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, this point is easily skipped by many coaches. The result is injuries to players while performing drills.
You will find some great tips on warming up your team before practice sessions. Teach the players to warm up by following those body movements that help all muscles to work 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: Have the players jog for about 5-7 minutes initially. It’s advisable to begin with a light jog and then move on to sprinting.
This must increase the pulse rate to at least 120 beats per minute. But, slow improvement is better. Then make them swing their legs forward cross-body for about 10 times each. Lastly, have them actively stretch their body over 20 yards.
Tip 2: Having said that, do remember that even this active stretching over 20 yards comes with some warm up drills of its own. Like the players can bounce backward and forward. You can also teach them cross stepping. They must also be taught high-knee carioca. These must be executed as if sprinting.
In soccer drills for kids, running towards the back is also a very useful warm up exercise. However the right way to do it is to kick up the heels to the butt. No doubt, it is a little difficult to practice it this way but there’s no other way of correctly doing it.
Tip 3: There are various other warm up drills in kids soccer drills that build up the energy for practice sessions. The players can be taught to hop with swings and loops. These give an added element to the skipping exercises. 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. Equally effective are high leg forwards and backwards.
Tip 4: Stretch adequately and complete it in the approved manner. For the legs, stretch hinging works the best. Ensure that every kid works out hamstring, quadriceps, groin and calf without exceptions. It is stretching that helps in increasing the range of muscles together with preventing any injury to the player.
It is also essential to note that in soccer drills for youth, kids abstain from overdoing anything. They have the tendency to get carried away in excitement and injure themselves as a result.
Now that you are armed with this information about kids soccer drills, ensure that kids do warm ups before performing the drills. There is a wealth of news and articles of similar nature on our youth soccer coaching community. 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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