Warmup
uap-six-week-speed-agility-conditioning
If you're not already using a dynamic warm-up, use this one as a good place to start. A good warm-up generally has three parts:
- Part 1 focuses on increasing blood flow with moderate intensity movements.
- Part 2 uses mobility exercises to take the joints through a full range of motion and to help athletes establish good movement patterns.
- Part 3 is about exciting the nervous system and is the most important part of getting ready to play.
Part 1
Get the body moving and increase blood flow.
- Run at 60% speed to half field
- Backwards run with large steps half field.
- Run at 60% speed to half field
- Backward skip/shuffle (40 yards)
Watch video - Casual (low intensity) skip to half field.
- Low intensity shuffle half field. Change direction the athlete is facing every four steps.
Watch video
Part 2
- lunges: done with a twist or a reach as shown below
Watch video - High Knee Hugs
Watch video - Figure 4 Hugs
Watch video - Drinking Bird
Watch video - Walking Quad Stretch
Watch video - Over Unders (3-5 times each direction)
Watch video - Standing T-Spine Rotation (5 rotations each side)
Watch video - Penguin Walk (about 10 yards forward and 10 yards backward)
Watch video
Part 3
All exercises should be done for about 15 yards unless otherwise noted. Allow some rest between exercises so that you can move at high intensity with quick, light feet. The purpose here is NOT to elevate your heart rate, but to prepare your nervous system to recruit the maximum number of fast twitch muscle fibers as quickly as possible.
- Cycle kicks
Watch video - Lateral high knee skip
Watch video - Backwards run
Watch video - Lateral skips
Watch video - Falling Leaf
Watch video - Leprechaun Skips
Watch video