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Let the Games Begin

Warm-up games provide a varied and enjoyable method to increase the heart rate and body temperature of the participants with the use of agility, movement and coordinating activities in preparation for the class or practice activity. This article provides several examples of warm-up games that will add variety to the class or practice while participants enjoy a mixture of movement patterns that assist them in preparing for the next physical activity.

Warming up the body by increasing the heart rate, raising the body temperature and getting ready for a higher level of physical activity, is recommended by various groups ranging from the American College of Sports Medicine (2012) to the Mayo Clinic (2011). Physical education teachers and coaches usually have their students and athletes perform some type of warm-up activity and stretching prior to class or practice. Some teachers and coaches have the students or athletes take a few laps and then go through a series of stretches in preparation for the subsequent activity. The goal of the warm-up is to prevent injuries through low intensity, large muscle activity. The warm-up provides increased blood flow and oxygen to the muscles, primes the nerve-to-muscle pathway and improves coordination and reaction times (Spark People, 2013).

Prior to rigorous physical activity, low-intensity, submaximal aerobic activity should be conducted followed by some type of stretching and rehearsal of the upcoming skill (Young & Behm, 2002). As long as the warm-up is not too intense, physical activity seems to improve subsequent performance (Bishop, 2003). Removing the jog around the gym and inserting fun, active games can accomplish a physically active warm-up while maintaining participant interest.

“The length of the warm-up period depends on the climate and physical conditioning level. In general the warm-up activity should last approximately 5 to 15 minutes, long enough to break out in a sweat” (National Strength and Conditioning Association, Essentials of Personal Training, 2004, p. 273). As fitness levels improve, so should the length and intensity of the warm-up. Well trained performers should have a longer warm-up period than students preparing for a physical education class.

Warm-up games can be tailored to the activity or sport and can be used to introduce or reinforce skills that will be used in the class or practice. Many activities involve changing direction and reacting to various external stimuli requiring a specific response. Tag and agility type warm-up games can aid in this type of preparation. The teacher or coach can modify the warm-up activity by adding a soccer ball to a tag game to focus on dribbling. An example would be to add soccer dribbling to the Hook Tag warm-up game. Not only will the students have to concentrate on the warm-up game itself, but they must also work on dribbling and making fast movements while controlling the ball and eluding the person who is trying to “tag” them.

Warm-up games can be used at various ages (K-12 and beyond) as well as at different skill levels. Since the objective of the warm-up games is to prepare the participants for increased physical activity, the games can be modified or adapted for elementary students to varsity high school athletes. An example of modifying the Relay Race game for elementary students would be having more participants spaced closer together in a line since they are not able to throw as far while using fewer participants on a high school softball team and increasing the distance each person would have to throw. The number of times each person would throw the ball can be increased for more skilled participants.

Administrative tasks can also be completed during the warm-up games. Rather than have the students sit during attendance, start class with a warm-up game and have them call out their name each time they are tagged (Hook Tag, Rooster Tail), reach a certain point in the game (Fancy Feet) or catch the ball (Relay Race).

Warm-up games can provide variety, increased interest and serve as a way to introduce an assortment of skills to a class or practice. The following warm-up games can be adapted or modified to a variety of situations and constraints. Participants may even find new and innovative ways to modify the games to make them more enjoyable or fit their situations. With fun, imagination and activity; Let the Games Begin!

Hook Tag

Purpose: This warm-up game works on speed and agility while participants must also focus on the other participants’ actions and anticipate possible game scenarios.

Equipment: None

Description: Mark out an area approximately the size of half a basketball court. Divide the class/team into groups of 3 and place them around the playing area, leaving two participants unassigned to a group. These groups of three remain stationary and hook elbows. Select one person to be “It” and one person to be chased. On the command of “Go” the person who is “It” tries to tag the person being chased. The person being chased can run around the area to elude being tagged or s/he can hook elbows with an end person in a group of 3. If the person being chased hooks elbows with the person on the end of a group, the person on the other end of the group must try to evade the tag from the person who is “It”. The new person being chased can elude being tagged by running around the area or hooking onto one end of another group of 3. People being chased cannot hook onto adjacent groups or their original group. Once the person being chased is tagged, they become “It” and try and tag the original “It” person. That person can elude the “It” person by running around the area or hooking elbows with a person on the end of a group of 3. The game continues for a set time or until everyone has been “It”. Participants must pay close attention to the “It” person and the person being chased because the person at the opposite end of the group must be prepared to run when the person being chased hooks onto the group of 3.

In Figure 1, X is “It” and is chasing person #1. Person #1 hooks elbows with person #2 in the group and person #3 must try and evade being tagged. Person X chases person #3 who runs to another group and hooks onto person #4. Person #5 on the opposite end of the group must now run elude being tagged.

