On November 6 2012 the Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC) published an article entitled “Get the Warm up Low-down for Kids” that highlights the importance of warm-up activities even for younger children. The need for a warmup is particularly true with curling as youngsters typically lose a substantial amount of body heat while on the ice, and cold muscles fail to respond well to the stretching and sliding motions that we do in curling.
The SIRC article contains a link to a 39-page document that outlines a variety of warmup activities suitable for young children. While many of the ones listed in the SIRC document will work well only on a playing field, others can be adapted for use on the ice and I hope to try some of them here at Elmira. Our typical warmup currently includes activities such as running on the spot, X-C skiing movements, jumping jacks, balance exercises, and both static and dynamic stretching, designed to both warmup and improve the children’s physical literacy, specifically balance. The SIRC document is a great starting point for coordinators of junior curling programs who want to include warmup activities for their athletes.