Warm up
Performers must carry out an appropriate preparation prior to their one-off performance in order to effectively prepare the body for an activity. This consists of three key stages.
Stage one: Raising the heart rate
This is aerobic activity such as jogging. This usually lasts around five minutes and is important because:
- It raises the body temperature and heart rate, which helps to warm the muscles
- Muscles react and contract faster when they are warm
- It increases the blood supply to the working muscles (more oxygen getting to the working muscles)
Stage two: Stretching
Stretching the muscles used in the activity that you are about to participate in. There are two different types of stretching - static or dynamic. It is important to stretch before an activity because:
- It reduces the risk of injury
- It stretches the muscles, making them longer and more flexible (increases the elasticity of the muscles)
- The range of movement around a joint is increased
Stage three: Practicing skills
Practice the skills of the game, such as passing, dribbling and shooting. This is important because:
- This warms up the specific muscles that will be working in the game
- You can get used to the surface/court lines/conditions on the day
- It can help you to mentally prepare (“Get in the zone!”)
