Warm-Up Exercises for Kids A Must-Have Guide for Budding Athletes

Top Sports To Build Physical Strength And Endurance In Kids

Introduction

A warm-up exercise is a brief physical activity session to enhance the temperature of the body and prepare the muscles for the demanding physical activity planned. It helps in the recovery and prevention of injuries as well. Warm-ups are generally done just before the workout for the sports activity is about to begin. It is a combination of some light exercises, such as stretching, jumping, and even running.

These brief workouts have to be designed specifically according to the needs of a kid and may vary depending on the season. Warmup exercises are a tried and tested technique for preparing the body and promoting flexibility without too much of an effort. Generally, it is considered ideal for children to have a very light warm-up exercise schedule before starting an intense physical activity like sports training.

Different Types of Warm-Up Exercises for Kids

Here is a look at some different types of warm-up exercises for kids and how they can benefit the kid’s body and performance.

Cycling

Going for mild cycling just before beginning the training session prepares the leg muscles and helps in increasing the body temperature as well. It also promotes the mobility of joints and reduces the risk of any kind of injury because of muscle strengthening. A great aspect of cycling is that a child may do it on their own if they know how to cycle. Since it also requires one to be mentally agile, cycling may also help in increasing focus. Ask your kid to go for a mild cycling round before starting with the training session to promote joint movement and flexibility.

Going For a Run

Doing light cardio, such as going for a jog or running 400 m to 500 m before getting into training can also be a considerable warmup exercise option. This is a highly doable exercise as a child doesn't need any specific requirements. However, one thing that needs to be taken care of is that the child shouldn't indulge in heavy running for a longer duration. Encourage your child to go for a light jog so that the body temperature increases a bit, and the muscles get ready for the workout ahead. Running for longer hours at a lot of speed can exhaust the child and leave them with no energy to play further.

Skipping

Skipping is a warmup activity that can be done simply by using a skipping rope in a moderately wide area. It involves light but continuous jumping that sets that body in motion and helps in getting that initial sweat out. Skipping is an efficacious exercise to get the momentum for a workout and set the body in motion. Also, one doesn't need a variety of gears and tools to do this warmup exercise. Once a person aces conventional skipping exercise, there are a lot of complex versions that can be learned. This warmup exercise targets calf muscles and builds agility while also working on stamina.

Sport Specific Warm Up

A sports-specific warmup is a workout regime that is specifically designed to cater to the subjective requirements of a particular sport. For example, if your child is involved in playing football, then their sports-specific warmup can include a lot of exercises related to stamina building and foot movement. Exercises like side hops and jumping jacks or forward lunges can be perfect for strengthening their leg muscles. On the other hand, if your child plays badminton, where great shoulder strength and footwork are required, you may include exercises like arm stretches, pull-ups, and high knees. These specific exercises prepare the kid for the sports activity ahead and work on the specific body part that needs to be strengthened.

Frog Jumping

Frog jumping is an interesting warmup exercise for kids that targets a lot of body parts. To perform this activity, one has to be in a squat position and jump forward while keeping the arms either in front or over the head. After jumping from one place to another, the kid has to be in the same position and repeat the jumps until a certain distance is covered. This is an integrative exercise that not only makes the body more agile but enhances weight management. It works on the core while also strengthening the leg muscles.

How To Integrate Warmup Exercises in Your Kid’s Routine

There are a number of ways that can be helpful in integrating warm up exercises in your kid’s regime. Here are some that you may find helpful.

Keep Rotating Exercises

A great way to encourage kids to keep doing warm up exercises is by changing and mixing up their warmup regime. Try to introduce new exercises from time to time and keep it new and interesting. This would avoid monotony, and the child would be engaged for a longer time.

Ask What They Like

Instead of just making your child do different exercises, also ask what they like doing the most. Understanding your child’s likings can help you develop warm up regimes that suffice to their likings and interests. This would also promote better engagement and consistency.

Constant Encouragement

Encourage your child by being supportive and developing a positive environment around them. Reward them for their consistency and recognize their efforts. Your child’s dedication and will to engage in warm up may get better.

Educate Them

A child should know about the importance of warmups. Giving logical explanations is important to make the child understand why a particular thing needs to be done. Tell me the medical repercussions of not doing regular warmups and the benefits of doing them.

Conclusion

Always remember that a successful warmup exercise is something that can be done regularly without fail and is also engaging for a child. Parents must look for innovative ways to incorporate warm-up exercises by switching up the regime from time-to-time. These are good in the long run for better agility and prevention of injuries.