James Ernest G. Chua 200816193 SS 170 Methods of Sports Conditioning Ms.

Reylin San Juan Warm-up Analysis As I observe the training of the UP Fencing team, I wasnt able to see a generalized warm-up protocol in preparation of the athletes for the training proper. I asked their assistant coach, and the former captain of the team, he said that they really do not have any warm-up drills or stretching that the whole team do before training sessions; hence, they start their training with shadow sparring and go straight to the sportspecific movement drills. I realized from their assistant coach that their head coach has a traditional approach in training and towards the sport, therefore he does not believe in the power of a warmup before training. He believes that it is just a waste of energy for his athletes. Based on my observation, I can consider their lunges and advance-retreat drills to be part of a warm-up protocol but should be done with several dynamic stretching exercises too. There must be exercises or drills that will prepare these athletes to be more active and better in terms of their performance. The warm-up drills that their coach must impose during before training or competition are the following: 1. Jog around the gym (2 minutes) to increase their body temperature and to prepare their body to training or competition 2. Triceps stretch (15 seconds per arm) to prepare their arms to more explosive movements and to loosen up the triceps muscles 3. Quadriceps stretch (15 seconds per leg) to loosen up their quadriceps and to be able to perform their push-off better and more explosive 4. Walking leg lunges (2 minutes) to prepare their leg for a full forward thrust during executing an attack 5. Lateral leg lunges (2 minutes) to loosen up the hamstrings and prepare it for more explosive movements like the push-off 6. Laterals (2 minutes) moderately high intensity exercise to prepare the muscles in the legs for extraneous activities during training or match 7. Advance-retreat drill (5-10 minutes) sport specific exercise that leaps-off from the warm-up phase to the training proper or actual game situation; this mimics the whole movement of the sport (involves the movement of the legs together with the arms) In my opinion, this warm-up protocol will help the athletes to be prepared to their training or competition because this involves all the movements that the sport requires. I believe that these warm-up drills can also lessen the chances of the athletes to experience muscle strains due to proper preparation (loosing up the muscles involve) before any high intensity activities related to this sport.