Game-Day Warm-Up: Ten Minutes That Count
A good warm-up raises your heart rate, switches on your legs and gets the ball in your hands. Here is a simple ten-minute plan any team can run.
Walk into the gym, lace up, and shoot a few jumpers. That is what many teams call a warm-up, and it is how a lot of players pull a hamstring in the first quarter. A short, structured plan does far more.
The plan at a glance
| Minutes | Focus | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 2 | Raise the heart rate | Easy jog, side shuffles, carioca |
| 2 to 5 | Mobility | Leg swings, hip circles, arm circles |
| 5 to 7 | Activation | Skips, high knees, short sprints |
| 7 to 10 | Ball skills | Layup lines, then shooting from five spots |
Start slow, finish fast
Begin with movements you could do in your sleep, then raise the effort a little each minute. By the final two minutes you should be moving at close to game speed, breathing hard and a touch warm.
Stretching, but the right kind
Hold long static stretches after the game, not before. Before the game, stretch while moving: walking lunges with a twist, leg swings front to back and side to side, and gentle jumps.
Get the ball involved
Players who only warm up their legs often feel stiff the first time they handle the ball in a game. Mix in:
- Two-ball dribbling for twenty seconds.
- Passing against a wall or with a partner.
- A few layups with each hand.
Mind the clock
Finish about two minutes before tip-off so you have time to drink water, listen to the coach and get settled. Warm-ups that run right up to the whistle leave you tired instead of ready.
Keep it the same every game. A familiar routine tells your body and your head that it is time to play.