Box Breathing After the Bout: Bring Your Heart Rate Down

After an intense wrestling session, students take their pulse, use box breathing (inhale, hold, exhale and hold for four counts each) and measure again to check the effect. They learn a self-regulation tool that also helps before tests or in tense situations.

How to play

1. Right after the main activity, each student takes their pulse for 15 seconds at the wrist or neck and multiplies by 4 (1 min).
2. Lying on their backs with knees bent, explain box breathing: inhale 4 seconds, hold 4, exhale 4 and hold 4 (1 min).
3. The teacher quietly guides the cycles using the stopwatch; eyes can be closed (4 min).
4. Take the pulse again, work out the difference and write it down (1 min).
5. Quick discussion: in what other situations could this technique help? (1 min).

Rules

• If anyone feels dizzy holding their breath, they switch to breathing without holds.
• Stay silent during the guided cycles.
• Take the pulse with the index and middle fingers, never the thumb.

Variations

Adaptations

• Asthma: shorter counts with no holds, inhaler within reach.
• Hearing impairment: the teacher shows the counts with fingers or a phone light signal.
• Autism or anxiety: may keep eyes open and choose where to lie down.

Learning goals

• Measure heart rate correctly.
• Use a breathing technique to speed up recovery.
• Value breathing as a tool for emotional self-regulation.

Equipment for a class of 25

• stopwatch: 1

Teacher tip

If students have heart rate monitors or smartwatches, compare their readings with the manual count to discuss reliability.

More activities like this

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