Roundnet Warm Up

Written By - Tom Witt - MA Kinesiology

- IN THIS ARTICLE -

**Roundnet Warm Up**

**Importance of Proper Warm Up for Injury Prevention and Peak Performance**

**Warm-Up Breakdown - Video and Descriptions**

Roundnet Warm-Up

- 45-60 Minutes Total -

1. General Movement

2. Body Awareness Movement

3. Roundnet Specific Movement

4. Roundnet Specific Drills and Skills

5. Roundnet Game Play Warm-Up

6. Last Minute Bathroom/Nutrition/Pump Up

 

Link to Roundnet Warm Up PDF

Importance of Proper Warm Up and Athletic Performance

A full body, dynamic, SAFE, warm up is CRUCIAL to the success of your athletic performance - while lessening the possibility of injury, and helping you perform your best!

From the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) in regards to warming up, 

A warm-up consists of preparatory activities and functionally based movements that are specifically designed to prepare the body for exercise or sport.

 

Ignore the 'Static' - Stay Specific and Dynamic

“Although well-designed warm-up procedures can enhance athletic performance, reduce the risk of injury, and lessen the potential for muscle soreness after exercise (1,21,26), it is important to realize that warming up and stretching are two different activities.

These distinctions are important because long-held beliefs about traditional warm-up procedures have recently been questioned.

Some scientists and practitioners now propose that it may be advantageous to exclude static stretching from warm-up routines prior to sport training and athletic competitions

(32,49,52,59).” (NSCA, Introduction to dynamic warmup, 2017)

Exercise Variations and Progressions

EVERYONE has different needs when training.

The Roundnet Warm-Up

Link to Roundnet Warm Up PDF

1. General Movement - 5-10 Minutes

Something to get you moving for 5-8 minutes -

- Walk around the field, find the bathroom, go find an old friend and walk around with them - progress to skipping around, do some side shuffles, back pedals, etc. - before you move on to more advanced movements later in the warm up.

YOU have the CHOICE! 

From there you will move on to a few more ‘specific’ full body movements - such as the bear crawl progression and sun salutation series (YouTube has THOUSANDS of videos). 

 

2. Body Awareness Movement - 7-10 Minutes

ROUNDNET BODY AWARENESS WARM UP 1

Breath Work x4 - 4 sec inhale thru nose, hold 5 seconds, exhale 7 seconds

Sun Salutation x3

Ankle Circles - 3x20 (clockwise, counter clockwise, point and flex)

Shoulders 1-3x8 - X's, Angels, Overhead Reach

Bear Crawl/All 4's - 1-3 x 3 'steps' per side - forward and backward

Push Up Variation - 2-4 x 6-15

**Videos and exercise descriptions listed at the end of the article!**

Shoulder Exercise Descriptions -

- X's - Standing Position - arms at side, take right arm and reach toward left pocket - extending arm down and diagonal - then, in a 'disco' type move, diagonally extend your arm overhead and diagonally out to the right. 

- Angels - Knuckles on temples, elbows bent, attempt to touch elbows in front of face, and back so upper arm is aligned with shoulders

- Overhead Reach - Reach arms straight overhead, slowly trying to extend fully - with elbows besides your ears

Foam Rolling

If you have access to a foam roller and flat area - field, floor before leaving for the tournament - FOAM ROLL 3-10 minutes!

I like to keep the foam roller moving on muscles, while stopping on 'tight' spots.

From here, we will progress to more dynamic, roundnet specific movements.  

3. Roundnet Specific Movement - 5-10 Minutes

Roundnet Specific Movement Warm-Up 1

Side Shuffle - 3-5 reps x 5 yards each direction

Back Pedal to Forward Run - 3-5 reps x 7 feet each direction

Diagonal 3 Step - Back Shuffle to Sprint - 3-5 reps x 7 feet

Lay to Jump - 3-8

Athletic position - feet shoulder width, hips back, shoulders back, core engaged, eyes up, on balls of feet, hands ready

Side Shuffle -

Place two markers about 5 yards apart - Athletic position, push off of the trail leg

Back Pedal to Forward Run - 

Place two markers 7 feet apart - back pedal 7 feet, quickly change direction and run forward 7 feet.

- change leg that you use for 'change of direction' each round.

Diagonal 3 Step - Back Shuffle to Sprint - 

Place two markers abut 7 feet apart - start back pedaling diagonally 3 'shuffles' to the right, after 3 shuffles you will change directions and shuffle 3 shuffles diagonally to the left, Repeat once more each direction - sprint forward to starting point. 

-Switch starting direction each round

Lay To Jump -

Lay on the ground - or start with a dive - push yourself up - JUMP and reach 1 hand in the air - practice safe landing in athletic position

- repeat, switching hand that extend overhead on the jump.

For ALL of these movements - your partner can toss a ball to you to simulate roundnet game play!

4. Roundnet Specific Drills and Skills - 8-15 Minutes

1. Ball Self Touches - 2-5 sets

- 10 touches per hand and between hands

- Vary ball height and the height at which you contact the ball

2. Partner Passes - 2-5 sets - 10 per hand 

- Toss ball to partner - partner passes ball back

- Underhand and overhead

- Rally between partners - under hand and over hand 

- Moving toss and pass - toss ball in different directions and depths 

- Practice different roundnet specific movements -

-side shuffles, over the shoulder, running forward, back pedal, etc. - 5-10 per hand - Get CREATIVE!

