Relay 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. 2Split into teams of three or four behind separate start cones.
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. 4First player goes on the whistle and tags the next on return.
5. 5First team to complete three full rotations wins the round.

Progressions

• +Add a skill gate on the way back
• +Raise the demand once the group is consistently successful

Regressions

• -Shorten the distance
• -Simplify the area or the service until success returns

Variations

• -Teams pick the order of their runners each round
• -Run the practice on the opposite side of the pitch

Common mistakes

• -Static stretching before movement
• -Starting at full intensity
• -Setting off before the tag