Putting the Steps Together
Foam Roll, Active Warm up
and Dynamic Warm up

Putting The First Three Steps Together

1. Foam Rolling
2. Active Warm Up
3. Dynamic Warm Up

Foam Rolling:

Since foam rollers are expensive and not totally practical you can use a tennis ball for these exercises.

1. Standing Floor Reach

A. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
B. Reach down and touch the ground keeping your back straight.
C. Place a tennis ball underneath your left foot and roll it back and forth for 1 minute.
D. Repeat the process for the right foot.E. Reach down and touch the ground and see if you went further.

2. Glute Roll

A. Sit on the ground with your knees bent, both feet flat.
B. Place a tennis ball under your left glute (buttock muscle). Roll back and forth for 30 seconds
C. Repeat for the right side.

3. Hip Rotator Roll

A. Sit on the ground with your knees bent, both feet flat.
B. Place a tennis ball under your left glute (buttock muscle).
C. Cross the left leg over the right leg such that the left ankle rests just past the right knee.
D. Roll back and forth for thirty seconds.
E. Switch sides.

Active Warm Up

1. Split Squat- This will "stretch" or lengthen the muscles in the front of the thigh and the glute muscles

A. Place one foot in front of the other. There should be at least 3.5ft to 4ft distance from the toe to heel. The back foot should be on its toes and the front foot flat on the ground
B. Keep the body straight.
C. Hands behind head
C. Drop the back knee to the ground
D. Push up through front heel.
Repeat two more times then switch leg positions and repeat.

2. Stationary Lateral Lunge- This will stretch the "groin" muscles

A. Stand with feet at least 3-4 feet apart.
B. Raise you arms in front of you such that your hands are at shoulder level.
C. Sit in the direction of the left heel. Then sit in the direction of the right heel.
Repeat 3-5 times each leg.

3. Cross Leg Stretch - this stretches the glute muscles

A. Stand with one leg behind the other.
B. Drop back knee down
C. Push up through front heel
D. Repeat 3-5 times then swithc legs

4. Push Up Stretch

A. Start in the push up position
B. Bring the left foot othe outside of the left hand. then return to the starting position. repeat three times then do the same for the right foot.

5. Foot to Mouth Stretch.

A. Stand with feet shoulder width apart.
B. Raise left knee to hip height.
C. As you raise the knee turn at the hip such that the foot is moving inwards.
D. Hold your foot with both hands and bring th foot as close as possible to your mouth.
E. complete 3-5 times each leg.

Dynamic Warm Up

A good dynamic warm will include the following movements and progressions:

All movement techniques are followed by a 10 to 20 second jog

1. 30 second jog
2. 30 seconds heel to buttocks - then jog 10 seconds
3. 30 seconds Backwards - then jog 10 seconds
4. 30 seconds alternating skips with knee to chest - then jog 10 seconds
5. 30 seconds alternating skips with straight leg raise - then jog 10 seconds
6. 30 seconds Alternating knee to hip height then out (as in receiving a pass) - then jog 10 seconds
7. 30 seconds Side to side skips leading with the right leg - then jog 10 seconds
8. 30 seconds Side to side skips leading with the right leg - then jog 10 seconds
9. Backward lunge - emphasizing a stretch at the hip-10 times - then jog 10 seconds
10. Forward lunge - emphasizing a stretch at the hip-10 times - then jog 10 second
11. Three quick steps 5-10 times
12. Skip with clap overhead 30 seconds - then jog 10 seconds
13. Skip with clap in front 30 seconds
14. 3-5 sprints -progress from 50% effort to 100% effort.

As you get further into the dynamic warm up increase the speed of the jog.

It is important that each athlete focuses on the skill of the technique as compared to the speed it is done.

Now that this is completed we may bring in the ball.

These three components should be completed before a training session for both on the field or in the gym.

Next for in season on field training you may introduce speed,acceleration and agility training.

Cheers!
Yours in Youth Soccer Fitness

Mike Grafstein
B.Ph.Ed, CAT(C), CSCS,YCS,RMT
www.youth-soccer-fitness.com
www.youthsoccer-power.com
www.soccer-nutrition.com