Protecting that Knee, PART 3 - Dynamic Warm-Up Exercises

Addressing foundations for performance and injury prevention, the following components are building blocks for the Active-Dynamic Warm-Up with examples of exercises that comprise the training.

Transit Mobility Exercises – Movement with range of motion emphasis and progressive intensity over a measured distance. For example:


Forward/Backward/Lateral Skipping, Running Build-Ups, Walking Knee Hugs, Walking Quadriceps Stretch, Straight Leg Marching, Lateral Slides, Backward Strides, Walking Lunges, Skips and Scoops.

Muscle Activation Exercises – Waking the muscles up – neuromuscular activation and coordination of muscle groups. For example:

Forward/Lateral Body Weight Squats, Forward/Lateral/Backward/Crossover Lunges, Supine Straight Leg Raises, Prone Superman’s, Supine Hip Lifts (hamstrings), Donkey Kicks, Kneeling Hip Circles.

Dynamic Mobility Exercises – Stationary movement activities involving neuromuscular activation with core stability and flexibility focus. For example:

Mountain Climbers, Thrusts, Supine Leg Swings across the body, Hamstring Rockers, Standing Frontal and Sagittal Leg Swings.

Balance and Stability - For Example:

Single Leg Balance for Time, Single Leg Balance Quarter Squat Position, Standing Single Leg Toe Touches with Trail Leg Countermovement, Balance Single Leg Hops.

An example of the Active-Dynamic Warm-Up

Low intensity Transit Exercise
- Forward Low Skip (down the field and back) – 20-30 yards


Balance & Stability Exercise
- Single Leg Balance for :20-:30 each leg.


Moderate Transit Exercise
- Half Speed Buildup Run (down and back) – 30 yards
- Lateral Low Shuffle (down and back 1x each direction) – 20-30 yards


Muscle Activation
- Forward Lunge – 5x each
- Backward Lunge – 5x each


Transit Exercise
- Walking Knee Hugs (down) – 15-20 yards
- Walking Quadriceps Stretch (back) – 15-20 yards


Dynamic Mobility Exercise
- Thrust – 5-10x
- Mountain Climbers – 5-10x
- Groiner – 5-10x


Transit Exercise
- ¾ Speed Buildup Run (down) – 30 yards
- Backward Skip (back) – 30 yards


Muscle Activation Exercise
- Body Weight Squats – 5-10x
- Body Weight Squat Drops – 5x


Balance & Stability Exercise
- Standing Single Leg Toe Touches with Trail Leg Countermovement
- Single Leg Hops In Place (sit back in the hips, keep the knee behind the toe)


Transit Exercise
- Full Speed Buildup Run (down and back) – 30 yards


With a little preparation, attention, and focus, a coach can elevate the warm-up into a component of practice that will develop physical foundations for physical development and injury prevention.

Protecting that Knee, PART 2 - ACL Warm-Up

ACTIVE DYNAMIC WARM-UP AND INJURY PREVENTION

Too often a traditional warm-up for a soccer practice or a game is a jog around the field followed by static stretching, ball drills, and small side games. The objective being to progressively get the athletes ready for practice or game. Instead of the traditional warm-up, a progressive Active-Dynamic Warm-Up during the initial 10-20 minutes can be more beneficial for the athlete’s total development. The Active-Dynamic Warm-Up is composed of purposeful active movement that progressively readies the body for practice or competition while stressing biomotor abilities (strength and power, coordination, speed and agility, flexibility and dynamic mobility, balance and stability, and fitness) that are foundational for improved performance and injury prevention.


A concern for injury prevention might be the most persuasive reason for structuring an Active-Dynamic Warm-Up into the practice. Soccer requires starting/stopping, cutting, jumping, and other high force maneuvers that have high incidences of ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) injuries. Shockingly, several studies have found that girls have three to eight times more ACL injuries than boys depending on the sport and more than seventy percent of these injuries are non-contact related. There are numerous theories as to why this occurs including finding that female athletes tend to be quadriceps dominate and have weak hamstring muscles. Because of these imbalances, forces within the knee when decelerating from a jump or sprint were much higher in those athletes with less active hamstrings. Studies have shown that injuries were decreased significantly when female soccer players perform certain exercises and drills during their warm-up.

Next time, we will discuss the warm-up exercises you can do to get that knee warmed up and helping prevent injury.

Looking for something to do over Mid-Winter Break?

Well don't forget to sign up for Velocity Sports' Speed and Agility Camp February 19-22!

Beat the winter blues and get a step up on your competition with this camp for Ages 9 and above.

Running from 1-3 pm each day and only $150 per athlete, the camp will focus on:

Starts, Acceleration & Deceleration
Plyometrics & Explosive Power
Multi – direction / Agility
Core Strength, Stability & Balance
Dynamic Mobility, Flexibility & Coordination
Proper Athletic Positions & Postures
Injury Prevention

Team Camps are also available in the AM.


Go here for more information:http://www.velocitysp.com/redmond/mid_winter_break_camp
or call us at 425.881.0647