Walking Football with Heart Rate and Borg: No-Run Intensity

Students play two walking football games with different rules and, after each one, measure their heart rate and rate their effort on the Borg scale. They find out how much real load a sport without running carries and which rules increase or decrease it.

How to play

1. Review taking a 15-second pulse at the wrist or neck and the 6 to 20 Borg scale; each student writes down their resting heart rate (4 min).
2. Game 1: walking football 5v5 on two courts with basic rules, one foot always on the ground and the ball kept low (6 min).
3. Take pulse right away, rate on the Borg scale and write it on the card (2 min).
4. Game 2 with rules that raise the demand: a longer field, no breaks on restarts and a goal only counts if the whole team has crossed halfway (6 min).
5. Second measurement and calculation of the percentage of estimated maximum heart rate for each game (3 min).
6. Group discussion: which rule affected effort the most? Who is each format right for? (4 min).

Rules

• Running is a foul and play restarts from where it happened.
• No contact or challenges from behind.
• The ball may not go above hip height.
• Anyone who feels dizzy or has chest pain stops and tells the teacher immediately.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: plays in a wheelchair with the rule of not going faster than a walking teammate, and also measures heart rate.
• Hearing impairment: the start and end of each measurement is signaled by raising a cone.
• Diagnosed heart condition or asthma: plays only game 1 and the teacher knows the student's action plan.

Learning goals

• Measure and compare exercise intensity with objective and subjective data.
• Connect game rules with physical load.
• Value low-intensity sports as a healthy lifelong option.

Equipment for a class of 25

• pinnies: 15
• balls: 4
• goals: 4
• cards: 30
• stopwatch: 2

Teacher tip

Many students are surprised that walking football reaches moderate intensity; use this to talk about physical activity suited to every stage of life.

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