Body Map of Soreness and Load

Each student marks the areas that feel tight or sore after class on a body outline worksheet, then picks specific stretches for those areas. It builds body awareness and helps prevent injuries.

How to play

1. Students walk slowly for two minutes while the teacher prompts them to scan their body from feet to head (2 min).
2. Each student gets a worksheet with front and back body outlines and colors areas green for no soreness, yellow for tight, and red for painful (1.5 min).
3. Next to each yellow area, they write a stretch they know for that area (1 min).
4. They do those stretches for 30 seconds each while the teacher checks form (2.5 min).
5. They hand in the worksheet; anyone with a red area talks briefly with the teacher on the way out (1 min).

Rules

• Know the difference between normal muscle fatigue and pain; always report pain to the teacher.
• Don't stretch an area marked red.
• Each worksheet is personal and isn't compared with others.
• Stretches are gentle with no bouncing.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: focus on the most-used areas, such as shoulders or wrists, with seated stretches.
• Visual impairment: use a raised-line outline or have the student point to areas on their own body while the teacher records.
• Students with a previous injury: ask them to monitor that area closely and report right away.

Learning goals

• Identify body areas that are loaded or sore after activity.
• Tell the difference between normal fatigue and pain.
• Choose appropriate stretches for each area.

Equipment for a class of 25

• worksheets: 25
• markers: 25

Teacher tip

These worksheets help you catch overuse before it becomes an injury. Laminate the outlines and use dry-erase markers to save paper.

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