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Physical Fitness
Referee's Fitness Training
Warm-up exercises
The referee should warm up with their team on match day. Each session
begins with an intense warm-up to ensure readiness and to reduce the risk
of injury. The referee should also complete a cool-down at the end of the
game to slow their heart rate and this should consist on light jogging and
static stretches from the warm-up.
• Begin running the width of the pitch, you should run 4 widths of
the pitch at an easy pace to ensure increase heart rate and blood
circulating.
• This should be followed with stretches Hamstring sweep, Quad
stretch, Knee Hug, Lunge and Twist, Groin stretch, Hamstring/high
kicks, high knees, Butt kicks, over the fence, counter movement jump.
• This should be followed with a series of sprints, half pace, ¾ pace
building to full sprint, recovery and sprint again.
Referee should consider using the Injury Prevention warm up as part of
their routine with further details available at the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YbZA9WOzXw
Key Components of Referee Fitness
Endurance
» The ability to maintain prolonged physical activity
To enhance endurance:
A referee should train 3 to 5 days per week » Swimming, running, cycling
and can be built up over time
Sample Endurance Training —Fartlek Training
Fartlek training involves continuous movement but at different speeds. The
best place to use this type of training is on a pitch, using the lines on the
pitch to indicate a different speed as in the example below:
