The Warm-Up

Report
A warm-up template
for your next
training session!

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 The Warm-Up Report!

Stian Weideman brings you your own personal warm-up template that you can use
at your next training session.

Who Am I?
I’m a Youth Conditioning Coach that specializes in the long-term athletic develop-
ment of children. My number one commitment is rugby, but I also work with chil-
dren from a variety of different backgrounds and any sporting code.

I believe South Africa has a big problem with their sports development systems. We
tend to start building the house from the roof down. I want to change that!

I believe each and every child I have worked with was positively influenced to perform
better on and off the sports field. I am planning on influencing thousand more!

Disclaimer

This report should only be used as a guideline for training ideas. It should not be considered as a re-
placement to any doctor’s/physician’s orders. If you are not healthy to compete in any exercise, please
don’t attempt to do the exercises prescribed in this report!

© 2010. STIAN WEIDEMAN (SPORTCON CC) — www.youthrugbyfitness.com

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 Killer Content!
Why Is A Warm-Up Important?
This is probably one of the most important aspects of training, yet a lot of Youth
Coaches, Parents and Athletes do not fully grasp the concept of Warming Up before
a training session or game.

An athlete performs a warm-up to “wake the nervous system (performs the movements)
up”, increase the body’s core temperature and therefore increases the blood flow and in-
creases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles. All of this helps to
prepare the muscles, joints and tendons for more strenuous activities.

So why is all of the above so important? So the likelihood of injuries is minimized.

Warm-Up Categories
As one of my mentors Brian Grasso describes in his book “Training Young Athletes –
The Grasso Method” there are generally two warm-up categories:

1. General – This incorporates a variety of movements in order to prepare the

body as a whole/unit.

2. Specific – This involves exercises/movements that relate to the specific sport (Ex.
Holding onto a partner and swinging your leg forward and backwards (PNF Leg
Swings) prepares the hips for a kicking motion in a sport like soccer)

© 2010. STIAN WEIDEMAN (SPORTCON CC) — www.youthrugbyfitness.com

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 The Myths
The Aerobic Myth
It’s a known fact that most coaches/parents believe that the best way to warm up an
athlete is to make him/her run a couple of times around the field.

Performing an Aerobic Exercise (Jogging around the field) as a warm-up will not
prepare the body for the workout/training session ahead. Firstly the intensity is not
high enough – as discussed in a section above: a warm-up should increase body’s
core temperature, but unfortunately this is not the case during an aerobic exercise.
When you use an Aerobic Exercise as a warm-up there is a good chance that the en-
ergy reserves will diminish which means the athlete’s ability to perform movements
at great speed, produce great strength and absolute motor control lessens.

The goal of most training sessions are to improve Speed, Agility, Coordination etc
and therefore it would be merely impossible to achieve these goals if the body is not
able to perform to it’s full potential.

How does a Coach expect his/her athletes to run their fastest times or perform to the
best of their abilities if their body/muscles are not ready to perform?

The Static Stretch Myth

After the jog around the field the athletes should sit in a circle and perform a couple
of “Static” Stretches (Holding a stretch for 20-30 seconds) until the coach feels it’s
now time to start with the session.

This myth has been passed on from generation to generation. I bet you when you
were at school you did the same routine (Running around the field and then sitting
in a circle and performing a couple of random static stretches), I know I did.

To explain the effects of Static Stretching in the most basic way – When performing
a static stretch before a workout, you actually DEACTIVATE the muscles that you

© 2010. STIAN WEIDEMAN (SPORTCON CC) — www.youthrugbyfitness.com

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 are about to use during the session. Does this sound like something you want to do
before a session?

Yes static stretching does improve Flexibility, but during a warm-up is not the time
to work on flexibility!

How Long Should A Warm-Up Last?

This is dependant on the age of the athletes as well as their performance level.
Generally a good warm up can last anything from 10 – 20minutes.

Some Warm-Up Ideas

You are in luck! I have designed a warm-up template especially for you to use at your
next training session!

Check it out on the next page!

Contact me if you are looking for some more warm-up ideas!

Rgds,
Stian Weideman
www.youthrugbyfitness.com
sportfitnesscoach@gmail.com

© 2010. STIAN WEIDEMAN (SPORTCON CC) — www.youthrugbyfitness.com

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 Pre-Session/Game Warm Up
Mobility
Heel Walk Toe Walk

Forward PNF Leg Swing Side PNF Leg Swing

T-Stabilizer

Active Flexibility
Leg Cradle Knee Hug

Butt Hug Iron Cross

Scorpion

Torso Rotational
Bridge (2x20sec) Side Bridge (1x20sec E)

Movement Prep
Jog + Arm Circles High Knees

Butt Kicks Side Shuffle

Jumping Jacks

Exercises are followed from left to right before going down to the next line. It is possible
to change the order of the exercises, but only the exercises per grouping.

Follow the exact order of the groups - Mobility, Active Flexibility, Torso, etc.

© 2010. STIAN WEIDEMAN (SPORTCON CC) — www.youthrugbyfitness.com

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 Exercise Explanations
Heel Walk
Choose a distance of anything from 10-20m. The athlete should keep his legs straight
while walking only on his heels. To make this exercise more difficult you can say to
the athlete that on the way back he should walk on his heels backwards.

