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Warm Ups

Wave Ball and Body Warm Up

Raise the heart rate with a ball at every player's feet

Warm Ups
Ball Mastery
Football Fitness

Wave Ball and Body Warm Up is a 10-minute warm ups drill for 4-24 players, suitable for Under 5 to Adults at beginner, intermediate level. You need balls, cones. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.

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Warm Ups
Ball Mastery
Football Fitness
Warm Up
Beginner
Intermediate
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Foundation Phase
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Quick 10 Minutes
Continuous

Duration

10 min

Players

4-24

Pitch size

22 x 22 yards

Ability levels

Beginner / Intermediate

Pitch diagram

Pitch set-up: Wave Ball and Body Warm Up1222 x 22 yards

Wave Ball and Body Warm Up — Two lines working across the area · 22 x 22 yards

Step 1 of 5Players dribble freely, mixing surfaces and speeds.

  1. 1. Players dribble freely, mixing surfaces and speeds.
  2. 2. On each coach call they add a mobility movement — lunges, hip openers, heel flicks.
  3. 3. Finish with 30 seconds of quick feet on the ball.
  4. 4. Each wave sets off two seconds after the one in front.
  5. 5. Every wave completes six journeys before the practice ends.
  • Ball
  • Dotted arrow = rotation between repetitions
  • Two facing lines — pass and follow
  • Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble

Objectives

  • -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. 2Form three waves of players behind the start line.
  3. 3One ball per player.

Coaching instructions

  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. 4Each wave sets off two seconds after the one in front.
  5. 5Every wave completes six journeys before the practice ends.

Coaching points

  • -Controlled range of movement, no bouncing
  • -Head up in a busy area
  • -Gradually build the tempo
  • -Stay in your wave so the picture stays clear

Common mistakes

  • -Static stretching before movement
  • -Starting at full intensity
  • -Waves bunching into one crowd

Where this drill fits

Build a session with this drill

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