Warm Ups for Soccer: A Dynamic Approach

This book covers warm-ups comprehensively, which is generally far more than most amateur or youth teams do. However, you can take parts and concepts of the routines and apply them to your team (or yourself). Some key points are that you not just warming up your body (muscles, joints, connective tissue, etc...) but you are warming up your brain and nerve firing, getting them sped up and ready to perform, particularly in a soccer specific way. Mitch covers a range of dynamic stretches (illustrated with photos from some pro players), and then progresses from there through several stages. From basic dynamic stretches, to combinations to soccer specific dynamic warm-ups with patters, to full scale warm-ups with different stations, with/without balls, to team warm-up activities. For some of the activities that are illustrated with drawings, it would be nice to have a little more detail. This book has sections on acceleration and deacceleration that are valuable though I would like to see ever more detail, especially when he talks about change of direction. For accelerate, deacceleration and change of direction, it would be helpful if he illustrated those with a series of stop motion photos.

I like the concepts and philosophies in this book. It has a nice progression as well. It is a little dry ... but it is soccer warm ups ... how exciting can it be. Very informative. If you are looking for a better way to get your kids ready before a game or practice, I encourage you to pick up this book.

The book starts with dynamic stretch illustrations which are good. The illustrations of stretches are usually 1 photo and explanations that are complete and the sessions are drawn as A's and B's. They are broken down into groups of stretches like the basics, then combinations, patters with fast feet and then to actually exercises. Mick then has Stage Two as an improved running section with easy and pratical exercises. Stage Three he gives 60 specific warms ups covering basics to space and shooting. Almost all sessions are using a ball. I titled it has a "handy guide" as I use it to get things out and develop my own or grab one of Mick's and go!

A super book for coaches who want to incorporate dynamic warm-ups/stretching into their teams training sessions and pre-game routine. Explanations are solid and easy to understand. As a coach of thirteen years I even found some terrific new warm-up exercises and games to use with my teams. Highly recommended especially for those who still believe that static stretching is still O.K. and anyone else who wants to leaern about proper warming up.

Really an outstanding book. It made me as a coach review how I approached warm-ups. I had always had the team go through traditional warm-ups; running the width of the field a couple of times, stretch and then small games of keep-away. Now, after reading this book that will all change. Dynamic stretching, varying the warm-up games etc... it is all covered in this book very well. Highly recommended for all coaches.