Some fun ideas to warm-up with
As the netball season progresses, team sessions and warm-up routines can become mundane. It can also be hard to implement a good warm-up with minimal space. Here are few different ideas for getting your team warmed-up effectively and ready to take the court.
1. Circle ball tiggy
Good For
Limited space warm-up; intermediate and secondary school players.
Coaching Points
Players are to keep moving quickly in the small space provided; more than one ball can be added to increase difficulty and movement; players with the ball cannot step; look for quick accurate movement and fast feet with eyes on the ball.
- Place cones on the ground to make a circle of moderate size or use the goal circle of a netball court.
- Split your players into two teams (attacking team and free team).
- All players must remain in the circle area.
- Attacking team has the ball and must pass it around quickly without stepping to other players in their team with the aim of tagging a player from the free team. The ball must not be thrown at players but can be thrown amongst the attacking team whilst trying to tag the opposing team.
- Swap over teams once a person is tagged
2. Slalom runs
Good For
Narrow warm-up space; all levels of players.
Coaching Points
Players use short sharp movements to navigate quickly around their team mates, with head up.
- Line your players up one behind the other with space between (approximately a metre apart). Adjust space to more or less to increase and decrease complexity for players.
- Starting at the front of the line the first player rolls off the line and runs weaving through all team players then sprints back to their starting position and the next player goes.
- Note that players must weave all of their team members, therefore a player that starts half way down the line will weave to the end of the line, sprint back to the start of the line and continue to weave until back to their starting position.
3. Military drill
Good For
Limited space to warm-up; secondary school players, club players and above.
Coaching Points
Players are to keep moving constantly and quickly. Coaches can add in other movements that fit this drill and are appropriate for the level of teh players, for example, star jumps and burpees.
- Players in own space (perhaps goal circle or similar).
- Coach or captain stands at the front calling the drill commands.
- Start players with fast feet on the spot and change movements regularly, mixing up a variety of:
Fast feet = fast toe touching run on spot with arms pumping
Butt kicks = kicking heels up to butt
High knees = raising knees up to hip height with arms pumping
Squat jumps = squatting down low and jumping up high repeatedly
Drop = drop down to ground and give 3-5 press-ups
Left = left twist jump, both feet jump around with toes pointing to the left and straight back to front again, upper body and head remains facing forward
Right = right twist jump, same as left twist jump just around to the right.
Tucks = tuck jumps repeatedly
Jog = jogging on the spot
- Players keep performing the movement given until the next one is called (Except press-ups: complete a certain number than back up and into fast feet).
4. Star runs
Good For
Limited space to warm-up; all levels of players.
Coaching Points
Players are to keep moving quickly with fast feet, keeping head up and looking ahead.
- Place six numbered cones in a circle with a center cone.
- Players start at the first cone and run in and out to each of the cones and back to the centre cone in order.
- First lap through is a jog, second lap through is a faster run and third lap through is a sprint.
- Two or three players can be in the star at once running or every two cones a new player enters the run as players leave once they have completed it and await their next run.
- Adjust size of the circle/star formation depending on space available.
5. Footwork warm-up
Good For
Limited space to warm-up; all levels of players.
Coaching Points
Look for good tidy, quick footwork and head up.
- Place a medium sized triangle of cones.
- Players move around cones accurately and quickly.
- Alternate between 10 second sprints and 30 second jogs, then add in side step 20 seconds, sprint 10 seconds and jog 30 seconds.
6. Triangle cone figure eights
Good For
Limited space warm-up; intermediate level and above players.
Coaching Points
Look for good body balance and control, footwork, eyes up with quick changes of direction.
- Set out a triangle of cones.
- Players start at the first cone, run around cones one and two making a figure of eight shape, then onto cones two and three making the same figure of eight shape, then cones three and one before finishing.
- Encourage team communication.
- Can be done as a follow the leader run or a couple of players at a time.
7. Cone squares:
Good For
Variety of movements; moderate space to warm-up; secondary school level players and above.
Coaching Points
Look for good body balance, stability and control and tidy footwork
- Place cones in a square, with a centre cone.
- Players move along the sides of the square performing various movements (side stepping, running, high knee skipping, bounding or grapevine and so on).
- After player has covered each side of the square they sprint to the centre cone, back to that corner and repeat along the next side, always retiring to the centre cone with a sprint after each side of the square.
- Can have four players in one square at a time, encourage good communication.
8. Movement reaction warm-up
Good For
Younger players, primary and intermediate level; warming up with limited space.
Coaching Points
Keep players moving quickly and on their toes. Give younger players a demonstration.
- Pair up players.
- Player A performs a series of various movements; short sprints, weaves, single leg hops, bounds, butt kicks, grapevine, dodges, jumps or high knee skips. Player B is their shadow and has to quickly pick up the movement and copy.
- Players swap over leadership and continue
9. Cone sprint slides
Good For
Moderate space to warm-up; intermediate level players or above
Coaching Points
Can be set over a small or larger area depending on space available. Add in jumps or cone touches to increase complexity with higher level
players, along with accuracy in footwork. Can add in cone knock downs and pick ups for variety.
- Split players into two teams lined up one behind the other on a line or at a cone.
- Set cones out as follows; create a triangle of cones with the 90 degree corners opposite each other and at the team starting positions.
- From the base cone back to the start cone randomly scatter cones to be weaved around.
- Starting at the 90 degree corner cone, each player runs to second cone (out in front), rolls around the cone and slips down on an angle, at a sprint, to the outside base cone then dodges and weaves around cones back to start position.
- Players then join the team line of the other team to encourage variety in running angles and take-off feet.
