The Warm Up: Part 3
With any luck you have been following the previous two parts to this series. (Read Part 1 & Part 2). We have covered the benefits of the warm up and outlined how to build your own effective warm up.
"But you said that younger players don't need to warm up before activity?"
No, we said they didn't need to perform specific stretching/activation exercises. In the third, and final part of this warm up series we are going to give you some examples of warm up games that you can implement with younger age groups. On the up side, these games also work with older age groups! The great thing about these games is that they are fun. They are not coached which provides the players much needed free play before training. But, there are several benefits hidden within them that make these games invaluable to any coaches tool box.
"But you said that younger players don't need to warm up before activity?"
No, we said they didn't need to perform specific stretching/activation exercises. In the third, and final part of this warm up series we are going to give you some examples of warm up games that you can implement with younger age groups. On the up side, these games also work with older age groups! The great thing about these games is that they are fun. They are not coached which provides the players much needed free play before training. But, there are several benefits hidden within them that make these games invaluable to any coaches tool box.
Foxes and Chickens
Also known as steal the bibs. Undoubtedly any coach involved in coaching younger age groups will have come across this game at some point. This has probably been the most used game throughout my coaching career so far, regardless of what age group it is. This is a brilliant game for breaking the ice with a new group and for quickly warming players up.
The set up of the game is quite easy and can be run with any number of players. Set up your grid, making it bigger makes it easier, making it smaller makes it harder and more effective. All players are given a bib. Players must tuck the bib into their shorts, so at least half of it can be seen (most players will cheat on this one). Everyone is against everyone in this game as the objective is to try and take the bibs of all the other players out and drop them outside the grid. The last player left is the winner (it's okay to have winners in training).
Duration: This game should be run for approximately 60 seconds per game. Players rapidly become fatigued during this game and should be given plenty of rest breaks of about 30 seconds between each. 5 or 6 runs of this game should be sufficient for a warm up.
Benefits
Also known as steal the bibs. Undoubtedly any coach involved in coaching younger age groups will have come across this game at some point. This has probably been the most used game throughout my coaching career so far, regardless of what age group it is. This is a brilliant game for breaking the ice with a new group and for quickly warming players up.
The set up of the game is quite easy and can be run with any number of players. Set up your grid, making it bigger makes it easier, making it smaller makes it harder and more effective. All players are given a bib. Players must tuck the bib into their shorts, so at least half of it can be seen (most players will cheat on this one). Everyone is against everyone in this game as the objective is to try and take the bibs of all the other players out and drop them outside the grid. The last player left is the winner (it's okay to have winners in training).
Duration: This game should be run for approximately 60 seconds per game. Players rapidly become fatigued during this game and should be given plenty of rest breaks of about 30 seconds between each. 5 or 6 runs of this game should be sufficient for a warm up.
Benefits
- Quickly raise the intensity of a session
- Working on players cutting movements from side to side to evade other players
- Identification of space
- Awareness - development of scanning your shoulders
- Reacting to body movements of the opposing players
- Can be quite useful to improve the fitness of a group while concealing it within a game
Olympic Handball
Another game that has a lot of mileage, and one that can take some time for players to engage in. But, as soon as they understand how to play the game, it can be adapted to focus on a wide range of sports specific topics.
Pitch size should be 20x15m approximately, can be changed to suit the group you are working with. Two teams (no goalkeepers) play against each other in an attempt to keep possession of the ball using their hands (like basketball without the need to bounce the ball), and score points. You can score a point by passing the ball to another player (and they catching it) in a designated end zone. If the ball is dropped by a team, then possession is turned over. Players should be restricted to 1-3 steps when they have the ball in their hand to encourage more passing. Throwing should be restricted to under arm throwing to discourage long ball type tactics to score goals. Defending player can not tackle the ball carrier, they can only intercept passes.
The good thing about this game will be that you can place any kind of conditions on the game that you want. The conditions that you place on it will dictate what learning outcomes the players get from the game.
Ideally this should be kept to 5v5 or 6v6 max, any more than that and it becomes crowded and some players may never touch the ball. If you have more players, just set up two pitches side by side.
Duration: Play games of 2-3 minutes. Intensity can be increased gradually if being used in the warm up. It is recommended that you play 4-5 games with different conditions on the game to keep things interesting and so that players are constantly having to evolve to the game.
Benefits
Another game that has a lot of mileage, and one that can take some time for players to engage in. But, as soon as they understand how to play the game, it can be adapted to focus on a wide range of sports specific topics.
Pitch size should be 20x15m approximately, can be changed to suit the group you are working with. Two teams (no goalkeepers) play against each other in an attempt to keep possession of the ball using their hands (like basketball without the need to bounce the ball), and score points. You can score a point by passing the ball to another player (and they catching it) in a designated end zone. If the ball is dropped by a team, then possession is turned over. Players should be restricted to 1-3 steps when they have the ball in their hand to encourage more passing. Throwing should be restricted to under arm throwing to discourage long ball type tactics to score goals. Defending player can not tackle the ball carrier, they can only intercept passes.
The good thing about this game will be that you can place any kind of conditions on the game that you want. The conditions that you place on it will dictate what learning outcomes the players get from the game.
Ideally this should be kept to 5v5 or 6v6 max, any more than that and it becomes crowded and some players may never touch the ball. If you have more players, just set up two pitches side by side.
Duration: Play games of 2-3 minutes. Intensity can be increased gradually if being used in the warm up. It is recommended that you play 4-5 games with different conditions on the game to keep things interesting and so that players are constantly having to evolve to the game.