Variations:

1. Increase difficulty: Have two people who are “It” and two people being chased.

2. Increase difficulty: Allow the groups of 3 to move around the playing area.

3. Change to work with the number of students in the class: Groups of 2 or 4 can be used.

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Frozen Tag

Purpose: This warm-up game works on speed and agility while participants must also work as a team.

Equipment: None

Description: Mark out an area approximately the size of half a basketball court. Select one participant to be “It” and everyone else is to be chased. On the command of “Go” the person who is “It” tries to tag anyone they can. The people being chased can run around the area to elude being tagged. Once a person being chased is tagged, they become “frozen” and must remain stationary. The “frozen” person can be “unfrozen” by another person being chased. The chased person crawls between the legs of the “frozen” person to unfreeze them. The game continues for a set time, until everyone has been “It”, or everyone is frozen. Participants must pay close attention to the “It” person and the people frozen because the game can continue as long as there are people to chase.

In Figure 2, person X is “It” and the numbered circles are “frozen”. Person Y attempts to crawl under person #3. Person X sees this and begins to run towards person Y. If person X reaches person Y and tags him/her, they are also frozen. If person Y crawls under person #3s legs, then person #3 is unfrozen and can run again. The game is over when everyone is “frozen”. Another game can begin with a new “It”

Variations:

1. Increase difficulty: Add more participants that are “it” to speed up the game and make it more challenging.

2. Make the game specific for your activity: Change the way a person becomes “unfrozen”. Example: a person must do two pushups to unfreeze another. Tailor the unfreezing action to any part of the body you want to warm-up.

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Fancy Feet

Purpose: This warm-up game works on footwork, speed and agility while participants must also be aware of those in front of them in line and behind.

Equipment: Lines on a court or field (cones can substitute for lines)

Description: Run forward to a line, jump up as high as you can, land, shuffle sideways with feet wide, and run backwards to the start line. Repeat four to five times depending on the distance participants are running and the degree to which they need to warm-up. The teacher or coach should assess the students on what it is that s/he is emphasizing for the lesson. The game is to do the best to combine speed, proper foot work and good spacing between participants. Teacher or coach assessment is necessary to determine the winner.

Variations:

1. Increase difficulty: Add more complex footwork on forward or backwards movements for more experienced participants. For example, you can add a crossover step to the shuffle.

2. Increase difficulty: Add a time standard once participants are warm to develop competition and game scenario.

3. Increase difficulty: Participants are challenged to make their own footwork step for final round.

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Ball Hog

(10 or more participants)

Purpose: This warm-up game works on eye hand coordination, speed, agility and team work. Participants must develop a team strategy that maximizes the strengths of their teammates and have the ability to adapt their plan based off what other teams are doing.

Equipment: One standard size hula hoop for each group and an additional hula hoop for the center of the playing area. At least 20-30 small balls per hoop (more is better; tennis balls, racquetballs, Nerf balls, etc but fewer balls reduce the equipment requirements and shortens the game.)

Description: Mark out an area approximately half the size of a tennis court. Divide the participants into 2 or 4 groups (at least 5 per group) and place their hoops on opposite sides near the outer edge of the playing area. Place one hoop in the middle and fill all hoops with an equal number of balls. On the command of “Go” the teams attempt to place as many ball as possible into their own hoop. Each participant is only allowed to move one ball at a time and you cannot remove any balls from other hula hoops until the middle hoop is empty. There is no physical contact allowed between participants and no one is allowed to guard the balls in your hoop. The hoops must remain in the locations they were placed prior to the start of each round. The game continues for a set time (3-4 minutes). At the end of the allotted time the balls are counted in each hoop and a winning team is announced. The losing team(s) does one pushup or deep knee bend for every ball they have less than the winning team. After each round, allow teams to re-group and develop a new strategy for the next round.

Using the diagram, the #1 hula hoop is not owned by any group, teams must take the balls from this hoop first. The lettered circles designate team hoops. Each hoop should be of equal distance from the center hoop. If two teams were participating hoops A & B or C & D would be utilized.

Variations:

1. Increase difficulty: Prohibit throwing the ball.

2. Decrease difficulty: Allow participants to carry as many balls as they can carry in their hands.

3. Change to work with the number of students in the class: Use fewer groups with more participants per group or vice versa.

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Rooster Tail

Purpose: This warm-up game works on quickness and agility while participants must also focus on the other participants’ actions. Variations could also incorporate teamwork and ball handling skills.

Equipment: One “tail” (football flags, extra sock, towel, etc.) per participant. Variations could include a ball (basketball, soccer ball, volleyball, football, four square ball, etc.) for each participant.

