the ceiling reaching as high as you can. Breathe in on the way up and hold for a second or two. Breathe out on the way back down as you bring your arms down, elbows bent and palms forward. Pretend the back of your hands are running down a wall behind you. This movement will provide dynamic stretching of the lattisimus dorsi as the pectoralis muscles / Repeat cycle 3-4 times.
Various Ballistic/Dynamic Stretching / Just bouncing lightly on your feet from side to side. Shake your arms out a little like a boxer going to the ring. Perhaps you swing your arms across your body and to the sides kind of like giving yourself hugs alternating top and bottom arms. Give your legs a little shake. Just generally getting a little more loose / 30 sec
Hanging Hamstring Stretch / Feet spread a little beyond shoulder width. Reach with both arms up to the ceiling. While exhaling, gently lower the body forward bending at the hips until your head is hanging down between the legs. Try to keep the legs straight and feel a good stretch of the hamstrings and perhaps groin muscles. / Hold for 15-20 sec
Runner’s stretch / Turn the body one side and turn the feet, lunging forward on one leg so the knee forms a 90 degree angle over the foot. Do not go any lower than this. Try to push the heel of the back leg out. Should feel a food stretch in the upper hamstrings and glutes of the lead leg and the hamstrings/calves of the trailing leg. / Hold 15-20 sec on each side.
Quadriceps Stretch / Can be done lying on your side or perhaps standing up with good balance. Grab the ankle of one leg flexing the knee. Try to keep your knees on the same plane and gradually pull the ankle toward the butt. This will provide a good static stretch for the quads / Hold for 15-20 sec on each side
Assignment
1) You are to design a detailed warm-up routine that demonstrates your understanding of the purposes of an effective warm-up. This warm-up routine can be a general warm-up or a sport-specific warm-up that you have used in the past or one that is newly created by you.
2) This should be presented in a neat and appropriate manner. My suggestion would be to have it type-written in a similar format to the ones presented in class. If you choose to complete it hand-written, please be sure to make it neat, and organized.
3) Each activity should be explained as to it purpose in the warm up and in enough detail for an inexperienced person to understand the general ideas of each movement or activity. This can be difficult to do. Feel free to add pictures or diagrams if necessary if they will help give understanding. (Type of Activity, Description, Duration, etc.)
4) Good luck and please ask for assistance if you need it. This assignment is due two weeks from the day that it is assigned.
Evaluation RubricCategory / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Understanding / Does not demonstrate an understanding of the principles and purpose of warming up prior to activity in their warm-up routine assignment. / Demonstrates little understanding of the principles and purpose of warming up prior to activity in their warm-up routine. / Demonstrates a basic understanding of the principles and purpose of warming up prior to activity in their warm-up routine / Demonstrates thorough understanding of the principles and purpose of warming up prior to activity in their warm-up routine
Presentation / Assignment lacks effort in presentation for others. There are multiple errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation. / Assignment is minimally acceptable in terms of organization and presentation. There may be multiple errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation. / A generally organized assignment. There may be a few minor errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation. / An organized and neatly prepared assignment. No significant errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation.
Clarity of Information / Some activities are named and explained. Descriptions are missing or lack clear information for the reader to be very helpful. / Most activities are named and an explanation is attempted. Descriptions lack clarity and detail. / Activities are named and explained for the reader. Pictures and diagrams may be attempted. Some descriptions may not be clear. / Activities are named and explained in clear detail for the reader. Accurate diagrams or pictures may be included.