Use an arrival activity at the start of training

One of the problems coaches have with warm ups is that if all the players have not turned up at the start of training traditional warm ups are difficult to run when you have to add players. So I have some arrival activities up my sleeve that I use at training when I know the players will turn up in dribs and drabs ready to start training straight away.

I will often use Rondos for this and certainly a lot of my players will turn up and set up their own Rondo, but there are times when I want to use sessions where players can just slot in.

Arrival activities

Great for any age group once players have got into the swing of passing one way and running the other in Clocks. You can use any number of players and add more as they turn up for training.

As an arrival activity Changing direction works because you can add players as they turn up to training. It develops a high level of skill and movement. It is good for technique and uses both feet, working on dribbling, turning, changing direction plus advanced movements of the ball.

Two move is a great arrival activity to get players touching and turning with the ball. Pretty simple stuff but all the best possession teams in the world practise like this. It gets players used to looking for the player with the ball and combining to keep possession away from the opposition.

If you want something easy and quick to set up Locomotion is the arrival activity for you – suitable for all ages and abilities that will improve communication, passing awareness and decision-making.

Some sessions can be used for getting players to use skills that make the players think about the training they will be doing in your training session. Skills slalom encourages your players to control the ball and unleash a shot on the run. Great way to warm up and an excellent arrival activity as players turn up.

Talking of Rondos, I often use Triangle keep ball because it is a simple 5v2 keep away game made harder by having a triangle in the middle which the two defenders must protect or stay in the middle longer. It is a great arrival activity to get players’ thinking and reacting.

Clocks

in Arrival activities, Warm Ups

This arrival activity is great for any age group once players have got into the swing of passing one way and running the other. You can use any number of players and add more as they turn up for training. MORE

Changing direction

in Arrival activities, Ball Control and Footwork, Warm Ups

As an arrival activity this works because you can add players as they turn up to training. It develops a high level of skill and movement. It is good for technique and uses both feet. MORE

Triangle keep ball

in Arrival activities, Rondos, Warm Ups

This is a simple 5v2 keep away game made harder by having a triangle in the middle which the two defenders must protect or stay in the middle longer MORE

Two move

in Arrival activities, Small Sided Games, Warm Ups

This simple and fun activity is perfect for use on match days, allowing you to warm up your players with ball control and good touch MORE

Locomotion

in Arrival activities, Passing, Warm Ups

An easily organised warm up suitable for all ages and abilities that will improve communication, passing awareness and decision-making. MORE

Skills slalom

in Ball Control and Footwork, Shooting

This brilliant training drill will encourage your attackers to control the ball and unleash a shot on the run – makes a great arrival activity as you can add players as they turn up MORE