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Exercises

Sports warm up: a 15-minute template for team and court sports

Published October 24, 2026

A sports warm up takes 12 to 15 minutes: 4 to 5 minutes of easy running or high knees and butt kicks, 3 minutes of mobility (leg swings, walking lunges, arm circles), 2 to 3 minutes of activation (lateral band walks, glute bridges, band pull-aparts), and 3 to 5 minutes of sport-speed primers: skater hops, jump squats, ladder footwork and med ball throws for throwing sports. Finish close to kickoff or tip-off.

  1. Running Quads, Hamstrings, Calves
  2. High Knees Quads
  3. Leg Swings Hamstrings, Glutes
  4. Walking Lunge Quads, Glutes
  5. Lateral Band Walk Abductors
  6. Skater Hop Glutes, Quads, Abductors
  7. Jump Squat Quads, Glutes
  8. Agility Ladder Drill Calves, Quads

Raise: jog and run drills

Start with an easy jog, then a few running drills. You should be breathing faster but able to talk.

Raise, easy jog

Running

Quads, Hamstrings, Calves

Easy jogging around the field or court is the classic first stage of a team warm-up.

How to do it

  1. Start at a pace slow enough to chat.
  2. Keep your steps short and land under your hips.
  3. Pick up the pace slightly over the last minute.

Cues

  • Short, light steps
  • Relaxed shoulders
  • Build gradually

Common mistakes

  • Starting at game pace: the first minutes stay easy.

Swap for: High Knees, Brisk Walk, Jump Rope

Build a session with Running

Raise and sprint prep, knee drive

High Knees

Quads

High knees prepare the hips for sprinting.

How to do it

  1. Stand tall and start jogging in place.
  2. Drive each knee up toward hip height while your opposite arm swings forward.
  3. Stay on the balls of your feet and build the pace over the interval.

Cues

  • Knee to hip height
  • Tall chest
  • Arms pump with the legs

Common mistakes

  • Leaning back to get the knees higher: keep your torso upright and lower the knee height.

Swap for: Butt Kicks, Skipping in Place, Mountain Climber

Build a session with High Knees

Raise, hamstring and quad prep

Butt Kicks

Hamstrings

Butt kicks warm the hamstrings that sprinting loads most.

How to do it

  1. Jog in place with your torso upright.
  2. Pull each heel up toward your glutes on every stride.
  3. Keep your knees pointing down and your feet quick.

Cues

  • Heels to glutes
  • Knees stay under hips
  • Quick feet

Common mistakes

  • Letting the knees swing forward: the thigh stays vertical while the heel rises.

Swap for: High Knees, Jumping Jack, Skipping in Place

Build a session with Butt Kicks

Mobility: hips, legs and shoulders

Move each joint the way the sport will: legs forward and back for running, arms overhead for throwing or hitting.

Hip mobility, front-to-back swings

Leg Swings

Hamstrings, Glutes

Swings open the hips forward and back for running and kicking.

How to do it

  1. Stand side-on to a wall or rack with one hand on it for balance.
  2. Swing your outside leg forward and back like a pendulum, letting the range grow with each swing.
  3. Keep your torso still, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Range grows each swing
  • Torso stays quiet
  • Standing knee soft

Common mistakes

  • Throwing the leg as high as possible from the first swing: start small and let it open up.

Swap for: Standing Side Leg Raise, Walking Lunge, Cossack Squat

Build a session with Leg Swings

Mobility, travelling lunge, a plate overhead or hands free

Walking Lunge

Quads, Glutes

Lunges stretch the front of the hips and warm the legs for longer strides.

How to do it

  1. Stand tall; hold a light plate overhead or keep hands on hips.
  2. Step forward into a lunge until your back knee is just above the floor.
  3. Push up and step through into the next lunge.

Cues

  • Long step
  • Upright torso
  • Back knee hovers

Common mistakes

  • Short choppy steps that jam the front knee forward: lengthen the stride.

