WARM UPS AND COOL DOWNS
INTRODUCTION
Warm up is important in preparing the body for a higher energy production and preventing injury. While opinions conflict on the value of a warm up, most evidence favors its use prior to intense play. If a player understands the reasons for a warm up they should be inclined to warm up on there own in the absence of a trainer or coach. Warm up helps gear-up energy production. As exercise levels gradually increase with a warm up, the blood circulation adjusts to meet the new energy demands. Blood flow to the working muscle increases during exercise due to two responses: the heart rate increases so more blood is pumped per minute than at rest, and a greater percentage of the increased flow is sent to working tissue. The increased blood flow to the tissues is important as the blood brings with it more oxygen which can then be used in the aerobic system to produce energy.
The warm up allows the adaptation in blood circulation and oxygen delivery to occur gradually and in this way the increasing energy cost can be met predominantly by the aerobic system. If the player does not warm up and goes straight into an intense game, his energy requirement will increase suddenly from resting to a high level and the increase in energy will have to come from anaerobic glycolysis until the oxygen delivery system has time to adjust and deliver more oxygen to the muscles for aerobic energy production. Lactic acid (an end product of anaerobic glycolysis), is related to fatigue so the player who does not warm-up will feel fatigue sooner in a game than the warmed up athlete.
As exercise continues, deep body temperature rises causing an increasing in energy metabolism. For every 1 degree in Farenheight rise in cell temperature, metabolism increases 13%. This rise in temperature is also responsible for making it easier for oxygen to be released from the hemoglobin at the cell level, thus providing the cells with more oxygen. These adjustments along with the increased blood flow to the working tissue prepare the body for higher total energy production through aerobic metabolism.
Some muscle tears, strains, and soreness can be prevented by a thorough warm up. A stretching sequence as part of the warm-up can help prevent muscular injury by improving joint range of motion prior to play. The increased muscle temperature mentioned above also helps in injury prevention because after a warm up the nerve impulses
are speeded up which in turn improves coordination.
As one muscle group contracts, its opposite muscle group relaxes to allow the movement to occur. If the relaxation does not happen at the right time, injury will result. A common example of this type of injury is a pulled hamstring (the muscle group at the back of the upper leg). A quick contraction of the quadriceps (the muscle group at the front of the thigh) to straighten the knee will injure the hamstring unless it relaxes at exactly the right time. Coordination
of these movements is improved by the speeded up nerve impulse due to warm-up.
To warm-up, a soccer player should slowly jog a lap or two of the field, stretch his whole body (and then practice soccer skills by starting slowly and gradually building intensity until he feels "right" for peak energy expenditure.
The skill routine should start with close ball control and short range passing, stressing footwork and control and progress to free running, long range passing, and shooting. Allow skill difficulty to progress with momentum.
It is the goalkeeper's responsibility to be fully stretched and warmed-up before opposing his team.
Warm up time varies with the individual and tends to increase with age. Allow between 15 and 30 minutes for the skill warm up period after the jogging and stretching and taper it off between 5 and 15 minutes before game time. Substitutes should stay warm on the sideline and complete at least one lap of the field, starting slowly and building to a run, before they are put in the game. On cold days, warm up should be longer and players should wear warm clothing right up till game time.
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