Youth football player getting ready to throw football

Neuromuscular Training Warm-Up Program for Football

About SHRED injuries Football Neuromuscular Training Warm-Up Program

This program has been developed with input from physiotherapists, strength & conditioning coaches, football players, and members of Football Canada. 

The SHRED Injuries Football neuromuscular training warm-up program is being evaluated in youth club players. The program was developed with ongoing feedback from football coaches, players, strength and conditioning staff, physiotherapists, epidemiologists and members of Football Canada.This warm-up is designed to be completed in 10–12 minutes at the beginning of every practice and game.

Neuromuscular training has been shown to reduce the incidence of injury by >30% in youth. Our current research is evaluating the effectiveness of this program in reducing injuries in Canadian youth football players, including the preventative effects of concussion injuries.

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Categories

Neck control

Exercises to develop movement control for the head on neck.

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Aerobic & Agility

Running-based activities to warm up and develop control and technique when changing direction.

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Balance & Strength: Partner exercises

Exercises to develop movement control and stability in the lower body and trunk.

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Balance & Strength: Individual exercises

Bodyweight or partner resistance activities to develop strength and control through the lower and upper body.

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Agility

Landing and change of direction activities to develop power and control.

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Neck control

These exercises should be performed at the beginning of the warm-up.

Football athletes performing static neck contractions

Static neck contractions

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Football athletes performing bobbleheads in a 3-point stance position

Bobbleheads in 3-point stance

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Aerobic & Agility

To perform these exercises, have players line up in groups along the end line or the width of the field. Use cones or yard markers to designate channels for each group. Players will perform exercises in this section down the length of the channel.

Football athlete performing figure 8 jogging

Figure 8 jogging

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Football athletes performing zig-zaq runs

Forward zig-zag run

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Backwards zig-zag side shuffle

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Football athletes performing walking lunges with torso rotation, leg, and arm lifts

Walking lunges with torso rotation, leg & arm lift

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Football athletes performing shoulder-to-shoulder runs

Shoulder-to-shoulder run

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Football athletes performing partner plant and cut

Partner plant and cut

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Balance & Strength: Partner exercises

The following exercises are performed on the spot and with a partner. No distance coverage is required. Have players in each group spread out along their channels, covering the full field space.

Football athletes performing partner nudges on a single-leg

Partner nudges

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Football athletes performing single-leg partner jousting

Single-leg partner jousting

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Football athletes performing standing partner push-ups

Standing partner push-ups

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Football athletes performing standing partner wrestling

Standing wrestling

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Football athletes performing nordic hamstring curl

Nordic hamstring curl

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Balance & Strength: Individual exercises

The following exercises are performed individually on the spot. No distance coverage is required.

Football athlete performing front plank on elbows with rotation

Front plank on elbows with rotation

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Football athletes performing dynamic squats

Dynamic squats

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Football athletes performing the lateral lunge portion of the 4-D lunge

4-D lunge

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Football players performing jumping jacks

Jumping jacks

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Agility

Players should return to their original groups along the end line or side lines to complete the following exercises within their channels.

Shuttle run exercise

Shuttle runs

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Side shuffle to change of direction exercise

Side shuffling with quick direction change

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