The Dynamic Warm-Up
The same warm-up every session, all season — two cone lanes, ten movements, done in pairs.
A routine that never changes needs no explaining by week three. The demand grows inside the movements; the warm-up itself stays the same.
Set up · 3 actions · before the kids arrive
- Grab: Twelve cones.
- Build: Two parallel lines of six cones — six meters apart, about thirty meters end to end.
- Place: Players in pairs at one end of the lanes. Several movements need the partner.
One thing to remember: Movement mechanics — hips, balance, deceleration — before the ball ever appears.
How it runs — the whole game in one sentence
Down the lane doing the movement, easy jog back outside the cones, next pair goes.
1Organize the players▾
Coach does
Pair everyone up at the start of the lanes.
Coach says
Partner up. Two lines, same as always.
2Show the jobs▾
Coach does
Call each movement by name. Demonstrate only when a movement is new.
Coach says
Same warm-up as every practice. First one — straight-ahead jog, run back.
3Play▾
Coach does
Run the ten in order, each twice unless noted — straight-ahead jog & run back, open-gate, close-gate, circle partner, shoulder contact, quick forwards-2 & backwards-1, single-leg RDL (one set of 12 each leg), sprint at 75–80%, bounding run, plant & cut.
Coach says
Next one. Control it — smooth beats fast.
Look for: Controlled movement — crisp beats fast and sloppy.
4Switch and repeat▾
Coach does
On strength days — twice a week, never match day — the strength-and-balance block runs separately at the end of practice, not here.
Coach says
Last one — then grab a ball.
If it's not working
Slow it down — walk the movement once, then run it. Form first, speed after.
Want to go deeper? Optional — not needed to run the game.
Why are we doing this?
What are they learning?
How can I change it?
Harder: The progression lives inside the movements: Nordic curls step beginner to advanced reps, and the single-leg stance gets harder by lifting the heel.