I often see confusion on the faces of the athletes I train when I tell them we are done warming up. Most are uneasy about a warm up routine that includes very little stretching.

There are numerous schools of thought when it comes to the best way to warm up an athlete. The various scenarios can be quite confusing to the parents of youth athletes. For example, The National Strength and Conditioning Association states the following on the subject, “Stretching is commonly credited with the prevention of injuries. Although not strongly supported by research, there is some evidence that stretching may aid in the prevention of injuries.” Whether or not one believes in the importance of stretching, one thing is certain: an athlete’s muscles need to be stimulated prior to activity through a warm up.

Properly warming up can reduce the number of muscles that may become injured or strained during activity. In addition, a proper warm up will improve overall performance. Yet, the majority of athletes, both amateur and professional, are not aware of the proper ways to warm up prior to practice or a game.
For young athletes, a good warm up can increase range of motion and help prevent injuries. During a warm up, elasticity and relaxation of muscles increases. A good coach or parent should convey its importance. “A trained soccer coach will know that the groin strains suffered by many young soccer players can be avoided through simple exercises for the groin area,” says Dr. Lyle Micheli, professor of orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School and one of the leading authorities on sports care. “Gymnastics coaches are aware that the incidence of back injuries can be reduced by stretching out the back muscles. Of course, this once again reinforces the need for trained coaches”.

There are three components to a proper warm up:

1- General movement: Increases blood flow and total body temperature.

2- Dynamic Stretching: Increases flexibility and elasticity of the muscles, improving the body’s ability to produce force.

3- Sports Specific Movements: Gets a child’s body and mind specifically ready for sport, a critical component for practice or competition.

The warm up I have followed during the past decade embraces the aforementioned three components. I also have athletes perform various exercises or a different routine on a daily basis. I refer to it as the PlayFast “A” warm up. The goal is to constantly keep moving. To begin, set up two cones, or use the painted lines on a field should you have access. The first cone should represent your starting point and the second cone should be placed 30 yards away. Perform the following exercises continually, down and back. Now enjoy the video highlighting our warm-up drills.