Soccer Warm-Up Exercises · Soccer Warm-Up Exercises For all warm-up exercises continue for 20 metres then jog back to the starting line. 104-3551 Blanshard St., Victoria, BC …

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1. Jogging

Purpose:prepares the athlete for activity by engaging musculoskeletal system and increasing blood flow

Instruction: • Jog forward at a comfortable pace• Focus on proper biomechanics of hip/knee/ankle in

a straight line, keeping the knees from falling inward toward the opposite knee

2. Backward Jogging

Purpose:prepares the athlete for activity by engaging musculoskeletal system and increasing blood flow

Instruction: • Jog backwards at a comfortable pace• Focus on proper biomechanics of hip/knee/ankle• Push off backward with force and use arms for balance

and power

Soccer Warm-Up Exercises

For all warm-up exercises continue for 20 metres then jog back to the starting line.


3. Side-to-Side: Left & Right Direction

Instruction: • Start with feet close

together, forearms in “X” across front of chest, with knees slightly bent in low ready position

• Stride out sideways to Left with Left leg and plant your Left leg and push off with power to get up high as you continue sideways, opening arms up and out with palms facing forward at end

• Bring arms and legs together at the same time

• Repeat for opposite direction, initiating stride out with Right leg

4. Carioca: Left & Right Direction

Instruction: • Facing sideways to the direction you will travel, swivel

your hips to alternate crossing-over your Right foot in front and in behind as you move toward the Left

• The focus is on having fast feet throughout foot transi-tions

• Repeat exercise, this time starting toward the Right direction

5. Skipping: Single & Double

Instruction: • For single arm start by pushing off with one leg, bring-

ing the same arm and opposite leg forward and upward quickly with force.

• Land on same leg with a quick step to transfer weight to alternate leg and continue.

• For double arm do the same leg movement, bringing both arms out in the direction of the high knee (alternat-ing)

6. Gate: Open & Closed

Instruction: • Stand on one leg and swing the opposite bent knee high

up in front, then out to the side in a circular arc, balanc-ing your body by turning to that side (open gate).

• Return to facing forward and starting with the raised leg take three steps forward

• Repeat with the opposite leg• For closed gate complete the same exercise, swinging

the bent leg in an arc up from the side and inwards to-wards the midline


7. Bunny Hops

Instruction: • With legs shoulder width apart and using arm swing to

generate power, bend hips and knees to jump forward from two feet

• Land on both heels, keeping toes pointed upward at all times and continue forward immediately with next jumps, focusing on soft landings

8. Zig-Zags: Forward & Backward

Instruction: • Push off from Left foot and run three steps diagonally

towards the Right (forwards)• Quickly change direction by pushing off Right foot to run

three steps towards the Left and continue alternating directions

• For backwards zig-zags complete the same steps facing backward to the direction you will travel

9. Double-Leg Jumps Forward

Instruction: • With legs shoulder width apart and using arm swing to

generate power, bend hips and knees and jump forward from two feet, landing on both feet.

• Focus on absorbing and sticking the landing with arms out in front and an obvious pause to show balance

10. Ski Jumps

Instruction: • With feet pointing forward and close together, jump

from two feet diagonally to the Right, landing on both feet with bent hips and knees to absorb the landing

• Immediately spring diagonally to the Left and continue alternating directions

14. Lunge with Twist

Instruction: • Step forward with Right leg dropping down into a deep

lunge squat with Right thigh parallel to ground and Left knee off the ground, holding arms out to the side paral-lel to the ground, elbows bent at 90° with palms facing forward

• Rotate your torso to the Right and then to the Left while holding the lunge position

• Continue exercise with the opposite leg, alternating legs

13. Lunges



• Feel muscle effort in Right thigh, and hip flexor stretch on Left

• Continue the exercise with opposite leg, alternating legs

11. Single-Leg Jumps

Instruction: • Jump forward from one foot to the other in powerful

bounding jumps• Focus on absorbing the landing and springing off with

power

12. Jumping Header

Instruction: • Start with three steps forward to build momentum and

with feet together, jump high in the air and pretend to head the ball

• Turn 90° to the Left in the air to land with Right shoulder leading down-field, absorbing and sticking the landing

• Repeat 5 times, then begin exercise again turning to the Right with Left shoulder leading down-field on landing



16. Long Stride Running

Instruction: • Run forward with long bounding strides using arms to

create momentum• Focus on absorbing each landing and propelling forward

with power

17. Long Leg Running with Straight Legs

Instruction: • Run forward, keeping both legs completely straight• Land of ball of foot and quickly push off to alternate

other leg forward• Use active arms to maintain fast movements and speed

18. Supermans: Same Side & Opposite

Instruction: • Stand on Left leg with slight bend at knee• Bend forward at waist while bringing Right arm up

pointing forward and Right leg up pointing backward in a straight horizontal line (same side)

• Balance and hold for 2 seconds, then alternate, repeat 5 times for each leg

• To perform exercise with opposite sides bend forward with the Left arm pointing forward and the Right leg pointing backward

15. Lunge with Jump & Switch-Foot Landing



• Quickly propel yourself up and forward, switching feet while in the air to land with Left leg forward down in a deep lunge and continue alternating legs


19. Picking Up Grass

Instruction: • Step forward with normal walking stride onto Right foot• Bend both knees, turn slightly to the Right and reach

down as if picking up grass on the outside of your Right foot

• Repeat with Left foot, alternating legs

20. Brushing Grass

Instruction: • Keeping your Right leg straight, step forward onto your

Right heel• Bending Left knee, reach down on either side of straight

Right leg and lightly brush hands across the top of grass behind your Right foot

• Alternate legs by stepping forward onto straight Left leg and repeating for that side

Documents

Soccer Warm-Up Exercises · Soccer Warm-Up Exercises For all warm-up exercises continue for 20 metres then jog back to the starting line. 104-3551 Blanshard St., Victoria, BC …