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Sports training

Lacrosse warm-up: run, move, land, cut and rehearse

No warm-up has been tested on injuries in lacrosse. In one US high-school trial that included lacrosse teams, the FIFA 11+ didn't reduce injuries, but few teams did it twice a week. This one follows our warm-up guide and the 11+'s shape: running, then strength, landing and balance, then faster running and cutting, with shoulder work for throwing and shooting. Do it before every session, all season. You need a light band and some cones.

15 minBeginner17 movesCardio machine · A wall · A band · An anchor pointQuads · Calves · Hip flexors · Hip abductors · Glutes · Adductors
Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Raise

  1. Treadmill jogging2 min
    Intermediate · Quads, Calves, Glutes · 3D demoEasy, on the pitchEasier: Treadmill walkingHarder: Sprint intervals
  2. Skipping2 × 20 m
    Beginner · Calves, Hip flexors, Quads · 3D demoSpringyEasier: Ankle bounces (mini pogo)Harder: Alternate-leg bounding
  3. Side-stepping (sideways walking)2 × 10 m each way
    Beginner · Hip abductors, Glutes, Adductors · 3D demoDon't cross your feetHarder: Lateral band walk
  4. Carioca quick step2 × 10 m each way
    Beginner · Hip abductors, Adductors, Calves · 3D demoHips turn, shoulders stay squareEasier: Side-stepping (sideways walking)Harder: Lateral cone hops

Move

  1. Front-to-back leg swings8 swings each leg
    Beginner · Hamstrings, Hip flexors · 3D demoHold a supportHarder: Contract-relax hamstring stretch (PNF)
  2. Side-to-side leg swings8 swings each leg
    Beginner · Adductors, Hip abductors · 3D demoSide to sideHarder: Lizard pose (Utthan Pristhasana)
  3. World's greatest stretch3 each side
    Intermediate · Hip flexors, Adductors, Glutes · 3D demoReach up and turnEasier: Low lunge (Anjaneyasana)Harder: Active pancake lift-off
  4. Reverse lunge with rotation4 each side
    Intermediate · Quads, Glutes, Abs · 3D demoTurn over the front legEasier: Reverse lungeHarder: Deficit reverse lunge (from a platform)

Activate

  1. Glute bridge10
    Beginner · Glutes, Hamstrings, Abs · 3D demoSqueeze at the topEasier: Pelvic tilt into bridgeHarder: Single-leg glute bridge
  2. Lateral band walk10 steps each way
    Beginner · Hip abductors, Glutes, Quads · 3D demoKnees out against the bandEasier: Hip abduction machineHarder: Lateral band walk, band at the feet
  3. Band pull-apart15
    Intermediate · Shoulders, Back · 3D demoShoulders downEasier: Prone Y-T-W raisesHarder: Tuck back lever
  4. Standing band external rotation10 each arm
    Beginner · Shoulders, Back · 3D demoElbow at your sideEasier: Stick-assisted external rotation (lying)Harder: Side-lying external rotation

Land

  1. Single-leg hop and stick3 each leg
    Intermediate · Quads, Glutes, Calves · 3D demoHold the landing 2 s, knee over the middle toesEasier: Standing broad jump with stuck landingHarder: Alternate-leg bounding
  2. Snapdown to athletic landing5
    Beginner · Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings · 3D demoDrop fast, land quietlyHarder: Box drop landing

Speed and cutting

  1. Acceleration wall drill2 × 5 s
    Beginner · Hip flexors, Glutes, Hamstrings · 3D demoLean and drive the kneesHarder: Overhead dumbbell swing
  2. Treadmill running3 × 20 m
    Intermediate · Quads, Calves, Glutes · 3D demoBuild to about 90%, on the pitchEasier: Treadmill walkingHarder: Sprint intervals
  3. Shuttle runs2 plant-and-cut runs each way
    Advanced · Quads, Glutes, Calves · 3D demoLow into the cut, knee over the footEasier: Treadmill jogging

Tips

  • Then 3 to 5 minutes of stick work at building pace: passing, catching, ground balls, dodges and shots.
  • Kit on before live drills, as your rules require: helmet, gloves, pads and mouthguard in the men's game; eyewear and mouthguard in the women's game, compulsory in England from 1 September 2026 wherever a hard ball is used.
  • Girls and women: knee injuries are the ones to prevent. Warm-ups with strength and landing work, done regularly, halve ACL injuries in other sports.
  • A blow to the chest followed by collapse: call 999, start CPR and get a defibrillator.

The doses are suggested starting points, not a prescription. Choose a range you can control and stop for sharp or increasing pain, numbness or tingling. Get individual advice after an injury or surgery, or if you are pregnant or managing a health condition.

Guides that recommend it

Find more moves like these

More sports training

Injury prevention exercises for runners

Foot, calf, balance and hop exercises taken from the running trials with positive results, in a 25-minute home routine for 3 or 4 days a week.

25 minBeginner11 movesOther / check instructions, A bench or box

Plyometrics for runners

A 20-minute hop and bound session for runners: ankle bounces to pogo hops, one-leg hops and bounding, building foot contacts slowly over 10 weeks.

20 minIntermediate8 movesCardio machine

Strength workout for cyclists (gym)

A 50-minute gym session for cyclists: heavy squats, one-leg presses, hip flexion and calf raises as in the cycling trials, plus jumps for bone.

50 minIntermediate13 movesCardio machine, A barbell

Questions people ask

How long does the lacrosse warm-up: run, move, land, cut and rehearse take?

About 15 minutes, including any warm-up and cool-down listed. Shorten it by doing fewer rounds; lengthen it by adding one.

What equipment do I need?

You need: Cardio machine, A wall, A band, An anchor point. Each move links to its guide, where you can find an alternative if you are missing something.

Is it suitable for beginners?

It is written for beginners. 12 of its 17 moves have an easier option listed beside them if you need one.

How do I make it easier or harder?

Use the easier or harder option listed under each move, change the number of rounds, or adjust the rest. Progress one change at a time.