Thank you for purchasing Movement Based Games. Over the next several pages you will learn fun and challenging games that are appropriate for athletes and fitness enthusiasts alike! No matter if you provide performance training for athletes or if you run a successful fitness bootcamp, your athletes and clients will find these games entertaining, challenging, engaging, and most of all FUN. I have personally used these games with professional teams all the way down to elementary aged kids as well as with adult fitness bootcamps with HUGE success! Let s face it, people would much rather play than train. Overview This ebook is designed so that a detailed description of each game is on a single page that you can print out and take to the field, court, or gym with you. Also included is a web link so you can see exactly how each game is setup and played. List of Equipment Companies The majority of equipment required to play these games can be purchased at your local Target or Wal-Mart store. However, the colored hoops can be purchased at www.kwikgoal.com. While there are other companies that sell hoops and speed rings, they typically only come in one color. If you have any questions or comments about any of these games feel free to email me at athletebydesign@gmail.com. I hope you have as much fun as I have using these games with your athletes! All the best, Jeremy Boone www.athletebydesign.com
Movement Based Games Contents Game: Red-Blue-One-Two... 4 Game: ArmBreaker... 5 Game: Calf- Tag... 6 Game: Cat & Mouse... 7 Game: Chain Tag... 8 Game: Elbow Tag... 9 Game: Lightening Hands... 10 Game: Hoop Game... 11 Game: King of the Mountain... 12 Game: Knock-down... 13 Game: Balance Challenge... 14 Game: Red/Blue... 15 Game: Rock-Paper-Scissors Tag... 16 Game: Speed Tag... 17 Game: Split The Cone... 18 Game: Turn And Spin... 19 Title: Sports Fit Challenge... 20
Game: Red-Blue-One-Two Overview: This is a great game that helps develop reaction, recognition, speed, and agility. Equipment Needed: 2 Cones per pair of players How to Play: Pair up players and have them face each other approximately one arm s length away from each other. Place a cone 5 yds behind each player. The coach will assign to player A the words red and one and to player B the words blue and two. Once the players are set, the coach will call out one of the four words. The player whose name is called must then turn and sprint to the cone behind them before their opponent can tag them. If they make it to the cone they get one point, if the opponent tags them then the opponent gets one point. Play until the first person to five points wins! session. It is a great opportunity to focus on the ability to react, turn, and accelerate. To make it more sport specific, add a ball. http://tinyurl.com/ygxj9zp
Game: ArmBreaker Overview: Otherwise known as the Human Knot Game this is perfect for quick teambuilding, cooperation, and decision making. Equipment Needed: None How to Play: Divide the players up into a minimum of a group of four although I personally like groups of six. Have the players form a circle and everyone start by using their right hand and grab the person s right hand directly across from them. Use your left hand to grab the left hand of the person to the right of the person holding your other hand. Then without letting go, untangle the group back into a full circle. session. You can even make it a competition to see which group can get untangled first or use a stop watch and time each group to set a record. http://tinyurl.com/yk2rqrh
Game: Calf- Tag Overview: This is a great game that helps develop reaction, body-awareness, speed, and agility. Equipment Needed: None How to Play: Pair up players and have them face each other approximately one arm s length away. The goal is to be the first player to tag the opponent s calf. The first person to get five points wins the match. session. WARNING: Mention to the players to be aware of bumping heads if they both go at the other s calf at the same time! http://tinyurl.com/yj44yha
Game: Cat & Mouse Overview: A player favorite, this game is excellent for developing agility, acceleration, deceleration, and body awareness! Equipment Needed: 5 cones per grid How to Play: Setup four cones in a 5 x 5 yd square and place the fifth cone in the middle of the square. Player A is the mouse and Player B is the cat. Player A starts at an outside cone and Player B starts two arm lengths away from Player A. Player A then initiates the start and has to evade Player B for five seconds. Player A can go around the cones in any pattern and Player B has to follow the exact same pattern when trying to tag Player A. Give each player three turns at being both the mouse and the cat for a possible total of six points scored. session. Watch for players getting too tall as they run around a cone encourage them to stay low and keep their feet moving through the turn! http://tinyurl.com/yh4savt
Game: Chain Tag Overview: This is a great game to promote team work and task cohesion. Fun and light hearted. Equipment Needed: 4 cones How to Play: Setup a grid in a 15 x 15 yd square and have one person as it. On the coaches command go, the player tries to tag another person in the grid. If you get tagged, you have to link elbows and then try and tag all other players. Continue this pattern until there is only one player left, who is crowned the winner. The winner starts as the it for the next round. session. More often than not, as more and more players join the chain, it begins to get sloppy. Communicate to the group that they need to work together as a team to accomplish the task! http://tinyurl.com/ykxce9w
