Think you're doing the FIFA 11+ warmup? You're not.

Ralph Ranalli, the Beautiful Project

I've met a number of girls coaches over the last year who've said "We're doing FIFA 11" when I ask them about their warmup. But when I watch what they actually do, it turns out they're really only doing some version of Part 1: The Running Exercises. Jogging, swinging the knee open, etc. Well, that's certainly better than nothing, and who can blame them, really? Coaches feel they need time for other parts of training.

FIFA 11+ actually has 3 parts, made up of 25 discreet exercises, the bulk of which are in the all-important Part 2: Strength, Plyometrics and Balance Exercises. Those exercises are arguably the most important part of the warmup for preventing injuries in girls, because they comprise the neuromuscular training necessary for proper mechanics. Those proper mechanics are what will see a girl safely through the rapid body changes during her Peak Height Velocity year and on through puberty (roughly ages 10 through 14), her most vulnerable time for sports injuries.

In 10 years of coaching girls, I have never seen a grassroots youth soccer team do Part 2 of FIFA 11+. Not once.

That's why with the experts at the Competitive Athlete Training Zone (CATZ) - who trained Kristine Lilly and David Beckham, among other football legends - we developed the "Beautiful 12" warmup.

It's a compressed version of all the different types of muscle prep and injury prevention movements contained in FIFA 11+. But instead of taking 25 minutes, it takes just 12 minutes - 10 at the beginning of your practice and 2 at the end.

You get it all - muscles warmed and ready to practice, injury preventing strength and plyometrics, and enough time remaining in your training session for your girls to learn and enjoy the game.

Don't short-change your girls by cutting short their warmup. Check out the Beautiful 12 at www.beautifulgirlssoccer.com.