Why Are Warm-Up Exercises Important in Football?

Playing football, whether in a casual game, organized practice or serious competition, puts quite a strain on your body. In addition to frequent collisions, football players must be able to accelerate and decelerate quickly and change directions. Warm-up exercises are important before playing football as they can increase performance and decrease the risk of injury.

  1. Performance

    • Warm-up exercises can naturally improve a football player's performance. Warmed muscles contract more efficiently and quickly. Warm-up exercises also increase the temperature of the muscles, allowing red blood cells to release oxygen faster. Light muscle activity before playing football also improves circulation via two mechanisms. First, warm-up exercises increase the heart rate. Second, they cause dilation of the blood vessels that supply the muscles. Warm-up exercises can also give players time to focus and mentally prepare for the game.

    Injury Prevention

    • Warm-up exercises can also play a role in preventing injury. Warming up muscles can help prevent muscle soreness and stiffness after the game by priming the muscles for effort. Warm-up exercises also can help limber up stiff muscles before a game. This is key because muscle stiffness is directly related to the risk of injury in a game. Warm-up exercises can also help players relax, which can reduce muscle tension and further decrease the risk of injury. Warmed muscles can also be stretched further without tearing or snapping.

    Static Vs. Dynamic Stretching

    • Stretching is an important part of warm-up exercises, but some kinds of stretches can be detrimental for football players and other athletes. Static stretches, such as toe touches and other stretches that involve holding a stretch for 20 to 30 seconds actually make muscles weaker. According to a 2008 article in "The New York Times," static stretching can reduce muscle strength by up to 30 percent. Instead, muscle stretching that occurs while moving --- also known as dynamic stretching --- improves power, flexibility and range of motion.

    Warm-Up Suggestions

    • One way to begin a warm-up routine is by lightly jogging. Additional exercises include walking or jogging while bending the knee as high as possible --- knee ups --- and walking while lifting the leg straight out as high as possible. Forward lunges are another effective warm-up exercise. Players should also practice motions that they will perform in the game situation, such as changing directions while running and moving laterally.