Ladder 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 22 x 22 yards area.
2. 2Lay a line of gates increasing in difficulty away from the start cone.
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. 4Players work through the gates in order, starting with the easiest.
5. 5Players climb the ladder one level for every clean rep and drop a level on a mistake.

Progressions

• +Add a timed element at the top level
• +Raise the demand once the group is consistently successful

Regressions

• -Widen the gates at every level
• -Simplify the area or the service until success returns

Variations

• -Pairs climb the ladder together
• -Run the practice on the opposite side of the pitch

Common mistakes

• -Static stretching before movement
• -Starting at full intensity
• -Skipping levels and losing quality