Toe Walk
Choose a distance of anything from 10-20m. The athlete should keep his legs straight
while walking as high up on his toes as possible. To make this exercise more difficult you
can say to the athlete that on the way back he should walk on his toes backwards.

Heel/Toe Walk
A progression to the separate heel and toe walk is the Heel/Toe walk. This means that
the athlete will walk forward by starting on his heel (toes pointing upwards) and then
rolling his ankle forward up onto his toe (heel in the air). Then only he walks onto the
next foot. This is a great way to work on ankle mobility as well as balance.

Jog + Arm Cicles

Choose a distance of anything from 10-20m. The athlete jogs forwards while swinging
his arms backwards. When he gets to the line he jogs backwards while swinging his arms
forwards. This is a nice way to work on some coordination during the warm-up.

© 2010. STIAN WEIDEMAN (SPORTCON CC) — www.youthrugbyfitness.com

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 PNF Forward Leg Swing
Swing your leg forwards and backwards while hold-
ing onto something to help you with your balance. It’s
important to keep your leg straigth and not bend your
knee. You should swing as far forward and backwards as
possible. When swinging your leg do not turn your foot
in or out, your toes should point forwards at all times.
Finish one leg then perform the same amount of reps on
the other leg.
PNF Side Leg Swing
Swing your leg from side to side while holding onto
something to help you with your balance. It’s important
to keep your leg straigth and not bend your knee. You
should swing your leg from side to side as far as possible.
When swinging your leg do not turn your foot in or out,
your toes should point forwards at all times. Finish one
leg then perform the same amount of reps on the other
leg.
T-Stabilizers
Assume a push up position. Contract your abdominals
and squeeze your glutes. Maintain a pillar like posture
throughout the duration of the exercise. Keeping a slight
bend in the elbows, rotate to the right lifting left hand off
the ground. Rotate the entire body until your arms create
a “T” with your torso with the left hand in line with your
shoulders and the right hand. As you rotate roll onto the
side of your feet. Note: Narrowing your stance will make
the exercise more difficult. Return to the starting posi-
tion under control and repeat on the other side.

© 2010. STIAN WEIDEMAN (SPORTCON CC) — www.youthrugbyfitness.com

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 Leg Cradle
Grab your foot and lift your heel towards your waist
while rotating your knee outward. Keep your weight
evenly distributed on your base foot and your posture
tall (Do not lean back as you hug your knee). Hold for
1-2 seconds, release, and step forward onto your other
foot. Repeat on the other side.

Knee Hug
Grab your shin and pull your knee toward your chest.
Keep your weight evenly distributed on your base foot
and your posture tall (Do not lean back as you hug your
knee). Hold for 1-2 seconds, release, and step forward
onto your other foot. Repeat on the other side.

Butt Hug
Grab your ankle and pull your heel toward your but-
tocks until you feel a stretch in your quadriceps muscle.
Keep a tall posture throughout the duration of the exer-
cise. Hold for 1-2 seconds, release, and step forward onto
your other foot. Repeat on the other side.

Iron Cross
Assume a face up position on the ground with your arms
out to your side forming a “T” with your body. Lift your
right leg straight up. Rotate your hips to the left taking
your right foot to your left hand. Keep your shoulders
in contact with the ground. Return to the start position
and repeat with the other leg to the other side. Use control
during the entire drill.

© 2010. STIAN WEIDEMAN (SPORTCON CC) — www.youthrugbyfitness.com

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 Scorpion
Assume a face down position on the ground with your
arms out to your sides forming a “T” with your body. Lift
your right leg up by extending at the hip and bending at
the knee. Rotate your hips to the left taking your right foot
to your left hand. Keep your shoulders in contact with
the ground. Return to the start position and repeat with
the other leg to the other side. Use control during the entire
drill.
Bridge
Assume a push-up position instead of pushing with your
heads down into the ground, balance yourself on your fore-
arms. Brace your core while performing the movement.
Keep your head down, but do not rest your head on your
hands.
Side Bridge
Lie on your side with your elbow, shoulder and feet in
one straight line. Attempt to lift yourself off the ground
while your feet stays on top of each other and your other
hand resting on your top hip. Complete for the specified
time, repeat on the other side.
High Knees
Start with an aggressive jog. Keep your spine and you’re
eyes forward. Concentrate on an aggressive arm drive
(down and back) keeping your elbows bent to 90˚ and
rotating at your shoulders. Quickly snap your knees up
and drive the opposite foot down. Do not lean forward
at the hip as this is a common flaw in the drill.

© 2010. STIAN WEIDEMAN (SPORTCON CC) — www.youthrugbyfitness.com

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 Butt Kicks
Start with an aggressive jog. Keep your spine tall and
you’re eyes forward Concentrateon an aggressive arm
drive (down and back) keeping your elbows bent to 90˚
and rotating at your shoulders. Forcefully snap your
heels back until they come in contact with the buttocks
(if you have tight quads you may not be able to touch)
do not lean forward at the him as this is a common flaw
in the drill.
Jumping Jacks
Start with your feet together and your arms down to your
sides. Jump approx 5-10cm off of the ground opening
your feet a little wider than shoulder width and raising
your arms laterally to above your head. Rapidly return
and repeat.

© 2010. STIAN WEIDEMAN (SPORTCON CC) — www.youthrugbyfitness.com

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