Just like for any other sport, warming up is crucial before a soccer game. The main reason for a good warm up is that it helps in the prevention of any injury brought about from straining a cold muscle. Warm up also contributes to enhancing the flexibility and agility of the player. The exercises performed during the warm up also contribute to keeping the player focused on the upcoming match.
Prior to any warm up session while the body is at rest, muscles are cold and stiff. They will loosen up and become more flexible once the temperature of the body is elevated. Muscles would also gain their full range of motion once they are warmed up. It is not advised to perform stretches and rotations before loosening up the muscles.
Wearing an appropriate soccer jersey or even replica soccer jerseys is conducive to keeping the body at a constant temperature. Modern soccer clothing uses wicking fabric to prevent excessive sweat and heat build up.
The warm up drills for a soccer player usually consists of short and sharp interval trainings along with some cardio workouts. These are effective in quickly achieving warm muscles in order to get into the game quickly. A warm up session would generally need to last at least fifteen minutes to allow all the muscles to get an adequate warm up. Out of habit and experience, players and coaches come up with their own routines targeting particular zones and muscles.
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