Swap for: Cardio Lunge, Dumbbell Forward Lunge, Reverse Lunge

Build a session with Walking Lunge

Shoulder mobility, circles

Arm Circles

Shoulders

Arm circles prepare the shoulders for throwing, hitting and catching.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your arms straight out to the sides at shoulder height.
  2. Draw small circles forward, growing them bigger over 10 seconds.
  3. Reverse direction and repeat.

Cues

  • Start small, finish big
  • Arms long
  • Ribs down

Common mistakes

  • Arching the lower back on the big circles: keep your ribs stacked over your hips.

Swap for: Band Pull-Apart, Plank IYTW, Dumbbell External Rotation

Build a session with Arm Circles

Activation: hips and upper back

Cutting and landing rely on the side of the hip; throwing relies on the upper back. Light sets switch both on.

Activation, side glutes

Lateral Band Walk

Abductors

Side steps with a band switch on the hip that steadies your knee on cuts.

How to do it

  1. Put a mini band above your knees or around your ankles and sit into a quarter squat.
  2. Step sideways with tension on the band the whole time.
  3. Take the same number of steps back the other way.

Cues

  • Stay in the quarter squat
  • Band never goes slack
  • Toes forward

Common mistakes

  • Dragging the trailing foot in close: keep feet apart.

Swap for: Clamshell, Band Standing Hip Abduction, Dumbbell Lateral Lunge

Build a session with Lateral Band Walk

Activation, glutes one side at a time

Single-Leg Glute Bridge

Glutes

One-leg bridges wake up the glutes you sprint and jump with.

How to do it

  1. On your back, plant one foot flat and the other leg lifted; rest a light kettlebell on the working hip if you have one.
  2. Press the planted heel down and raise your hips until your body is straight from knee to shoulder.
  3. Lower slowly and finish the set before switching.

Cues

  • Push through the heel
  • Hips level
  • Pause at the top

Common mistakes

  • Letting one hip drop: lower the height until both stay level.

Swap for: Donkey Kick, Dumbbell Glute Bridge, Clamshell

Build a session with Single-Leg Glute Bridge

Activation, upper back

Band Pull-Apart

Shoulders, Upper Back

Pull-aparts wake up the upper back before throwing.

How to do it

  1. Hold a light band at shoulder height with straight arms and hands shoulder width apart.
  2. Pull the band apart until it touches your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  3. Return slowly.

Cues

  • Arms straight
  • Squeeze between the shoulder blades
  • Slow return

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging up toward the ears: keep the shoulders low.

Swap for: Band Face Pull, Band Rear Delt Fly, Plank IYTW

Build a session with Band Pull-Apart

Sport primers: cuts, jumps and throws

Finish with short, fast efforts at rising speed. Pick the ones your sport uses.

Sport primer, lateral bounds

Skater Hop

Glutes, Quads, Abductors

Lateral bounds rehearse cutting and changing direction.

How to do it

  1. Stand on one leg with a slight bend at the knee and hip.
  2. Push off sideways and land on the opposite foot, letting the trailing leg swing behind.
  3. Stick each landing for a moment, then bound back.

Cues

  • Stick the landing
  • Push sideways, not up
  • Soft knee

Common mistakes

  • Landing stiff-legged: bend the knee to absorb.

Swap for: Lateral Box Jump, Dumbbell Lateral Lunge, Single-Leg Jump

Build a session with Skater Hop

Sport primer, vertical jump

Jump Squat

Quads, Glutes

A few jumps prepare the legs for rebounding, heading or spiking.

How to do it

  1. Stand shoulder-width, then drop into a quarter to half squat.
  2. Jump straight up, swinging your arms.
  3. Land softly and reset before the next jump.

Cues

  • Quick dip, fast up
  • Land quietly
  • Reset between reps

Common mistakes

  • Linking reps with sloppy landings: reset fully at this stage.

Swap for: Box Jump, Frog Jump, Star Jump

Build a session with Jump Squat

Sport primer, footwork

Agility Ladder Drill

Calves, Quads

Ladder footwork sharpens quick feet for court and field sports.

How to do it

  1. Lay a ladder flat and stand at one end.
  2. Step both feet into the first square and both back out, moving forward one square at a time.
  3. Stay on the balls of your feet and speed up on each pass.

