A dynamic warm-up gets the whole body moving. Leg swings, lunges, arm circles, and light jogging prepare muscles for the demands of softball.
What you need: Open field, no equipment, 10+ kids.
Setup: Kids in two lines facing each other, 15 feet apart.
How to run it:
- Jog from one line to the other (30 feet). No sprinting.
- Arm circles: 10 forward, 10 backward. Both arms at once.
- Leg swings: 10 forward/backward each leg, 10 side-to-side each leg.
- Walking lunges: 10 lunges across the field.
- Carioca (side shuffle): 10 steps right, 10 steps left, walking backward.
- Butt kicks: 20 fast steps bringing heels to glutes.
- High knees: 20 fast steps bringing knees to chest.
- Final jog: one lap around the field at easy pace.
What to watch: Are movements smooth or stiff? Stiffness means they need more reps. Are kids jogging or standing? Keep moving.
If they’re struggling: Cut the reps in half. Do 5 of each. Focus on good form, not quantity.
If they’ve got it: Add more reps. Do 15 of each. Add a sprint finish after the circuit to get the heart rate up.