Description: Designate boundaries of an area large enough to scatter participants so they are approximately four feet apart. On the command of “Go” each participant attempts to pull as many opponents’ “tails” as possible, while protecting their own. An individual is “out” when her/his tail is pulled off, and s/he must leave the playing area. (A “tag” could replace a tail to reduce the amount of equipment.) As more players leave the playing area, shrink the boundaries to keep the remaining players roughly four feet apart. The game continues for a set time or until only two participants remain. The participants who are “out” can jog in place, stretch or run laps around the playing area until the game is complete.

Variations:

1. Add strategy and team dynamics: Divide participants into two to four teams. Teams can either be positioned together in one quadrant of the playing area to start, or scattered as when playing individually. The game is played the same, ending when members of only one team remain.

2. Increase difficulty: All participants dribble a basketball or soccer ball. A participant is “out” if her/his tail is pulled OR if her/his ball is knocked out of the playing area.

3. Increase difficulty: All participants hold a ball (football, basketball, volleyball, soccer, four square, etc.). A participant is “out” if her/his tail is pulled OR if her/his ball touches the floor.

4. Increase length of play: Participants who are “out” can perform a designated number of callisthenic exercises (pushups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, etc.) and re-enter the game.

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Hand Game

Purpose: This warm-up game works to improve hand-eye control

Equipment: One to two balls (can use a variety of different balls from Nerf balls to playground balls)

Description: Hand Game is played with 2 or more players. Multiple participants are formed into a circle and work down to a triangle (3 players) and then to one on one. The idea is to use your hands to the best of your ability without catching a ball.

Play starts when one participant tosses a ball (underhand) to another participant. That participant must transfer the ball to any other participant using anything on their body to transfer it to another participant, with the exception of a physical throw. The ball must also be at a minimum of waist level in height.

Once the ball is transferred, the participant receiving the ball must not catch it or let it hit the ground. Typically, that participant may stop the ball’s path with their body and then transfer it onto another participant. They can use any other appendage/joint to control the ball to include foot, knee, shoulder, etc.

A participant is “out” when they:

A) Drop the ball while possessing it.

B) The ball hits their body and falls to the ground. For example, Participant 1 transfers the ball to Participant 2, but the ball hits Participant 2 in the leg and falls to the ground.

C) A participant transfers the ball and the path of the ball is lower than the waist of the participant receiving the ball.

D) Once a person is “out” they continue warm-up activities specific to the activity of the day i.e. soccer passes, volleyball sets, softball throws, etc.

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Relay Race

Purpose: This warm-up game assists with hand-eye coordination and communication.

Equipment: One ball for each line.

Description: The Relay Race is played with 3-6 participants (depending on throwing ability) that are in a line. There should be at minimum of 2 lines but can be as many as space allows.

The lines should be spaced far enough apart to reduce the chance of participants colliding if they need to chase errant throws. The participants in each line should be spread far enough from each other to allow for strong passes from participant to participant. Play starts with a ball lying on the ground slightly away from the furthest participant. That participant runs to collect the ball and then passes it to their partner who then passes it along in their designated line.

The teacher/coach may determine how many times the ball goes back and forth from the starting position to the final spot, but the ball should travel from participant 4 (Figure 8 shows the start as participant 4) to participant 3 to participant 2 to participant1. If two loops are to be completed, participant 1 would then throw back to participant 2, etc.

The optimal way to complete the game is to make accurate passes to the dominant side of the participant you are passing to and to keep the lines as straight as possible. The winning line is the team that secures the ball on the designated spot without skipping a participant.

Variations:

1. Increase difficulty: The game may also be started with a moving ball to create a more game-like scenario.

2. Increase difficulty: Participants move to designated positions on the field when catching the ball.

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This article aimed to provide warm-up games to help prepare students for the main activity in the class or practice. Warm-up activities are recommended to increase the heart rate and raise the body temperature prior to more vigorous activity. Variations of each game can increase the difficulty of the game or introduce strategy or team play. The teacher or coach can modify the game to make it more age appropriate, more challenging or skill specific. Warm-up games can be a fun and useful addition to any class or practice. “Let’s begin with warm-up games!”

References

Bishop, D. (2003). Warm up II: Performance changes following active warm up and how to structure the warm up. Sports Medicine, 33 (7) 483-498.

Earle, R. W. & Baechle, T. R. (Eds.). (2004). National strength and conditioning association’s essentials of personal training. Champaign: Human Kinetics.

Mayo Clinic, (2011). Aerobic exercise: How to warm-up and cool down. health/exercise/SM00067

Shipe, M. (2012). Exercising with coronary heart disease.

Spark People (2013). Ask the experts: Why is it important to warm-up before exercise.

Young, W. B. &Behm, D.G., (2002). Should static stretching be used during a warm up for strength and power activities? National Strength and Conditioning Association, 24 (6) 33-37.

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