Run for it
“If you’ve missed your lift to the ground and know you will be late, don’t rely on a swig of water and spray of Deep Heat for a warm-up,” warns West Brom’s conditioning coach, Mark Jarvis. “A 10-15 minute jog to the game will ensure you’re ready when the whistle blows.”
On your bike son!
“No time to run, no problem – just hop on your bike,” advises Jarvis. “Cycling is perfect, especially if your knees, hips and ankles creak at the start of a game. Riding to the ground achieves many of the typical warm up goals – ie. a raised body temperature.”
Er, skateboard?!
“It might sound like a joke, but skateboarding is a more specific warm-up than you might think,” explains Jarvis. “The most common football injury is a hamstring tear. The pulling action in skateboarding replicates the role of hamstrings in sprinting very nicely."
For more fitness tips see:
Warm up essentials: Fire up your glutes – part one
Warm up essentials: Fire up your glutes – part two
Warm up essentials: Fire up your glutes – part three
Warm up essentials: Activate your hips
Warm up essentials: Balance and co-ordination
Warm up essentials: Explosive movements
