Getting your muscles warmed up and ready to work hard is essential for peak performance on the field and also the best way to reduce injury during the game and soreness in the days to follow. Here are tips and specific warm up for adults who love to play softball.

 

First, it is important to stretch before you even begin to throw. Many still show up 10 minutes before game time and play catch for 5 minutes, take a few practice cuts and start the game. You’ll feel better and play better if you find 15-20 minutes minimum to prepare your body to exert itself.

 

Stretching should start with simple bends at the waist, slowly reaching towards your toes – all the way if possible. Reach up high and stretch your arms and shoulder upward, rising to your tip toes, then back down. Cross your legs and repeat. Then grab one heel and raise it toward the hamstring of the same leg. Work the other leg next.

 

Do a series of other stretches to warm up your calves and upper legs, similar to if you were preparing to jog. Then work on rotating your torso very slowly to prepare for the rotation you need in batting. Gradually pick up the pace and rotate back and forth 20-30 times or until you feel loose before you swing a bat. Some players do this stretch with a bat across the back of their shoulders and their arms over the top of it. This also helps to stretch the shoulders.

 

In all your stretching go slow. Stretch, don’t bounce or jolt. Give your muscles a chance to warm up – literally warm due to increased blood flow – so that they can gradually reach their full elasticity.

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After you’ve stretched each of the major muscle groups give attention to your neck. Slowly rock your head around its axis for a few moments to loosen it. Your groin is another area where pulls are common so find ways to stretch your groin on each side.

 

The next part of an effective warm-up routine is to play short toss with a teammate standing not more than 30 feet away. Gradually lengthen the distance over the course of 25 or 30 tosses so that you are 100 feet away or more. Then increase the intensity of your tosses until you end with 3 or 4 full-strength throws.

 

Warming up to hit is easy if you have time for batting practice. Start while waiting your turn. Take half cut swings to continue the process of warming up your back, hips, shoulders and arms. When you get in the box start swings at 75% and increase to 100% over the course of 8-10 pitches. If you’ve done your stretching before you pick up a bat this should be enough. If you don’t take batting practice simulate this hitting warm up on your own without live pitching.

 

The last tip is to remember to stay warm between the time you stretch and the time the game begins. If the weather is chilly keep a jacket handy so your muscles don’t cool off and you lose the value of the stretching.

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