RAMP: A Four-Letter Warm-Up to Stay Injury-Free

A warm-up built on the RAMP model: Raise, Activate, Mobilize, Potentiate. Each group leads one phase for the class, and everyone learns why a complete warm-up lowers injury risk.

How to play

1. Explain the four phases and give each group a card with sample exercises (2 min).
2. Raise: the first group leads easy jogging, footwork and imaginary jump rope (3 min).
3. Activate and Mobilize: two groups lead squats, glute bridges, lunges with a twist, and shoulder and ankle mobility (3 min).
4. Potentiate: the last group leads short accelerations and jumps with soft landings (2 min).
5. Each group explains in one sentence what its phase is for, and everyone checks how they feel (2 min).

Rules

• Intensity builds gradually: nothing explosive until the last phase.
• Leaders demonstrate each exercise before asking for it.
• Soft landings with knees lined up over the feet.
• If something hurts, stop and tell the teacher.

Variations

Adaptations

• Deaf or hard-of-hearing students: leaders face the class while demonstrating and count on their fingers.
• Leg injury: do the upper-body parts and lead one phase.
• Hesitant students: co-lead with a partner and split the exercises.

Learning goals

• Know and apply the four phases of a complete warm-up.
• Connect warming up with injury prevention.
• Lead part of the activity for the group.

Equipment for a class of 25

• phase cards: 4
• cones: 8

Teacher tip

Make the cards once and laminate them; they last all year. Common mistake: the Potentiate group starts too hard; ask for low jumps and few reps.

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