Count-Up Ball and Body Warm Up

Objective

• -Raise the heart rate with a ball at every player's feet
• -Take the main joints through their range of movement
• -Start the session with energy and involvement

Setup

1. 1An open square with cones marking the outside edge in a 20 x 20 yards area.
2. 2Give every player a home cone and a ball.
3. 3One ball per player.

How to play

1. 1Players dribble freely, mixing surfaces and speeds.
2. 2On each coach call they add a mobility movement — lunges, hip openers, heel flicks.
3. 3Finish with 30 seconds of quick feet on the ball.
4. 4Start on the whistle and count reps out loud as a group.
5. 5The squad has three attempts to beat its own total.

Progressions

• +Shorten the time window
• +Raise the demand once the group is consistently successful

Regressions

• -Lengthen the window and lower the target
• -Simplify the area or the service until success returns

Variations

• -Split into two teams and compare totals
• -Run the practice on the opposite side of the pitch

Common mistakes

• -Static stretching before movement
• -Starting at full intensity
• -Counting sloppy reps to inflate the score