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A football warm-up for adults

Most weekly games start with a cold sprint and end with a pulled hamstring. Ten minutes of moving first makes a real difference. Here's a simple warm-up for adults, with and without a ball, that fits before kick-off.

By Squadcard. Last updated .

In short

  • Warm up for about ten minutes: start gentle, build to game speed.
  • Use moving (dynamic) stretches like leg swings and lunges, not long held stretches.
  • Finish with the ball: passing, quick feet and a couple of short sprints.
  • A small game like rondo or keep-ball warms up everyone at once.

A 10-minute routine

Long held stretches are better after the game. Before it, keep moving.

  • Minutes 1 to 3: easy jog round the pitch, then side-steps and backwards jogging.
  • Minutes 3 to 6: moving stretches: leg swings front to back and side to side, walking lunges, high knees, heel flicks, hip openers.
  • Minutes 6 to 8: in pairs, short passing, then passing on the move, then one-touch.
  • Minutes 8 to 10: two or three sprints over 10 to 15 metres at about three-quarter speed, then one at full speed.

Warm-up games

  • Rondo: four or five round the outside, one or two in the middle trying to win it back.
  • Keep-ball: two small teams in a square, five passes is a point.
  • Shooting line: everyone takes turns at the keeper, which also warms up the keeper.
  • Something sillier: headers and volleys, 3 and in or a crossbar challenge while you wait for the last arrivals.

Use the waiting time

The warm-up gets skipped when ten minutes go on sorting the teams. Do that before you arrive: the team generator splits the players, and Squadcard picks fair teams from everyone's ratings and posts them to the group, so the first ten minutes at the pitch are for warming up.

Pick the teams before you get there

Questions

How long should a football warm-up be?

About ten minutes for an adult game: a few minutes of jogging, moving stretches, ball work, then a few short sprints.

Should I stretch before football?

Use moving stretches like leg swings and lunges before the game, and save long held stretches for afterwards.

What are good football warm-up games?

Rondo, keep-ball and a shooting line all warm everyone up with the ball.

Can I warm up without a ball?

Yes: jogging, side-steps, leg swings, lunges, high knees and short sprints work without one.