3. Hit and Defense - 2-5 sets - 10 per hand

- Self toss or partner toss to hit off net - partner plays defense and attempts to pass ball pack to hitter

- Partner can start off catching ball - finish last few reps with passes back to the hitting partner

- Change up hit angles and depths to get partner moving

4. Toss, Set, Hit - 2-5 sets

- Stand by the net - toss ball to partner 5 feet off net - set ball back to tosser - tosser hit back off the net - x10 per hand

- Catch ball after hit - repeat drill

- Save the 'rally' for the last few reps.

- Practice different hits - with both hands - pulls, opens, bowls, directional, different depths

- Repeat with drop shots - use both hands

5. Serve Practice - 2-5 sets

- Hit 8-10 serves - with each of your serves

- Partner catches ball - toss back to partner

- Last few sets - practice SERVE RETURN

- Get your partner MOVING each direction you will encounter in a roundnet game

**Videos and exercise examples/descriptions listed at the end of the article!**

5. Roundnet Game Play Warm-Up - 10-25 Minutes

Now that you have progressively warmed up your body, and your roundnet specific movements and skills - it's time to PLAY!

Talk to other teams and set up a warm up game

- this can be an old rival, your travel buddies, or make a new friend and ask a team you don't know to warm up with you!

Play for about 10-20 minutes - the average roundnet match lasts about 11 minutes according to, "A Descriptive Study of Roundnet by Witt".

Work on different aspects of your game that you want to emphasize during tournament play.

- Don't worry about winning - work on a variety of skills

- Work on your preferred serve combos - example: fwango followed by fake fwang to step out right

- Focus on hitting an array of hits, sets, and serves

- Have fun! Maybe even make some new friends! 

6. Last Minute Bathroom/Water/Food

Take care of any last minute things - drink some water, clean your sunglasses, have a bite of food, re-tighten your cleats, tuck in your jersey, get pumped up and ready to COMPETE!

A full body, dynamic, SAFE warm-up is CRUCIAL to success of your athletic performance - while lessening the possibility of injury, and helping you perform your best!

Links to Similar Articles

- 'Roundnet Focused Training Program'

- 'Roundnet and Return to Play - Injury Risk and Strategies for Safe Return to Roundnet Game-Play Post ‘Sport Hiatus’ 

Exercise Reference Videos and Descriptions

Video: Sun Salutation

Bear Crawl Progression

Crawling is one of the first movements we do as humans! Moving towards food, loved ones, shelter, water, toys, Spikeball sets, etc.! 

Over the years - sitting, training, sleeping, sports, injuries, life, etc. - most of us have forgotten how to perform this basic and CRUCIAL movement! 

Going back and practicing the basics can help make your everyday movements and athletic movements more proficient!

Video: Bear Crawl Progression

Foam Rolling

You can also add in foam rolling to your warm-up/cool-down!

I like to keep the foam roller moving on muscles, while stopping on 'tight' spots.

A little bit of discomfort is alright, but do not go to the point where you are grimacing in pain! 

A tennis ball can also be a good tool to have with you as well - for rolling out feet, calves, hips, etc.

Link To Article - Roundnet and Return to Play - Injury Risk and Strategies for Safe Return to Roundnet Game-Play Post ‘Sport Hiatus’

Video: Foam Roll Warm-Up
 

Video: Roundnet Warm Up - Shoulders 

Video: Roundnet Warm-Up - Breath Work

Drill Videos:

Video: Roundnet Warm Up - Individual Ball Touches

SpikeSchool Hitting Drills 1

SpikeSchool - Advanced Hitting Drill

SpikeSchool Defense Drill 1

Spike On,

Tom Witt

Check the links for more roundnet articles!

'Roundnet World Blog - Roundnet Player/Community Profiles'

'Roundnet World - Be A Better Baller Blog'

‘Witt Roundnet Round-Up’ 

References:

1. Throwers Ten Warm Up, https://www.muhlenberg.edu/media/contentassets/pdf/athletics/athletictraining/throwers10.pdf

2. Descriptive Study of Roundnet, T. Witt, https://csuchico-dspace.calstate.edu/handle/10211.3/180599#:~:text=The%20purpose%20of%20this%20study,frequency%20of%20steps%20while%20playing.

Who Is Tom Witt?

Hi, I'm Tom! I am the editor of the Roundnet World blogs!

I have been playing roundnet since about 2011!

I have been ranked as high in the 'Spikeball' world as 2nd wayyyy back in the day as team 'Chico Orchards'!

While being fortunate enough to travel to over 25 states - I have been ranked in the top 25 nationally with partners such as Spikeball Roundnet NATIONAL CHAMP - Preston Bies and Australian NATIONAL CHAMP - Mike Eberhardt. As well as being the former partner of 3x NATIONAL CHAMP - Skyler Boles. 

I earned my bachelors and masters degrees in kinesiology from Chico State University!  #ChicoYouKnow - Where I published the FIRST EVER peer-reviewed study on roundnet, "A descriptive study of roundnet". 

I like sports, breakfast foods, and ice cream!

 

Link to Roundnet Warm Up PDF