Do Warm Up Exercise Before Playing Volleyball or Any Sports

We always heard that we should always do the warm up exercise before playing any sports. But. because of our too much excitement we tend to forget this step. Even me, I honestly say that I seldom follow such reminder.

Since I was a kid volleyball is one of my favorite sport aside from badminton. When I finish my college degree I set aside these sports and I just focus on my field of career. I play volleyball just recently October 11, 2017 for the tune up in preparation for our upcoming sports feast. We go to the place of our practice and play without doing such warm up exercise, it was fun and refreshing for me to play my favorite sport. I enjoyed every moment of it with my colleague.

But, when time goes by I notice the pain in my hand and some parts of my whole body. After the game, I told one my colleague that after this we will feel more pain as the muscles relaxes. And I was right! After I woke up in the morning I feel the pain in my legs, hands and other parts of my body.

At the end of the tune up game, I realized how important it is to do such warm up exercise first before playing the game. For the benefits of the others, I research some exercise before playing volleyball or any kind of sports related activities according to Brookhaven National Laboratory.


Shoulder Circles (Clockwise & Counter-clockwise)
Start with your shoulders at your side. Begin to circle your shoulders clockwise 5 times and counterclockwise 5 times. Purpose – Warm up shoulders.

Reach Up
Start with your arms at chest level and raise your arms all the way up and back to the start position. Repeat 10 times. Purpose – Warm up shoulders.

Reach Across
Reach left arm across the chest, and with the right arm, pull the left further across until you feel a stretch in the shoulder, hold 10 seconds. Repeat for the opposite side. Purpose – Stretch lateral shoulder.

Reach Back
Place both hands behind the back and grasp your hands. Begin to lift your hands off of your back until a stretch is felt in the front of your shoulders, hold for 10 seconds. Purpose – Stretch anterior shoulder.

Jumping Jacks
Start with feet together and hands at your sides. End with feet apart and hands clapped together. Repeat 10 times. Purpose – To warm up the arms and legs, as well as Increase heart rate and warm up the body.

Mountain Climbers 
Start with your hands on the ground, left leg forward with knee to chest and right leg back. In a quick motion, switch leg positions. The count for each cycle is 1,2,3-1. 1,2,3-2. 1,2,3 - 3 counting up to 10. Purpose – Warm up legs, arms, activate core muscles, & stretch Achilles tendons.

Calf Stretch 
On your hands and feet, begin a left calf stretch on ball of foot bringing the heel to the ground. Place the right foot over the left ankle; hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat. Purpose – Calf muscle and Achilles stretch, warm up shoulders, activate core muscles.

Alternate Calf Stretch
Start with right foot approximately 18” from wall or fence with toes pointing directly forward, bring the left foot forward and lean into the wall. Keep the right knee straight and hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Repeat with the left leg. Purpose – Calf muscle and Achilles stretch.

Toe Touches 
Start with feet shoulder width apart, hands on your hips, reach down towards the toes. If you can reach, touch the floor in between your feet by the toes, then touch 1” behind, and again 1” behind that for a count of 3. (1,2,3-1. 1,2,3 -2. 1,2,3-3 etc…) Then, back to the starting position. Repeat this count 10 times Purpose – stretch the hamstring muscles.

Quad Stretches 
Hold on to a stationary object like the wall or a fence to maintain balance. Take hold of your right foot and slowly pull your foot towards the buttocks, keep your knee down by your opposite leg, not out to the side. Repeat with the other side. Purpose – Stretch the quadriceps muscles primarily and the anterior shin muscles secondarily.