From warm-up to handball team play. Jörg Madinger

team ball within the defined playing field (cones); however, they are not allowed to dribble. If a team manages to pass 8 times in a row, without the other team stealing the ball, the second part of the game begins.

      - The attacking players now try to pass the ball to a teammate standing on one of the gym mats (C). If the player on the mat catches the ball, the team scores and stays in possession of the ball. In order to score again however, the team needs to attack a different gym mat.

      - The team does not score if there is an opponent standing on the same gym mat as the attacking player while this player catches the ball (A).

      - The players keep playing until the ball gets lost. The teams need to count the score (times they caught the ball while standing on a gym mat) themselves.

      - Which team manages to catch the ball on the gym mat most often and scores highest?

       Variants:

      - Only a maximum of 3 players per team are allowed in the outer playing field (around the gym mats).

      - After scoring, the players are neither allowed to attack the same gym mat again nor to attack the neighboring mats (B).

      No. 10 2-on-2 intensive soccer variant

      Topic: Short warm-up games

      Minimum number of players: 12

      Difficulty level:

      Equipment required: 1 soccer ball, 4 balance benches

       Setting:

      - Position four balance benches as shown in the figure. The seating surfaces must point towards the court (turned over by 90 degrees).

      - Make two teams.

      - The teams play soccer 2-on-2.

      - The teams need to decide in which order their players are to enter the playing field.

       Course:

      -

and

play against

and

and try to score by kicking the ball against the seating surface of the balance bench (A, B, and C).

      - If a team scores, the four players

,

,

, and

need to leave the playing field at their balance bench immediately (D) (give a high-five). They are not allowed to enter the game again while leaving the playing field. One new player per balance bench is allowed to enter the playing field then (E).

      - Now,

and

play against

and

until a team scores the next goal. The players then also leave the playing field at their balance bench, and so on.

      - The players waiting outside to be substituted do both push-ups and sit-ups alternately during the waiting periods.

      

For larger groups, play 4-on-4 (two players per balance bench).

      3. Sprint contests

      No. 11 Sprint relay race with balance benches

      Topic: Sprint contests

      Minimum number of players: 6

      Difficulty level:

      Equipment required: 3 balance benches

       Course:

      - On command,

and

start simultaneously and sprint straight forward towards the first corner of the balance bench (A).

      - Then, they swiftly sidestep to the inner balance bench (corner) (B); afterwards, they sprint forward diagonally (corner) (C).

      - Subsequently, they swiftly sidestep to the inner balance bench (corner) (D) before they eventually sprint around the cone, run back, and exchange a high-five with the next player (E).

      - And so on.

      

The end of each balance bench should be touched lightly with one hand.

      The losing team needs to do push-ups or sit-ups, for example.

      No. 12 Going to Jerusalem

      Topic: Sprint contests

      Minimum number of players: 6

      Difficulty level:

      Equipment required: Foam beams (total number of players -1)

       Setting:

      - Make three teams.

      - Spread the foam beams across the court. There must be one foam beam less than there are players on the court (musical chairs principle).

       Course:

      - The players crisscross throughout the goal zone at relaxed pace and “say hello” by exchanging high-fives (A).

      - On command, the players start to run. They must try to be the first to stand on a certain foam beam and block it (B).

      - The player who does not get a beam, drops out (C). Remove one beam then; the course needs to be repeated until only three players are left.

      - The team that has the most players left on the field scores. If there is a tie (1 player left per team), each team scores.

      - Spread the foam beams again and repeat the course three times.

      - At the end, the team that scored highest wins the game. The two other teams need to perform a predetermined exercise (push-ups, jumping jacks, or similar).

      

If a player leaves the goal zone before the sign was given, he drops out