Benefits
- Hand/eye co-ordination of throwing and catching the ball
- Identification of space
- Moving into different passing lines - not being in the same line as a team mate to receive a pass
- Quick passing to move defenders - when the condition of only having 1-3 seconds in possession of the ball is placed on the game
- Physical benefits of throwing a ball further distances - if you take the underarm throwing condition off the game
- Defenders are learning the concept of screening - they can not tackle the ball carrier so they must block off the pass
Head/Catch
This one is a favourite of mine when you are trying to get players tuned in before a session. It has the perfect mix of fun and the added constraint that the players must be focused or they won't do well.
Players are set up in a circle with the coach in the middle, this is dependent on age and the group that you are with. If they are stronger they can set up more than 3m away. If they are slightly weaker, then they should start closer. The game is simple. The coach throws the ball to a player, he then shouts head or catch. If the call is head, they head it back to you. If the call is catch, then they catch the ball and then throw it back to you. If they get the action wrong then they are out or they lose a life, whichever you choose. To make this harder then you can delay the time in which you make the call, leaving it until the last moment to call so they have less time to react, and vice versa.
To progress this game even further, then you can move to opposites. So this time if the call is head, then they will catch it. But, if the call is catch, then they will head it back. This will provide the players with even more to focus on.
Duration: Run as many games of this as you like. Ensure that kids aren't sitting out for too long or that the game drags out for too long either. The intensity must be sharp and enthusiasm must remain high from the coach at all times.
Benefits
This one is a favourite of mine when you are trying to get players tuned in before a session. It has the perfect mix of fun and the added constraint that the players must be focused or they won't do well.
Players are set up in a circle with the coach in the middle, this is dependent on age and the group that you are with. If they are stronger they can set up more than 3m away. If they are slightly weaker, then they should start closer. The game is simple. The coach throws the ball to a player, he then shouts head or catch. If the call is head, they head it back to you. If the call is catch, then they catch the ball and then throw it back to you. If they get the action wrong then they are out or they lose a life, whichever you choose. To make this harder then you can delay the time in which you make the call, leaving it until the last moment to call so they have less time to react, and vice versa.
To progress this game even further, then you can move to opposites. So this time if the call is head, then they will catch it. But, if the call is catch, then they will head it back. This will provide the players with even more to focus on.
Duration: Run as many games of this as you like. Ensure that kids aren't sitting out for too long or that the game drags out for too long either. The intensity must be sharp and enthusiasm must remain high from the coach at all times.
Benefits
- Hand/eye co-ordination of catching the ball
- Technical ability of heading the ball
- Reacting quickly
- Being able to think quickly - when the calls are opposite
Follow the Leader/Lose the follower
Simple game that is really good for age groups from U6 up to U11/U12s. Requires nothing more than 4 cones to mark out a grid and an enthusiastic attitude towards coaching.
Mark out an area, it can be as big or as small as you desire. The principles of both games are similar although they do differ slightly.
Follow the leader is as it suggests. Pair players up and have one player be the leader and the other be the follower. The leader moves around the grid as fast and as slow as they want. They can move in whichever way they want also, the followers jobs is to copy the leaders movements exactly. Lots of encouragement to move in different directions and at different speeds using lots of tumbles, spins, jumps and turns. The whole objective of this game is to get players/kids moving in as many different directions as they can, while also learning to imitate another player.
Lose the follower (essentially a game of tag) is similar to above, only this time the leader tries to lose the follower. They do this by running as fast as they can around the grid while making as many cutting or turning movements as they like. The followers job is to stay as close to the leader as possible, while also trying to tag them. If they do get tagged, then just give the leader 1 or 2 seconds to move away before resuming the game.
These games require minimal set up and the kids love them.
Duration: Let each player be a leader for 30-45 seconds before switching them over. Make sure everyone gets a go at being a leader. If they tire quickly you can reduce the duration and vice versa if they are a relatively fit group.
Benefits
Simple game that is really good for age groups from U6 up to U11/U12s. Requires nothing more than 4 cones to mark out a grid and an enthusiastic attitude towards coaching.
Mark out an area, it can be as big or as small as you desire. The principles of both games are similar although they do differ slightly.
Follow the leader is as it suggests. Pair players up and have one player be the leader and the other be the follower. The leader moves around the grid as fast and as slow as they want. They can move in whichever way they want also, the followers jobs is to copy the leaders movements exactly. Lots of encouragement to move in different directions and at different speeds using lots of tumbles, spins, jumps and turns. The whole objective of this game is to get players/kids moving in as many different directions as they can, while also learning to imitate another player.
Lose the follower (essentially a game of tag) is similar to above, only this time the leader tries to lose the follower. They do this by running as fast as they can around the grid while making as many cutting or turning movements as they like. The followers job is to stay as close to the leader as possible, while also trying to tag them. If they do get tagged, then just give the leader 1 or 2 seconds to move away before resuming the game.
These games require minimal set up and the kids love them.
Duration: Let each player be a leader for 30-45 seconds before switching them over. Make sure everyone gets a go at being a leader. If they tire quickly you can reduce the duration and vice versa if they are a relatively fit group.
Benefits
- Improved movement capacity
- Ability to match the movements of another person, useful in defending situations
- Improving the ability to stop and start quickly
- Reacting quickly
- Being creative and thinking of different ways to move
So there you have it, easy to implement warm up games for younger age groups. Don't waste your time performing structured warm ups for players who don't need it, get them playing games and get them having fun!
RSS Feed