Game: Elbow Tag Overview: This game challenges the players to make quick decisions, be aware of obstacles, and require speed and agility. Equipment Needed: 4 cones How to Play: Setup four cones in a 20 x 20 yd square. In a group of eight to ten players, have everyone pair up in the grid and link elbows with their partner scattered throughout the grid. Choose one player to be it and another player to get chased. On the coaches command go, the it player (Player A) tries to tag the player who has no partner (Player B). Player B can run all throughout the grid and even hide behind a linked pair standing still. Player B can also have the option of linking on to a pair of players to avoid getting tagged. In doing so, the player on the other end of the link now becomes Player B who is getting chased. If Player A successfully tags Player B, then Player B now becomes the chaser and Player A quickly links up with a nearby pair of players and the player on the other end now becomes the new Player B. session. There is a lot of great movement in this game as well as strategy. Encourage the player being chased to use others as shields as well as how to strategically almost get caught and then link up! http://tinyurl.com/yk93zod
Game: Lightening Hands Overview: This is a perfect game to start off practice! It requires reaction, recognition, kinesthetic response, and an engaged mind! Equipment Needed: none How to Play: Have each player get a partner and stand facing each other. Putting the hands out, have Player A put their hands on top of Player B s hands which are facing up. Player B is simply trying to smack the top of the hands of Player A. Each successful touch earns one point. Switch roles every five attempts and play to ten points. session. The best part of this game is it requires the players to be mindful not mindless! It s perfect if your group is starting off practice rather sluggish! http://tinyurl.com/yfcfe9m
Game: Hoop Game Overview: A player favorite, this game is excellent for developing agility, acceleration, deceleration, body awareness, and player awareness! Equipment Needed: 9 or 12 Multi-Colored Hoops (redblue-green) How to Play: Randomly place the hoops within a 10 x 10 yd square so no two hoops of the same color are directly beside each other. Two players line up facing away from the hoop grid. The coach gives each player a specific color sequence and on the command go, the players turn and complete the color pattern and try to then be the first player to race back to the start. Use the following color sequence pattern to ensure players do not end up trying to step into the same colored hoop: Player A Red-yellow-blue Yellow-blue-red Blue-red-yellow Player B blue-red-yellow red-yellow-blue Yellow-blue-red Coaching Tips: Instruct the players to contact the ground in the middle of the hoop using the ball of their foot. If they try to quickly dig in with their toes, the hoop then get kicked, which is good feedback for improper foot mechanics. Variations include progressing from one foot in, to two feet in, to a shuffle pattern (1-2-3). http://tinyurl.com/yl2uyyx
Game: King of the Mountain Overview: This game challenges strength, balance, and body control. It is not intended for athletes with a history of shoulder pain or dysfunction. Equipment Needed: none How to Play: Have each player get a partner, stand side by side in a good athletic stance, facing opposite directions, and lock hands. The object is to cause the opponent to step or lose their footing. The first player to five points wins. session. Cue your players to stand with a low center of gravity so they do not get knocked out of their position. Again this game is not appropriate for athletes with any shoulder/elbow/wrist pain or dysfunction. http://tinyurl.com/yjpeofm
Game: Knock-down Overview: This game challenges body control, balance, hand quickness, core strength, and mental focus. Equipment Needed: none How to Play: Have each player get a partner and face each other approximately an arm s length apart. With both hands up, the goal is to give each other a high five and not get knocked out of place (fall backwards). The first player to five points wins. session. Be sure the players do not line up too close to each other to prevent injury. Again this game is not appropriate for athletes with any shoulder/elbow/wrist pain or dysfunction. http://tinyurl.com/yglz4bh
Game: Balance Challenge Overview: This game challenges body control, single leg balance, mental focus, and core strength. Equipment Needed: One mini-band per pair of athletes. How to Play: Have each player get a partner and face each other approximately an arm s length apart. With each player holding one end of the mini-band (both right hand and both left hand) and standing on the opposite leg, the goal is to pull your opponent off balance. The first player to five points wins. session. Cue the player to bend at the ankle/knee/hip in order to lower their center of gravity, which will in turn make them more stable. MAKE SURE you communicate to the players to never let go of the band, especially if they start to fall backwards and then let it go. Also, do not use an old mini-band as it could possibly break. SAFETY FIRST! http://tinyurl.com/yg69qm8
Game: Red/Blue Overview: This game challenges recognition, reaction, body control, and acceleration mechanics. Equipment Needed: Cones How to Play: Line up all of the players in a single line (10-15 players) in the middle of the field or court. Place a row of cones 5 yds away on either side of the player line. Next, tell them you will be calling out two colors and that Blue will be to their right side and red will be going to their left. Once they understand this, have every other player turn and face the opposite direction. However, the color directions have not actually changed. To start, have the players jump over the middle line back and forth until you call out the preferred color. The players will then quickly respond and sprint to the cone in the direction of the appropriate color. session. If a player reacts and sprints to the wrong cone, instruct them to quickly change directions and sprint to the correct cone. Players really enjoy this game and the coach can have fun by just before calling out a color, run in the opposite direction! Watch how many players follow what they see instead of what they hear! http://tinyurl.com/yz8an7l
