| > | | | | Try this very simple exercise to test this theory: |
| | | | warm up for 30 minutes thoroughly, using a wide |
| Soccer warm up exercises are the most frequent in | | | | range of soccer warm up drills that work with your |
| pre match situations and training. there’s no | | | | entire body, not just your legs. After you’re |
| other type of exercise that a soccer player will | | | | done, do 5-10 sprints on the width of the soccer |
| spend more time with then with warm up. | | | | pitch and measure your heart rate and the general |
| Professional teams usually spend around 30 minutes | | | | difficulty of each sprint. |
| of their training sessions on a quality warm up, | | | | Now, come back in another day, do a couple of |
| because this has three major effects on players, | | | | stretching exercises so you don’t develop any |
| effects that we will discuss in the following | | | | injuries and simply start sprinting (the same number |
| paragraphs. | | | | of sprints as the day before), without getting a |
| -Soccer Pre game Warm up — Avoiding | | | | proper warm up beforehand. You will notice that you |
| Injuries | | | | will have harder time breathing throughout and |
| Our muscles and tendons can easily cause problems if | | | | between the sprints, they will be harder to perform |
| they are used at their fullest without a proper series | | | | and at the end, your heart rate will be much higher |
| of soccer warm up drills. The muscles work on the | | | | than yesterday, meaning that your body had a |
| same principle as an elastic string would. Pull it slowly | | | | harder time adjusting to the high level of effort. |
| and the elastic will be able to stretch without | | | | -The Importance of Soccer Pre game Warm up |
| problems, but if you pull it in one quick motion, | | | | — Concentration |
| there’s a risk it might snap. Ok, your muscles | | | | This is strictly related to the other two benefits of a |
| won’t just snap if you use them | | | | quality warm up. Knowing that you’re fully |
| intensely without the proper warm up, but | | | | prepared for the match/training session and that |
| there’s a good chance you might strain them | | | | there’s no risk of injury, you will be a lot more |
| or develop other injuries. | | | | focused on the game and on doing your job right. |
| That’s why a good part of soccer warm up | | | | Soccer warm up exercises will also get your body |
| drills includes stretching exercises, which slowly get | | | | ready for the effort as I explained above and this |
| your muscles used to the effort. | | | | has a positive effect on concentration. When |
| -The Importance of Soccer Pre game Warm up | | | | you’re not focusing on having to breathe right |
| — Higher Performance | | | | or stopping to catch your breath, you can, again, |
| It’s not called warming up for nothing: when | | | | concentrate on your job. |
| performing these exercises, you actually warm your | | | | These should be enough reasons to convince you of |
| muscles and entire body, allowing it to be ready for | | | | the importance of soccer warm up exercises. If |
| effort. By performing soccer pre game warm up | | | | you’re a player that wants to give his or her |
| exercises, you set your muscles, heart rate and | | | | best on the soccer pitch, your first concern will be |
| breathing to the same levels you will be using in the | | | | giving your best in the soccer pre game warm up |
| match, so you can easily accommodate to the | | | | drills. |
| variables that the match brings. | | | | |