Futsal is played with rolling substitutions, meaning you will often spend time on the bench.
The challenge? Your muscles can become cold and stiff while waiting to play again, increasing the risk of injury when you suddenly return to the court.
Warming up during futsal, or active rest, is key to keeping your muscles warm and ready. Low-intensity dynamic stretching movements are very important to maintain blood circulation and prevent stiffness.
So, what movements can you do on the sidelines? Check out the recommendations and scientific studies here!
Why Is Active Warm-Up Important on the Bench?
Warming up on the bench has a different purpose from warming up before the match:
1. Maintaining Core Muscle Temperature
Futsal intensely involves the thigh muscles (hamstrings and quadriceps) and calves. Resting for 3–5 minutes can lower muscle temperature, reduce flexibility, and increase the risk of muscle strain injuries when sprinting again.
According to the Journal of Sports and Physical Education, this sport requires frequent high-intensity activities, emphasizing the importance of keeping the muscles ready for action at all times.
2. Maintaining Blood Circulation
Light movements prevent blood from pooling in the legs and ensure that oxygen continues to be delivered efficiently to muscles that have just been active.
3. Maintaining Neuromuscular Readiness
Light movements keep the communication pathways between the brain and muscles active, ensuring quick responses when called back onto the court.
Dynamic Warm-Up Movements Before Futsal
The following movements should be performed continuously at a very light intensity while you are on the bench, especially before being called back into play:
1. Running in Place
Do light jogging in place for 30–60 seconds. This is one of the easiest ways to keep your heart rate slightly elevated and maintain your body temperature.
According to the study "Effects of Pulse Recovery with Active Jogging and Rest in Young Boy Futsal Players," active jogging has a positive effect on maintaining futsal players’ performance capacity when they return to play.
2. Side Shuffles
Move a few steps to the right and left (if space allows). Futsal heavily relies on lateral movements, and this exercise keeps the inner thigh muscles (adductors) ready.
3. Ankle Mobility Drills
Perform ankle circles 10 times in each direction and do 10 calf raises. This is important for precise footwork and dribbling.
Maintaining ankle mobility through light movements strongly supports players’ agility and repeated-sprint ability, which are essential in futsal.
4. Hip Flexor Stretch (Mini Lunge)
Take a mini-lunge position without holding it, then return to standing. Perform 5–10 repetitions per leg. This movement ensures the hip flexor muscles stay flexible and ready for sprinting and changing direction.
5. Short Passing (If Possible)
If you have a ball and a teammate on the sidelines, do short and light passing drills. This is not only a physical warm-up but also helps maintain your rhythm and ball control.
In conclusion, consistently applying proper warm-up and hydration practices is the key to achieving your best performance on the futsal court.
Considering the high intensity of futsal, hydration should be a priority. The 600 ml AQUA bottle is an ideal companion because of its convenient size, making it easy to carry and reseal.
The naturally cool freshness of AQUA mineral water can help you stay refreshed and support your performance during futsal sessions.
Why AQUA DULU? Because not all water is AQUA. As an original Indonesian product that meets BPOM and SNI standards, AQUA guarantees its purity. Remember, AQUA is 100% Pure, 100% Indonesian, and 100% Halal.
