Before beginning any sports practice or game, you need to make sure you do a thorough warm-up that prepares players both physically and mentally to play. A good warm-up routine includes both a cardiovascular component such as running and a series of stretches that highlight the muscles used the most during the sport in question.
Monitoring field hockey warm up drills They’re a great addition to any warm-up routine as they emphasize basic game skills while getting the joints moving and the blood flowing to prevent further injury.
One thing I have noticed in my years as a field hockey coach is that players hate running laps. So, in our field hockey practices, we replace the running laps with a 5-minute long version of the frozen tag. Tag is a great way to get players running while keeping their minds more active than if they were just running around the field.
After completing the cardio section of your warmup, it’s time for the stretch. I like to start with head twists and neck stretches and work my way down. If you don’t have experience leading a stretching routine, feel free to contact other trainers or a certified yoga instructor for guidance on which stretches not to miss for your field hockey team.
hits and misses
Once you’ve finished stretching out your team muscles, it’s time to begin your field hockey warm-up exercises. When selecting drills for your warm-up, look for simple drills that emphasize basic game skills without putting too much pressure on players – save that for conditioning drills!
The first warm-up drill I like to use in my field hockey practices is a basic hitting drill, since hitting is the most basic and useful skill in hockey. For this hitting drill, I divide my team into partners and have them stand facing each other 10 feet apart to start.
When performing this and all other warm-up exercises, the emphasis is on perfect form. For example, when hitting it it is important to ensure that the player’s hands are firmly together near the top of the club. Use your hands and wrists to bring the club back, and the goal should be to hit the bottom half of the ball as the club comes back down. Don’t forget to follow up with the club after completing the stroke. Another thing to remember is to keep your feet parallel to the direction you want the ball to go.
I have my players punch back and forth for 2 minutes at this distance, then blow my whistle and have each player take a giant step back, repeating this process two more times before moving on to the next drill.
Push pass perfection
the next of the field hockey warm up drills it focuses on the push pass, which is a better way than hitting to move the ball long distances. Using the same partners as before, have your players stand 20-40 feet apart and pass each other.
The shape of the push pass differs slightly from that of the punch. For the push pass, players should place their left hand near the top of the stick with their right hand lower. Keeping their eyes on the ball with their knees bent, players should shift their weight from the rear foot to the front foot as contact is made with the ball. As with the punch, make sure you follow through completely. The follow through is complete when the stick points in the direction of the pass.
