Partner Creators: Five Two-Person Warm-Up Moves

Each pair invents five warm-up moves that can only be done by two people, rehearses them and teaches them to another pair. It reinforces warm-up phases and cooperation.

How to play

1. The teacher shows examples of partner moves: synchrony (jogging in step), support (single-leg balance holding hands), gentle opposition (palm pushes) and interaction (crawling under the partner's bridge) (4 min).
2. Each pair creates five moves: one mobility, two activation, one coordination and one final challenge. They order them from low to high intensity (8 min).
3. Rehearse the full warm-up and adjust times and reps (4 min).
4. Two pairs team up: each teaches its warm-up to the other and all four do it (6 min).
5. Each group of four picks its best move and shows it to the class to build a shared warm-up (3 min).

Rules

• Opposition moves are gentle: push without hitting or yanking.
• No move involves climbing on or carrying your partner.
• If a move makes either partner uncomfortable, change it.

Variations

Adaptations

• Wheelchair users: the pair creates arm and trunk moves at the right height, such as palm pushes or passes.
• Students with visual impairments: moves include hand contact so they can follow their partner.
• Students who find creating hard: they pick and change one of the teacher's examples.

Learning goals

• Create cooperative warm-up moves.
• Order drills by intensity.
• Teach others what you've created.

Teacher tip

Mix the pairs, and let students choose partners only every other lesson. Students often invent very intense moves at the start: check the order before rehearsal.

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