Coaches Any cool warm up drills for my 1 hour classes!?

[cass]

I love to start my classes with a fun warm up and I'm looking for some new ideas! Would love your help! :]

 

[gymdog]

It's not necessarily fun, but always do handstand against the wall (both ways). Many new kids will need a spot to do back to the wall, so be cautious. But mastering this is key. Also on the stomach to the wall when they can hold relatively close to the wall for about 10-20 seconds, they can start to roll out of it by pulling their feet down the wall, which is a safe and easy way to introduce handstand forward roll.

 

[Nicole19]

Relay races or pit races get the kids pretty riled up if you think they can come back down from that to focus.
I love tag games although they don't necessarily work on gymnastics shapes/drills I think it's a fun first couple minutes. An easy one is heads and tails tag. Have half the group start with hands on their head and half the group hands on their bottom. Everyone is it and they try to tag someone who is the opposite. If they get tagged they switch where their hands are and what "team" they are on. It can go on forever.
Another one that can continue forever is knee tag. Everyone is it again. When their hands are on their knees they are safe. They cannot move, be tagged, or get tagged. When they remove their hands from their knees they can run, tag, and be tagged. If they get tagged the freeze and hold up a hand for a high five. When they get a high five they are unfrozen and can reenter the game.

 

[Redford]

For the first couple of minutes no full speed races (and mind you, kids always do full speed on races) it's not good for heart, lungs and the following training.
My girls have no problem doing the same old warm up routine/dance over and over again, makes it very easy for me. I will still do little games every once in a while to lighten up the mood.
"Fire, water, storm" is my favourite for warm ups since it's no full power game and adjustable to all ages and levels. Are you familiar with the game? If not, I'll describe it later on, I'm in kind of a rush right now.
We also do the first tag game, jumping on either the right or the left leg.

 

[cass]

For the first couple of minutes no full speed races (and mind you, kids always do full speed on races) it's not good for heart, lungs and the following training.
My girls have no problem doing the same old warm up routine/dance over and over again, makes it very easy for me. I will still do little games every once in a while to lighten up the mood.
"Fire, water, storm" is my favourite for warm ups since it's no full power game and adjustable to all ages and levels. Are you familiar with the game? If not, I'll describe it later on, I'm in kind of a rush right now.
We also do the first tag game, jumping on either the right or the left leg.

I would love to learn this "Fire, water, storm" game! that would be awesome :] thank you !!!!!

 

[cass]

Relay races or pit races get the kids pretty riled up if you think they can come back down from that to focus.
I love tag games although they don't necessarily work on gymnastics shapes/drills I think it's a fun first couple minutes. An easy one is heads and tails tag. Have half the group start with hands on their head and half the group hands on their bottom. Everyone is it and they try to tag someone who is the opposite. If they get tagged they switch where their hands are and what "team" they are on. It can go on forever.
Another one that can continue forever is knee tag. Everyone is it again. When their hands are on their knees they are safe. They cannot move, be tagged, or get tagged. When they remove their hands from their knees they can run, tag, and be tagged. If they get tagged the freeze and hold up a hand for a high five. When they get a high five they are unfrozen and can reenter the game.

Great ideas ! Going to try the knee tag today! :] Thank you!

 

[cass]

It's not necessarily fun, but always do handstand against the wall (both ways). Many new kids will need a spot to do back to the wall, so be cautious. But mastering this is key. Also on the stomach to the wall when they can hold relatively close to the wall for about 10-20 seconds, they can start to roll out of it by pulling their feet down the wall, which is a safe and easy way to introduce handstand forward roll.]
Thank you so much for all of your help!!!!! :]

 

[Redford]

In its basic form you have the kids jogging around the gym then at some point you will shout either "Fire!", "Water!" or "Storm!"
Fire: The kids have to run to one corner of the gym. (or the floor, deending on how big your gym is)
Water: The kids have to get their feet off the ground somehow.
Storm: The kids have to lie down on the floor.
Even my 3 year olds get that version of the game.

There is no end to upgrading this game.
Possible upgrades would be:
-the last one to react is taken out of the game for one round and gets to make the next shout/ make teams and let them collect points
-replace the tasks with more difficult drills, f.e. Storm is now getting down into a correct push up position, Fire is a hollow hold and Water a front support on high bar.
-invent new commands and let their brain work too. And it doesn't necessarily need to be obvious, I use "Orange juice!" for standing on the beam on one leg.
-Replace the jogging with different ways of moving each round, f.e. Chassé or arm circling.
-If you want to be super mean switch commands after you've played the game a few times, let water be lying down now and storm running to a corner. If you have teams give them different definitions for the same command.
The thing can get pretty challenging!

 

[gymdog]

Great game - thanks. I like how it's fun but doesn't involve any physical contact of the players (like chicken in a coop or red rover) which we all know can get out of hand.

 

[Somekiwichic]

For the 5-7 year old class (and sometimes 8-12) we usually do either sharks and islands, dead ants or stuck in the mud. Dead ants is good for teaching them team work. I like stuck in the mud because we can use shapes so there's a gymnastics element to it.