An Effective Pre Soccer Match Warm Up

Article written by Golf Clubs Guide

A warm up session is intended to bring the body temperature quite high and to prepare a player to play in a match. The warm up has both physiological and psychological effects on the competitiveness of a game. Some research have proved that the optimum duration of a warm up session, right before flexibility and functional movements are made, should range between 15 to 20 minutes.

An ideal warm up would need to consist of a slow but constant increase in intensity until the player reaches 70% of his maximum heart rate. Such an intense warm up would have the effect of rendering an increase in the range of motion while allowing for improvements in aerobic movements. This implies that the player would be gaining more flexibility while running more efficiently.

A normal warm up takes up a body temperature of about 2 to 3 degrees celsius. This rise can last for a period of 45 minutes and is beneficial to the body tissues. An effective warm up allows the tendons and muscles to extend more, thus decreasing the occurrence of muscle strains. A good warm up also ensures an adequate flow of oxygen in the system.

On a psychological level, the warm up activates the neural pathways. This provides an increase in the rapidity in the player’s reaction time during a match. The player is thus able to perform functional activities and calculations such as kicking the ball and sprinting with more precision. Apart from preparing the player physically, a good warm up would also ensure psychological preparation to compete during the match.