Dynamic Flexible Warmup For Soccer

It is commonly accepted that warm up activities in soccer are essential for minimizing injuries
and improving performance on the field. However, the typical warm up activities used by most
soccer coaches are not ideal for achieving these essential goals. This w
arm up usually includes
an initial jog around the soccer field, followed by 10-15 minutes of static stretching, and ending
with some skill activity before the training session or game. However, This method of preparing
a soccer player for a dynamic sport activity such as training or participating in a match appears
to have major physiological limitations

Physiological reasons for a warm up:

The main physiological reasons for a warm up are:

! To increase the core temperature at least one or two degrees Celsius
! To increase heart rate and blood flow to skeletal tissues which improves the efficiency of oxygen uptake and transport, carbon dioxide removal, and removal and breakdown of
anaerobic byproducts
! To increase the activation of the Central Nervous System (therefore increasing co-
ordination, skill accuracy and reaction time)
! To increase the rate and force of muscle contraction and contractile mechanical efficiency (through increased muscle temperature)
! To increase the suppleness of connective tissue (resulting in less inci
dence of musculotendonous injuries

The result of these physiological responses to warm up activities leads to an athlete=s increased
ability to perform physical work. This is very important for sports such as soccer which require
athletes to perform high intensity bouts of work such as jumping and sprinting. Additionally, the
improvement in the nervous system is especially helpful for soccer athletes who are also required
to perform high levels of complete body movement.