Plank Line Beanbag Conveyor
Teams of five line up side by side in a plank and pass beanbags hand to hand like a conveyor belt from one hoop to another. Students build isometric core and arm strength and practice team coordination.
How to play
- Teams of 5 line up side by side, 18 in apart, each on a yoga mat. A hoop with 10 beanbags sits at one end and an empty hoop at the other (2 min).
- Everyone gets into a high plank with hands under the shoulders. On the whistle, the first student picks up a beanbag with one hand and hands it to the next student, who passes it on without breaking the plank.
- The last student drops the beanbag in the empty hoop. Rounds last 45 seconds; the team earns a point for each beanbag delivered. 1-minute rest.
- Rounds 2 and 3: change the order in line and try a forearm plank, sliding the beanbag along the floor.
- Round 4 (challenge): out and back, the beanbags travel to the far hoop and return; if anyone drops their knees, the beanbag they're holding goes back to the start.
- Wrap-up (2 min): each team explains which strategy helped them hold good form.
Rules
- Move only one hand at a time; the other hand and both feet stay planted.
- Hand the beanbags off, never toss them.
- Safety: anyone who can't hold it drops the knees briefly and comes back up, without letting the back sag.
Variations
Easier
30-second rounds in a kneeling plank.
Standard
Four 45-second rounds in high and forearm planks.
Harder
Plank with feet on a low bench or one leg lifted while passing.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the student takes the first or last spot seated, passing or receiving the beanbag with the trunk leaning forward.
- Autism: a fixed spot in line and a visual countdown for start and stop.
- Lower fitness: alternate plank rounds with hands-and-knees rounds.
Learning goals
- Hold a plank while freeing one hand to handle an object.
- Coordinate with teammates to pass objects efficiently.
- Encourage and support teammates as fatigue sets in.
Equipment for a class of 25
- beanbags: 50
- hoops: 10
- yoga mats: 25
Teacher tip
Space team lines well apart so nobody puts a hand on someone else's mat.
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