Smart Swaps: Same Stimulus with a Sore Wrist, Knee or Shoulder
Each group gets a made-up ache and adapts a functional workout so it keeps hitting the same muscles at a similar intensity without loading that area. Students learn to scale with judgment instead of quitting or pushing through pain.
How to play
- Base workout on the board (push-ups, jump squats, band rows, planks and lunges) and an explanation of an exercise's stimulus: muscles involved, intensity and type of effort (3 min).
- Each group draws a card (wrist, knee, shoulder or ankle) and swaps out the exercises that load that area for ones that keep the stimulus (7 min).
- Test: the group does its version for two rounds, 30 s on and 30 s off, logging RPE and the area worked for each exercise (10 min).
- Share: each group explains one swap and the class decides whether it keeps the stimulus or falls short (5 min).
Rules
- The aches are made up: anyone with a real injury follows their doctor's or physical therapist's guidance.
- "Just rest" isn't a swap unless there's truly no alternative.
- Try every swap with controlled technique before doing it fast.
- Nobody works through real pain to finish the workout.
Variations
Easier
Provide a list of possible exercises to choose from.
Standard
The group invents the swaps.
Harder
Each group gets two aches combined (for example, wrist and knee).
Adaptations
- Real injury: the student uses their own situation as their card, within what their doctor allows.
- Limited mobility: the group includes a seated swap for every leg exercise.
- Intellectual disability: cards show a drawing of the body area and a short list of exercises to pick from.
Learning goals
- Understand the concept of training stimulus.
- Design safe swaps for common aches.
- Build a critical attitude toward training through pain.
Equipment for a class of 25
- ache cards: 8
- workout sheets: 8
- mats: 30
- resistance bands: 8
- water jugs: 6
- stopwatch: 1
Teacher tip
Make it clear from the start that this isn't treatment and real pain needs a professional. The trickiest swap for them is jump squats with a sore knee: have the single-leg glute bridge ready as an example.
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