Locomotion

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

Set up

Use the centre circle of your pitch and mark out a five-yard square in the middle of the circle. We’ve used 16 players. You need cones and balls.

How to play it

Place 10 players equally spaced out around the circle. Put six players in the centre, each with a ball. Players must run through the square and then pass to one of the outside players, run around the back of them and receive the ball back. They then run through the square again and this time pass to an outside player and swap places with them. The outside player then does the same routine.
The numbers of players in the warm-up can be easily adjusted but just make sure there are three or four more players on the outside than on the inside when it starts.

Technique

Passing the ball, receiving, running with the ball, running with head up, control, communication and decision making all come into play in this effective and game realistic warm-up exercise.
The speed of execution will depend on the ability level of the players but even younger players will be able to gradually build up their pace and skill level.

Difficulty rating ☆☆

The beauty of this warm up is that it can begin slowly and gradually build up in intensity. Top level players may soon get to one-touch passing. Others can build up to it.

1.The four players in the centre of the circle have a ball each and make sure they don’t get in each other’s way

2.The centre players must dribble through the central box and pass to an outside player

3.They run around the player they have passed the ball to and receive the ball back

4.After receiving the ball back the player then dribbles through the box again and passes to an outside player

5. This time the player swaps places with the outside player, who dribbles onto the pitch to repeat the warm-up