Taekwondo · Warm-up · Flexibility

Dynamic warm-up for kicking

A moving warm-up across the dojang that raises the heart rate and takes hips, hamstrings and ankles gradually through kicking range.

S1S2S3S4S5S6T
Start / 6
Time
10 min
Players
1–30
Age
U9+
Area
Full mat

Setup

  1. Students in a line along one end of the mat, each with a clear lane.
  2. Bare feet, short nails, no jewellery; clean, dry mat.

How it runs

  1. Length 1: easy jog with high knees; length 2: jog with heel flicks.
  2. Length 3: side shuffles facing one way; length 4: side shuffles facing the other.
  3. Length 5: front leg raises (ap olligi), alternating legs, each a little higher than the last, within comfortable range.
  4. Length 6: hip openers, lifting the knee and circling it outward, then inward on the way back.
  5. Length 7: walking lunges with a twist towards the front knee; length 8: light front kicks from the chamber, getting quicker.
  6. Finish with 20 seconds of bouncing in fighting stance, switching on the sabeom's clap.

Coaching points

  • Start gently; each length is a bit bigger and faster than the last.
  • Leg raises are controlled lifts, not swings or bounces.
  • Stay tall on the support leg and keep the guard up through the kicking lengths.
  • Stop and tell the sabeom about any sharp pain.
  • Save long, held stretches for after the session.

Common mistakes

  • Kicking high straight away before the hips are warm.
  • Throwing the leg up and letting it bounce at the top.
  • Lunges with the front knee collapsing inward.
  • Racing to the end and skipping movements.

Say it: “Small to big, slow to quick.”

Make it harder

  • Side leg raises (yeop olligi) and a roundhouse-chamber length.
  • Skips with a knee drive for extra pace.
  • Add a sprint back after each length.

Make it easier

  • Walk the lengths instead of jogging.
  • Half lengths with a walk back.
  • Hold the partner's shoulder for leg raises on the spot.

Reviewed by the Sportdify coaching team.