Classroom Warm-Up: Mobility and Activation by Your Chair

A warm-up for rainy days or classroom lessons, using the chair for support. It covers mobility and activation without needing space.

How to play

1. Stand next to your chair, desks pushed slightly aside. Neck, shoulder, elbow and wrist mobility (2 min).
2. One hand on the chair back: hip circles, front-to-back and side leg swings, and ankle circles (2 min).
3. Activation: ten sit-to-stands without using hands, calf raises, and incline push-ups with hands on the desk (2 min).
4. March in place with arm swings, gentle knee lifts, and finish with three deep standing breaths (2 min).

Rules

• Push the chair against the desk or wall so it doesn't move.
• No one stands on a chair or desk.
• Swing legs toward the open aisle, never toward a classmate.

Variations

Adaptations

• Wheelchair users: do the whole sequence from their chair with brakes on; activation uses arms and trunk.
• Students with a knee injury: replace sit-to-stands with seated leg raises.
• Self-conscious students: they can stand at the back of the room.

Learning goals

• Move the joints in an orderly way.
• Activate legs and arms in a small space.
• Have a useful warm-up for any setting.

Equipment for a class of 25

• chairs: 30

Teacher tip

Before starting, have each pair check that their chair is steady. Students tend to drop into the chair on sit-to-stands: ask for a three-second lowering.

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