Cues

  • Light, quick feet
  • Eyes ahead
  • Arms move with the feet

Common mistakes

  • Looking down at every square: glance ahead after the first pass.

Swap for: Skipping in Place, High Knees, Skater Hop

Build a session with Agility Ladder Drill

Sport primer, full-body power

Medicine Ball Overhead Throw

Shoulders, Abs

Overhead throws prepare throwing and hitting sports at a higher power.

How to do it

  1. Hold a medicine ball overhead with arms straight.
  2. Bend slightly and throw the ball forward into the wall or floor ahead of you.
  3. Retrieve and repeat with a full reset.

Cues

  • Reach tall before the throw
  • Whole body throws
  • Reset each rep

Common mistakes

  • Arching the lower back hard behind you: keep the ribs down.

Swap for: Battle Rope Slam, Med Ball Rotational Throw, Kettlebell Swing

Build a session with Medicine Ball Overhead Throw

Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in. Open one in the session builder to change a pick, price it from a recent set, and add it to RIRLift.

Session 1

Field sports: soccer, football, rugby

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets39 a week
  • Per workout~15 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Resistance Bands

Your sport involves sprinting, cutting and contact on a field.

Field sports need sprint and cut preparation. Every block stays light, and the primers end the warm-up at near game speed.

Field warm-up
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
RunningSeconds. Easy jog. 4 × 60 5 0 s
High KneesSeconds. 1 × 20 4 10 s
Butt KicksSeconds. 1 × 20 4 10 s
Leg SwingsPer leg. 1 × 10 5 0 s
Walking LungePer leg. 1 × 8 4 15 s
Lateral Band WalkSteps each way. 1 × 10 4 15 s
Skater HopPer side. 2 × 5 3 20 s
Jump Squat 2 × 4 3 20 s
How to run it
Jog 4 minutes, run drills, mobility, band walks, then skater hops and jump squats.
How to progress
Use the same routine every game so the team starts the same way.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Court sports: basketball, volleyball, tennis

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets36 a week
  • Per workout~15 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells

You play on a court with short sprints, jumps and quick feet.

Courts are small, so the raise uses high knees and butt kicks, and the primers use ladder footwork and jumps.

Court warm-up
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
High KneesSeconds. 3 × 30 5 10 s
Butt KicksSeconds. 2 × 30 5 10 s
Leg SwingsPer leg. 1 × 10 5 0 s
Single-Leg Glute BridgePer side. 1 × 8 4 15 s
Agility Ladder DrillPasses. 3 × 1 3 20 s
Jump Squat 2 × 4 3 20 s
How to run it
Run drills in place, mobility, activation, then ladder passes and a few jumps.
How to progress
Make the ladder passes faster over the weeks.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Throwing and hitting: baseball, softball, cricket

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets27 a week
  • Per workout~10 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Resistance Bands, Medicine Ball

Your sport involves throwing, hitting or swinging.

Throwing sports need the shoulders and upper back ready, so the activation block uses pull-aparts and the primers end with overhead throws.

Throwing warm-up
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
RunningSeconds. Easy jog. 3 × 60 5 0 s
Arm CirclesSeconds each direction. 1 × 30 5 0 s
Walking LungePer leg. 1 × 6 4 15 s
Band Pull-Apart 2 × 15 4 15 s
Medicine Ball Overhead Throw 2 × 5 3 30 s
How to run it
Jog, arm circles, band work, then overhead med ball throws before your throwing progression.
How to progress
Keep the med ball light so the throws stay fast.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What is a good sports warm up?

Jog, run drills, leg swings, lunges, arm circles, band walks, glute bridges, then sport-speed bounds, jumps, ladder work or throws.

How long does a warm-up last?

About 12 to 15 minutes for most sports.

What are four warm-up exercises?

A jog, leg swings, lateral band walks and skater hops cover the four stages: raise, mobility, activation and sport-speed primers.

Why should you warm up before sports?

Warm muscles move more freely, and a gradual build-up gets you to game speed by the first play.

Should I stretch before sports?

Use moving drills before playing and keep long holds for afterward.