Game: Rock-Paper-Scissors Tag Overview: This is an all-time favorite of every athlete! This game challenges recognition, reaction, agility, mental focus, body control. Equipment Needed: Cones How to Play: Have players pair up, line up on a line facing each other. Place a row of cones 5 yds away on either side of the player line behind each player. Facing each other in an athletic stance, the players will play Rock-Paper- Scissors. The loser immediately has to turn and run to the cone behind them, while the winner tries to chase and tag his opponent before they can touch the cone. It the loser makes it to the cone successfully he wins the point, if the winner tags the loser, he gets the point. The first player to five points wins. session. Communicate to the players to be aware of both deciding to chase after the other at the same time and then running into each other! SAFETY FIRST! Players enjoy playing this game as a tournament! http://tinyurl.com/yhq6xu8
Game: Speed Tag Overview: This is the number one rated tag game of every athlete I have ever used this with over the past fifteen years. It works on speed, agility, quickness, player awareness. Equipment Needed: Cones, stop-watch How to Play: Setup a grid of cones in a 10 x 10 yd square. Divide the group into two teams of four to six players. Team A will line up on one side of the square and Team B will get in the middle of the square. When the coach says go (starts the stop-watch), the first player from Team A runs in the grid and tags a player from Team B. He then immediately returns back to the starting line, gives his teammate a high-five, and then that player from Team A completes the same task. This continues until every player from Team A has completed the task. The coach stops the stop-watch when the last player from Team A crosses the start/finish line. Once finished, the two groups then switch roles and Team B now goes for time. The team with the shortest time wins. session. If you are on Team B and get tagged, it does not mean you are frozen or out. Therefore, everyone on Team A could go after the same player on Team B. Players enjoy playing this game as a tournament! http://tinyurl.com/ylysrll
Game: Split The Cone Overview: This is a great game that challenges speed, quickness, agility, reaction, and body control. Equipment Needed: Cones How to Play: Setup two cones 5 yds apart and then place another cone two yds on the outside of each of the middle cones (all four cones will form a straight line). With the players in pairs, have Player A face Player B on either side of the middle line between the two cones that are 5 yds apart. Player A s task is to sprint to one of the outside cones without getting tagged. Player B is trying to tag Player A, but can only do so once Player A steps beyond the safe zone (between the cones that are 5 yds apart). If successful, Player A gets a point, if unsuccessful Player B gets the point. Each player gets four attempts at the Player A position. session. This game can be very physically demanding and requires the ability to fake, feint, and juke the opponent. Players enjoy playing this game as a tournament! http://tinyurl.com/yjslysm
Game: Turn And Spin Overview: This game develops body control, leg strength, and core strength. Equipment Needed: Cones How to Play: With players paired up, have each get back to back. Place a cone approximately three yards away from each player. On the command go, the object is to be the first player to position your body, turn, spin, and touch your opponent s cone before your opponent does the same to you. session. This game can be very physically demanding and requires a bit of strategy. Players who are typically less fast will try and simply box out their opponent until they can reach their opponents cone. Players enjoy playing this game as a tournament! http://tinyurl.com/yj4nduu
BONUS!!! Title: Sports Fit Challenge Overview: This event is ideal to use at the end of a six week program and serves as a great motivator for your group. It also promotes group task group cohesion. You can use this format as a fitness challenge or use it with a sports group as a Soccer Fit Challenge for example. Click on the video link below to see exactly how to setup this exciting event: http://tinyurl.com/ykjqtk5 On the following page is a sample but I encourage you to create your own in order to best meet the needs and abilities of the group you are working with. For example, under the one point drill category, if you work with a soccer team, include juggling the ball ten times. If you work with basketball, you could make a two point drill be making five free throws.
Football Fit Challenge Objective: The goal is to get the most possible points in the time allowed! The Rules 1. You must have at least 3 drills from the 10 point section. 2. Once you start an exercise you must complete it. 3. Every person in your group must finish the previous exercise before the team can move to the next exercise. 4. The team must do every exercise together. One point Drills 50 Mountain Climbers (25 ea side) 25 Squat Jumps 30 Med ball Squat Chops 15 Partner Pull-ups 30 Rotational Push-Ups (15 ea side) 30 Iron Cross Crunches (ea side) Wheelbarrow Pushups- from sideline to hash and back Two Point Drills 2 min Ladder Runs (anything but single-in) Mini-band Routine (lat walk-lat shuffle-monster walk-ice skaters) x 20 yds Star Drill x 2 ea way (one player at a time) Illinois Agility Drill x 3 2 min Mini-Hurdle Runs (2 feet over & 1 foot over) 2 min Plank Ten Point Drills 4 Full Gassers (no more than 50% of your team at a time) 20 Sprints (no more than 50% of your team at a time) 4 x 60 yd shuttles (5-10-15yds; no more than 50% of your team at a time) Agility Circuit x 2 15 Point Drill Leg Circuits x 3 times (20 squats-20 lunges- 20 split jumps-10 jumps squats) 2 x Laps Around Full Field Every player in your group catch jug machine
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